title: Morphological, spectral and chromatography analysis and forensic comparison of PET fibers.
abstract: Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fiber analysis and comparison by spectral and polymer molecular weight determination was investigated. Plain fibers of PET, a common textile fiber and plastic material was chosen for this study. The fibers were analyzed for morphological (SEM and AFM), spectral (IR and NMR), thermal (DSC) and molecular weight (MS and GPC) differences. Molecular analysis of PET fibers by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) allowed the comparison of fibers that could not be otherwise distinguished with high confidence. Plain PET fibers were dissolved in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and analyzed by GPC using hexafluoroisopropanol:chloroform 2:98 v/v as eluent. 14 PET fiber samples, collected from various commercial producers, were analyzed for polymer molecular weight by GPC. Distinct differences in the molecular weight of the different fiber samples were found which may have potential use in forensic fiber comparison. PET fibers with average molecular weights between about 20,000 and 70,000 g mol(-1) were determined using fiber concentrations in HFIP as low as 1 μg mL(-1). This GPC analytical method can be applied for exclusively distinguish between PET fibers using 1 μg of fiber. This method can be extended to forensic comparison of other synthetic fibers such as polyamides and acrylics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Drug Research, School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and The Alex Grass Center for Drug Design and Synthesis, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Shady
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: Division of Identification and Forensic Sciences (DIFS), Israel Police, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Tsadok
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsach
authors.affiliation: Division of Identification and Forensic Sciences (DIFS), Israel Police, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bentolila
authors.affiliation: Institute of Drug Research, School of Pharmacy-Faculty of Medicine, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and The Alex Grass Center for Drug Design and Synthesis, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel; Division of Identification and Forensic Sciences (DIFS), Israel Police, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: avid@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Abraham J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Domb
mesh_terms: D002725:Chloroform / Q000737:chemistry; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods; D006358:Hot Temperature; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011108:Polymers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D020005:Propanols / Q000737:chemistry; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D013784:Textiles / Q000032:analysis*; D006845:Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
chemical_list: D002725:Chloroform; D010969:Plastics; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011108:Polymers; D020005:Propanols; C001337:hexafluoroisopropanol; D006845:Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated
keywords: Fiber analysis; Fiber forensic comparison; GPC analysis; Poly(ethylene terephthalate)