title: Evaluation of a headspace solid-phase microextraction method for the analysis of ignitable liquids in fire debris.
abstract: The chemical analysis of fire debris represents a crucial part in fire investigations to determine the cause of a fire. A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) procedure for the detection of ignitable liquids in fire debris using a fiber coated with a mixture of three different sorbent materials (Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane, DVB/CAR/PDMS) is described. Gasoline and diesel fuel were spiked upon a preburnt matrix (wood charcoal), extracted and concentrated with HS-SPME and then analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The experimental conditions--extraction temperature, incubation and exposure time--were optimized. To assess the applicability of the method, fire debris samples were prepared in the smoke density chamber (SDC) and a controlled-atmosphere cone calorimeter. The developed methods were successfully applied to burnt particleboard and carpet samples. The results demonstrate that the procedure that has been developed here is suitable for detecting these ignitable liquids in highly burnt debris.
authors: BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Analytical Chemistry, Reference Materials, Organic Environmental Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Str. 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ina
authors: I
authors: Fettig
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Krüger
authors: Jan H
authors: JH
authors: Deubel
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Werrel
authors: Tina
authors: T
authors: Raspe
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Piechotta
keywords: arson analysis; cone calorimeter; fire debris; forensic science; ignitable liquids; smoke density chamber; solid-phase microextraction