In this paper, researchers present an investigation of water’s effect on ignitable liquid residue analysis by coupling solid-phase microextraction with direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS).
This study examined whether water could interfere with gasoline residue analysis by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS), which is dependent on gasoline-to-water ratios and the type of substrates. The researchers conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the water effect in gasoline residue detection by DART-MS method to provide results that will aid in a better understanding of water and substrates factors in the ignitable liquid (IL) detection method. Arson investigation and explosive analysis is a subfield of forensic science that focuses on examining the physical evidence collected from a scene in which a fire occurred. Accelerants and ILs are often used in arson fires to maximize the damage that the fire creates. Common ILs include lighter fluid and gasoline, with gasoline being one of the most volatile compounds. DART-MS is known for its ability to analyze volatile weather-exposed compounds and to demonstrate sensitive detection of explosives. In recent research, the DART-MS was coupled with an extraction method called Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) to aid in the analysis of IL residue on substrates (i.e., wood floor, paper).