ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 19 February 2004
Page Count: 12

Forensic Identification of Dyes Extracted from Textile Fibers by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)
Yinon, J
National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, FL

Sigman, ME
National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, FL

Huang, M
National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, FL

(Received 1 September 2003; accepted 16 November 2003)

Abstract

LC-MS is used for the identification of dyes extracted from textile fibers and the utility of the method for forensic trace analysis is demonstrated. The technique is shown to provide a high degree of chemical structural information, making dye identification highly specific in comparison to optical and/or chromatographic methods of dye analysis. A UV-visible absorbance detector, placed in series before the MS detector, facilitates monitoring the elution of dyes in the presence of other non-dye components extracted from colored textile fibers. In this way, dye identification becomes practical, even when a dye standard is not available for comparison. A set of 22 reference dyestuffs and 10 dyes extracted from textile fibers were analyzed to demonstrate the utility of the method. Six of the extracted dyes corresponded to dyes also contained in the set of 22 reference dyestuffs. Reference dyestuffs were not available for four of the extracted dyes. Triethylamine (TEA) was shown to increase the electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) response of dyes containing multiple sulfonated groups.

Keywords:
forensic science, textile dye, LC-MS, trace analysis

Paper ID: JFS2003295
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2003295
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