It has recently been established that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) successfully transfer between clothing even with a short contact of 10 s, highlighting the potential to use VOCs in forensic reconstruction scenarios, such as sexual assault cases. The mid and low volatility compounds transferred in greater amounts than high volatility compounds. This study presents empirical data addressing the persistence of transferred VOCs on clothing for the first time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSexual assault is a serious crime that often has low conviction rates. Recent literature has demonstrated that there is potential for fragrances to be valuable in forensic reconstructions where there has been contact between individuals. However, developing appropriate evidence bases for understanding the nature of fragrance transfer in these contexts is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn analytical method for the determination of trace amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) relevant to the cosmetics industry was optimised, validated and employed for the analysis of commercial perfumes. The method used a combination of headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition to fibre type, three different HS-SPME extraction conditions were investigated simultaneously, namely incubation time, extraction time and extraction temperature, using a central composite design in order to determine the optimal conditions for the extraction of VOCs of interest.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerfumes are widely used by many people in developed countries, and a large number of both men and women wear perfumes on a daily basis. Analysis of perfume trace materials from clothing is not commonly employed within forensic casework, yet as a form of trace evidence it has the potential to provide valuable intelligence. In order to appreciate the value of trace evidence there is a fundamental need for an evidence base that can both offer insight into how a trace material behaves under different scenarios and activities, and from which inferences can be made.
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