NCJ Number
192047
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 46 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 1470-1473
Date Published
November 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Using passive headspace concentration as described in ASTM E 1412 and gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis as described in ASTM E 1618, this study examined the persistence of solvents of floor coating materials.
Abstract
Both oak and pine flooring boards were tested using stain, stain with polyurethane varnish, and oil finish after a period of 10 months and 24 months. The solvents from all three floor-coating substances were easily detectable after 24 months and showed no signs of diminution when compared with the samples tested earlier. The study shows that medium petroleum distillates, which are designed to evaporate, become part of the wood substrate long after the bulk of the solvent is gone. Because finished wood flooring samples represent a significant percentage of the samples submitted for forensic analysis of fire debris to detect the presence of foreign ignitable liquids, it is apparent that in the absence of a comparison sample that exhibits no petroleum hydrocarbons, the interpretation of medium petroleum distillate in a sample of finished wood flooring requires considerable caution when determining the cause of a fire. 5 figures and 1 reference