Raman Spectroscopic and Sensory Evaluation of Cocoa Liquor Prepared with Ecuadorian Cocoa Beans Treated with Gamma Irradiation or Induced Electromagnetic Field Fermentation.

Cocoa liquor is the primary precursor of the worldwide highly appreciated commodity chocolate. Its quality depends on several factors, such as the type of cocoa, the fermentation process, and the control of the contaminants in the fermented beans. This study aims to evaluate whether the induced magnetic field treatment during the fermentation process or the pathogen reduction with gamma irradiation after the fermentation affect the characteristics of the cocoa liquor obtained from Ecuadorian cocoa beans.

Forensic analysis of biological fluid stains on substrates by spectroscopic approaches and chemometrics: A review.

Background: Bodily fluid stains are one of the most relevant evidence that can be found at the crime scene as it provides a wealth of information to the investigators. They help to report on the individuals involved in the crime, to check alibis, or to determine the type of crime that has been committed. They appear as stains in different types of substrates, some of them porous, which can interfere in the analysis.

Differentiation of blood and environmental interfering stains on substrates by Chemometrics-Assisted ATR FTIR spectroscopy.

Blood is the most common and relevant bodily fluid that can be found in crime scenes. It is critical to correctly identify it, and to be able to differentiate it from other substances that may also appear at the crime scene. In this work, several stains of blood, chocolate, ketchup, and tomato sauce on five different substrates (plywood, metal, gauze, denim, and glass) were analysed by ATR FTIR spectroscopy assisted with orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models.

Classification of Various Marijuana Varieties by Raman Microscopy and Chemometrics.

The Raman analysis of marijuana is challenging because of the sample's easy photo-degradation caused by the laser intensity. In this study, optimization of collection parameters and laser focusing on marijuana trichome heads allowed collecting Raman spectra without damaging the samples. The Raman spectra of Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) standard cannabinoids were compared with Raman spectra of five different types of marijuana: four Sativa varieties (Amnesia Haze, Amnesia Hy-Pro, Original Amnesia, and Y Griega) and one Indica variety (Black Domina).

Forensic examination of textile fibres using Raman imaging and multivariate analysis.

Vibrational spectroscopic techniques have shown to be highly suitable for the identification and comparison of textile fibres and clothing fabrics. On the other hand, new chemical imaging modes based on these spectroscopic techniques are becoming useful in multiple fields. This is particularly important to, for instance, chemically visualize and screen different samples including forensic evidence (crime scene investigation), chemical and food products (quality control), biological tissues and living beings (medical imaging), among others.

Evaluation of an Ozone Chamber as a Routine Method to Decontaminate Firefighters' PPE.

Ozone chambers have emerged as an alternative method to decontaminate firefighters' Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from toxic fire residues. This work evaluated the efficiency of using an ozone chamber to clean firefighters' PPE. This was achieved by studying the degradation of pyrene and 9-methylanthracene polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Microplastics in sediments of artificially recharged lagoons: Case study in a Biosphere Reserve.

We studied the occurrence of microplastics in sediments of artificially and non-artificially recharged lagoons from the network of endorheic wetlands called "La Mancha Húmeda", declared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The particles sampled in this study covered the 25 μm-5 mm range. Films were the dominant microplastic typology in non-artificially recharged lagoons, while fibres and fragments were more abundant in those receiving wastewater.

Revealing the location of semen, vaginal fluid and urine in stained evidence through near infrared chemical imaging.

Crime scene investigation (CSI) requires the ultimate available technology for a rapid, non-destructive, and accurate detection of a wide variety of evidence including invisible stains of bodily fluids. Particularly crucial is the discrimination of semen in stained evidence from sexual abuse cases. This is because those evidence have high odds of containing the DNA from the aggressor.

Analytical tools for the analysis of fire debris. A review: 2008-2015.

The analysis of fire debris evidence might offer crucial information to a forensic investigation, when for instance, there is suspicion of the intentional use of ignitable liquids to initiate a fire. Although the evidence analysis in the laboratory is mainly conducted by a handful of well-established methodologies, during the last eight years several authors proposed noteworthy improvements on these methodologies, suggesting new interesting approaches. This review critically outlines the most up-to-date and suitable tools for the analysis and interpretation of fire debris evidence.

Study of consumer fireworks post-blast residues by ATR-FTIR.

Specific analytical procedures are requested for the forensic analysis of pre- and post-blast consumer firework samples, which present significant challenges. Up to date, vibrational spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have not been tested for the analysis of post-blast residues in spite of their interesting strengths for the forensic field. Therefore, this work proposes a simple and fast procedure for the sampling and analysis of consumer firework post-blast residues by a portable FTIR instrument with an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) accessory.