ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 2003
Page Count: 5

An Alternative Method to Screen for Pepper Spray Residue
De Forest, PR
City University of New York,

Kubic, TA
City University of New York,

Gillis, TD
Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Lab,

(Received 6 September 2002; accepted 24 August 2002)

Abstract

A method was developed to screen for pepper spray residue using instruments and methods other than those techniques commonly employed to analyze chemical residue (i.e., gas chromatography mass spectrometry-GCMS or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-LCMS). The method employed gas chromatography (GC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to screen for dried pepper spray stains. Pepper sprays from nine different manufacturers were investigated. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were identified and unique IR reflectance spectra are presented. An additional five compounds were presumptively found. Results showed that a particular stain could be characterized as a pepper-based stain.

Keywords:
forensic science, pepper spray products, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, thin layer chromatography, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, gas chromatography

Paper ID: JFS2002233
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002233
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