ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 2002
Page Count: 7

Chemical Analysis of Vegetable Oils Following Spontaneous Ignition
Coulombe, R
Forensic Chemist, Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale, Québec

(Received 22 September 2000; accepted 1 June 2001)

Abstract

Two cases of spontaneous ignition of vegetable oil in fabrics after being washed and dried are reported. In both cases, the analysis revealed the consumption of unsaturated fatty material and the recovery of higher proportions of saturated fatty material along with saturated fatty diacids. The investigators reported that in the first case the origin of the fire was in a plastic container filled with cotton towels and in the second case, a garbage bag. In both cases, the fabrics had been washed and were freshly dried. In the second case, the recovery of the nonpolar volatile fraction disclosed the presence of 1-phenylalkanes along with oxygenated species.

Keywords:
forensic science, fire origin and causes, vegetable oils, spontaneous ignition, fatty acid methyl ester, clothes washing and drying, diacids, dimethyl azelate, 1-phenylalkanes

Paper ID: JFS15224J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS15224J
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