FIRE DEBRIS ANALYSIS – A SURVEY OF TECHNIQUES USED FOR ACCELERANTS ISOLATION AND CONCENTRATION

ABSTRACT: Fire debris analysis, in order to identify potential accelerants, is an es-sential examination if there is suspicion of arson. Any traces of potential accelerants in a sample taken from the place where the fire began are crucial to an investigation. The results of analysis also constitute evidence which can be used in court. Analysis of an arson debris sample is a two-stage process. The first stage is analytes isolation and concentration. The second is chromatographic compounds separation, analysis and potential accelerant identification. The efficiency of the first stage determines the result of the whole process and the possibility of accelerant identification. The first arson residues examination was conducted in the 1940’s. Since then methods used for analytes separation and concentration have been developed and modified. Some of them have gone out of use, and others have been introduced. Among other methods used these days, head-space analysis techniques are the most significant. Until recently, passive adsorption on a carbon strip was considered the most effec-tive. Currently it has been replaced by solid phase micro-extraction (SPME)