Forensic accelerant detection

Andrasko J. 1983. The collection and detection of accelerant vapors using porous polymers and Curie point pyrolysis wires coated with active carbon. J Forensic Sci 28(2) 330-344. 

Jack Hubball is a lead criminalist with the Connecticut State Police Forensic Laboratory. The Chemistry Section of the laboratory provides analyses for organic compounds from a variety of samples submitted from crime scenes. However, the majority of samples are from suspect-arson fire scenes. Many of these samples contain pyrolysis products and/or polymer additives. During his tenure at the Forensic Laboratory, Dr. Hubball has analyzed more than 10,000 items. In addition to his duties as an analyst, he is the quality manager for the Forensic Laboratory and is responsible for most aspects of the lab QA/QC program. He is the laboratory representative to the Connecticut State Police K-9 Unit and provides final testing and third party certification for the accelerant, drug and explosives detection teams. 

The analysis of DNA by CE represents one of the best examples for application of this technique in clinical analysis where the low cost, the full automation, and the speed of analysis compared to the slab gels accelerated the implementation of this technique in sequencing the human genome. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the Genome project, viral detection, blood transfusion safety, and forensic identification are all pushing the widespread use of DNA analysis especially by CE further than most investigators have expected. 

Gas chromatography is the method of choice for the detection and characterization of accelerants from fire debris. Since petroleum products are by far the most common types of accelerants and because GC is used to characterize the type of accelerant, the forensic scientist must have a basic understanding of petroleum products and their manufacturing process. 

The aforementioned applications of GC have been from several major areas of forensic science, specifically drug analysis and toxicology and other areas of trace evidence, such as pyrolysis, explosives, and the detection of accelerants. There are, however, a few other forensic analyses by GC that have been reported. 

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