Abstract

Forensic Analysis of Hairs: Identifying Styling Product Residues on Hairs by GC-MS

Weidaw, Chelsea; Wetzel, Stephanie

Department of Chemistry

Duquesne University

            Forensic analysis of hairs is an important crime scene investigative tool. The residues present on hairs found at crime scenes have the potential to increase the information obtained from hair evidence. To help identify these unknown residues on a hair a Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) is used. Hair products were mixed with different solvents such as Acetone, Hexane, Isopropanol, and Methanol. Then these samples were sonicated to extract soluble residues, and then analyzed by the GC-MS.  After looking at these results from the GC-MS, a solvent was chosen and hair samples were collected. Finally, the ability to extract hair products from a single hair and identify the residue was tested.