The purpose of this research is to develop a procedure which would allow for the identification of lotions based on their unique chemical components.   Our goal is to provide a procedure that can be used to identify samples taken from cloth fragments, because this would be more applicable to the field of forensics.  Fatty acids were liberated from the triglycerides using a hydrolysis method which provides the ability to hydrolyze organic esters which separates them into individual fatty acids. The fatty acids were then isolated through a series of extractions.  Derivatization of the fatty acids with BSTFA forms trimethylsilyl derivatives. Using GC-Mass Spectroscopy we can then analyze the particular fatty acid composition for each lotion.  Through the identification of the fatty acid components and quantification of each fatty acid species we are able to obtain a forensic finger print for each lotion.

Forensic analysis of lotions via hydrolysis and derivatization using GC-Mass Spectroscopy

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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