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Forensic Analysis of Stains on Fabric Using Direct Analysis in Real‐time Ionization with High‐Resolution Accurate Mass‐Mass Spectrometry
Author(s) -
Kern Sara E.,
Crowe John B.,
Litzau Jonathan J.,
Heitkemper Douglas T.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.13565
Subject(s) - dart ion source , mass spectrometry , chromatography , chemistry , sample preparation , ambient ionization , analytical chemistry (journal) , ionization , chemical ionization , ion , organic chemistry , electron ionization
A rapid technique using direct analysis in real ‐ time ( DART ) ambient ionization coupled to a high ‐ resolution accurate mass‐mass spectrometer ( HRAM ‐ MS ) was employed to analyze stains on an individual's pants suspected to have been involved in a violent crime. The victim was consuming chocolate ice cream at the time of the attack, and investigators recovered the suspect's pants exhibiting splatter stains. Liquid chromatography with mass spectral detection ( LC ‐ MS ) and stereoscopic light microscopy ( SLM ) were also utilized in this analysis. It was determined that the stains on the pants contained theobromine and caffeine, known components of chocolate. A shard from the ceramic bowl that contained the victim's ice cream and a control chocolate ice cream sample were also found to contain caffeine and theobromine. The use of DART ‐ HRAM ‐ MS was useful in this case due to its rapid analysis capability and because of the limited amount of sample present as a stain.