On the impact of DNA extraction procedure on the recovery of condom evidence.

On the international level, different protocols exist for sampling condom traces, similarly to DNA traces. Usually collected with cotton swabs, some protocols use nylon swabs, which were found more efficient for the desorption of DNA, because they offer a better desorption of the compounds during the extraction. In addition, not all the protocols do contain swabs for other evidence than DNA.

A preliminary investigation of underwear as a support for condom evidence in rape and sexual assault cases.

Condom lubricants have been found to be a new type of evidence to investigate and analyze in sexual assaults and rape cases. Casework studies highlighted two main types of trace evidence supports collected from the victim and send to forensic laboratories: cotton swabs and victims' underwear. If cotton swabs have been used in most of the recent published research papers, the underwear and the textile effects on the recovery of condom lubricants are under investigated although such studies are very important for the interpretation of the evidence, as highlighted in the Regina v.

A preliminary investigation of transfer of condom lubricants in the vaginal matrix.

Condom evidence has become in the past years a very relevant item of evidence in sexual assault or rape cases, being an objective help in the reconstruction of the activity. Traces recovered from a vaginal swab might help to identify whether a condom or other lubricants were used, and thereby possibly confirming or infirming allegations of the parties. However, the interpretation of condom traces can be challenging and requires a detailed understanding of various factors like condom lubricant chemical composition and occurrence on the market, transfer and persistence parameters and background.

The use of an optimized DRIFTS-FTIR method for the forensic analysis and classification of silicone condom lubricants.

Condom residues may be encountered in forensic investigations as traces left in sexual assault or rape cases. Considering casework samples analysis, where material from swabs will need to be extracted, Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was reported as the most relevant method for trace evidence analysis. However, there has been no study to identify which specific parameters were the most suitable for the analysis of silicone-based lubricants, especially in terms of repeatability of the analyses.

Condom evidence: Characterisation, discrimination and classification of pyrolysis-GC-MS profiles.

Analysis of condom evidence commonly focusses on the detection of silicone-based lubricants, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Although various instruments are used to analyse silicone lubricants, pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS) is one of the few instruments that presents immediate applicability to casework. However, considering that this technique detects silicone-based evidence, it is important to evaluate the discrimination potential of the method when applied to various samples.

A forensic international market survey of condom lubricants and personal hygiene products using ATR-FTIR coupled to chemometrics.

Condom residues may be encountered in forensic investigations as traces in sexual assault or rape cases. Casework studies have shown the value of distinguishing condom residues from other types of personal products used by women. However, up to now, there has been no investigation of their chemical variability within an international context.

Analysis of condom evidence in forensic science: Background survey of the human vaginal matrix using DRIFTS and pyrolysis-GC/MS.

Condom traces are increasingly detected from victims of sexual assault, mostly from vaginal swabs. Protocols have been developed for the analysis of silicone-based condom lubricants using DRIFTS-FTIR and py-GC/MS, but very little research is concerned with the background contribution of the vaginal matrix itself. The present contribution would be an asset for more fundamental research on condom residues in the vaginal matrix, as well as for interpretative purposes in the forensic area.

Characterization and classification of water-based compounds in condoms and personal hygiene products using GC-MS.

Analysis of condom evidence commonly focusses on the detection of silicone-based lubricants, such as polydimethylsiloxane. However, water-based compounds such as propylene glycol or glycerin can also be used as condom lubricants and may, therefore, be detected as transferred traces. Evaluation of the variability amongst a large sample set from an international market is needed to determine what are the most likely compounds that may be detected in casework.

Forensic analysis of condom traces: Chemical considerations and review of the literature.

The analysis of condom traces has recently been added to the standard forensic examination protocol of sexual assault and rape cases. Several recent studies have thus focussed on the detection of condom components and classification of the chemical profiles using statistics, obtaining very promising results. The purpose of the present article is to critically review the literature regarding condom chemical analysis.

Identification of some factors influencing soil transfer on shoes.

In criminal activities, soil can be transferred from a crime scene to items linked with a perpetrator; for example, shoes, cars or tools. Several parameters will influence the quantity of soil transferred in a given scenario. The knowledge of the most influential factors can help the expert to assess the evidence using a logical approach at the activity level or to predict the amount of soil that can be expected in a given scenario.

Pre-analytical considerations of condom traces: A review of composition, background, transfer and persistence.

Today, rape and sexual assault cases are mainly solved using evidence such as medical evidence or DNA analysis. Condom traces have been found to be present in 10% of assaulted women, when no DNA is found [1]. Numerous studies have emphasized the interest of analysing the composition of male condoms and their traces, and developing specific methods for the analysis of this type of evidence.

Quantification of THC in Cannabis plants by fast-HPLC-DAD: A promising method for routine analyses.

Nowadays, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is mainly used in forensic sciences but suffers from limitations when the analysed compounds are thermally instable as it is the case for THC-A (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid) which is converted into Δ-THC (Δ-Tetrahydrocannabinol) that subsequently partially degrades. We propose herein a Fast High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (Fast-HPLC-DAD) method which allows the efficient separation of CBN (Cannabinol), CBD (Cannabidiol), THC-A and Δ-THC, the major cannabinoids compounds found in cannabis plants in less than 5 min. Our method allows also the proper quantification of Δ-THC in plant extracts using an external calibration method with a very good accuracy as pointed out by a recovery of 100.