Review: Recent advancements and moving trends in chemical analysis of fire debris.

This review describes recent advances and current trends in fire debris analysis from 2014 to 2021. Onsite analytical techniques used for fire scene investigation, identifying samples of interest for later analysis as well as onsite confirmatory techniques are examined. Laboratory techniques are reviewed both from a perspective of instrumentation and data analysis.

Coupled reversed-phase and ion chromatographic system for the simultaneous identification of inorganic and organic explosives.

There are many methods available to detect and positively identify either organic or inorganic explosives separately, however no one method has been developed which can detect both types of explosive species simultaneously from a single sample. In this work, a unique coupled-chromatographic system is reported for the simultaneous determination of both organic and inorganic explosive species and is used for pre-blast analysis/identification purposes. This novel approach is based on the combination of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and ion chromatography which allows trace levels of organic and inorganic explosives to be determined simultaneously from a single sample.

Fast ion chromatography using short anion exchange columns.

A fast ion chromatographic system is described which uses shorter column lengths and compares various eluent profiles in order to maximise the performance without sacrificing the chromatographic resolution. Both isocratic and gradient elution profiles were considered to find the most efficient mode of separation. The separation and determination of seven target anions (chloride, chlorate, nitrate, chromate, sulfate, thiocyanate and perchlorate) was achieved using a short (4mm ID, 50mm long) column packed with Dionex AS20 high-capacity anion exchange material.

Column selection for comprehensive multidimensional ion chromatography.

This paper discusses the selection of ion chromatography (IC) columns for use in comprehensive multidimensional ion chromatography (IC x IC). First, a single number was determined for a wide range of anions (one number for each anion) using the linear solvent strength model. These numbers were then used to compare the column selectivity characteristics for five different columns.

Packing procedures for high efficiency, short ion-exchange columns for rapid separation of inorganic anions.

An optimised packing procedure for the production of high efficiency, short, particle-packed ion-exchange columns is reported. Slurry-packing techniques were applied to a series of interconnected short columns, with the columns situated intermediate between the inlet and outlet ends of the series being used for separations. The fast separation and determination of inorganic anions was achieved using short (4mm ID, 30mm long) columns packed with Dionex AS20 high-capacity anion-exchange stationary phase.

Development of a micro-fluidic manifold for copper monitoring utilising chemiluminescence detection.

The progressive development of a micro-fluidic manifold for the chemiluminescent detection of copper in water samples, based on the measurement of light emitted from the Cu(ii) catalysed oxidation of 1,10-phenanthroline by hydrogen peroxide, is reported. Micro-fluidic manifolds were designed and manufactured from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) using three micro-fabrication techniques, namely hot embossing, laser ablation and direct micro-milling. The final laser ablated design incorporated a reagent mixing channel of dimensions 7.

Retention of alkali, alkaline earth and transition metals on an itaconic acid cation-exchange column. Eluent pH, ionic strength and temperature effects upon selectivity.

The unusual selectivity of a methylene succinic (itaconic) acid modified polymeric column was investigated for the separation of alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metals employing non-chelating inorganic eluents. The retention of selected metal ions on the column was investigated with simple HNO3 eluents and eluents prepared from KNO3 and KCl salts of varying pH (adjusted using HNO3). From these studies both the effect of eluent ionic strength and pH upon retention was evaluated for the itaconic acid stationary phase.