Examination of Forensic Evidence
John M. Challinor, David A. DeTata, Kari M. Pitts, Céline Burnier · 2021
The chemical characterization of forensic evidence requires highly sensitive and discriminatory analytical techniques due to the trace level of material available, and to ensure maximum discrimination from other material in the same class. Forensic laboratories are often equipped with an extensive instrument suite that can characterize various forms of material found at crime scenes as part of routine procedures. The crucial feature of pyrolysis is the need to undertake rapid and highly reproducible heating rates and final temperatures, which can be achieved using three main modes of heating: inductive, resistive, and microfurnace. Paint can provide strong evidence in a forensic investigation due to its variability and complexity. The variability in the pyrolysis profiles of the different classes of coatings is self-evident. The formulations are often based on methyl methacrylate monomer and are plasticized by the incorporation of monomers that produce “softer” polymers such as butyl methacrylate and/or external plasticizers such as the phthalates.