Combining the Tape-Lift Method and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging for Forensic Applications

Abstract

Conventional Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and microscopy have been widely used in forensic science. New opportunities exist to obtain chemical images and to enhance the spatial resolution using attenuated total reflection (ATR) FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with a focal-plane array (FPA) detector. In this paper, the sensitivity limits of FT-IR imaging using three different ATR crystals (Ge, ZnSe, and diamond) in three different optical arrangements for the detection of model particles is discussed. Model systems of ibuprofen and paracetamol particles having sizes below 32 μm were studied. The collection of drug particles was achieved with the aid of two different tapes: common adhesive tape and a film of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The surface of the film with collected particles was measured directly via ATR-FT-IR imaging. Since the removal of tape from porous surfaces can be difficult, the application of micro ATR-FT-IR imaging directly to the surface of a newspaper contaminated with particles of model drugs is also discussed. In order to assess the feasibility of the chosen method in a forensic case study, the detection of diacetylmorphine hydrochloride traces in PDMS matrix and the finger surface is investigated. The scenarios considered were that of the detection of evidence collected at a crime scene with the tape lift method and the analysis of the finger of an individual after drug handling. The results show broad implications in the detection of drugs of abuse.

Keywords

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR spectroscopic imaging Attenuated total reflection ATR Forensics Drugs of abuse Polydimethylsiloxane PDMS Diacetylmorphine Fingerprints

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Treado

P. J.

, Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society 228, U165 (2004).

Exline

D. L.

Wallace

Roux

Lennard

C. I.

Nelson

M. P.

and Treado

P. J

, J. Forensic Sci. 48, 1047 (2003).

Tungol

M. W.

Bartick

E. G.

and Montaser

, Appl. Spectrosc. 47, 1655 (1993).

Keen

I. P.

White

G. W.

and Fredericks

P. M

, J. Forensic Sci. 43, 82 (1998).

Grant

Wilkinson

T. J.

Holman

D. R.

and Martin

M. C

, Appl. Spectrosc. 59, 1182 (2005).

Williams

D. K.

Schwartz

R. L.

and Bartick

E. G

, Appl. Spectrosc. 58, 313 (2004).

Tahtouh

Kalman

J. R.

Roux

Lennard

C. I.

and Reedy

B. J

, J. Forensic Sci. 50, 64 (2005).

Flynn

O'Leary

Lennard

Roux

and Reedy

B. J

, J. Forensic Sci. 50, 832 (2005).

Chan

K. L. A.

and Kazarian

S. G

, Appl. Spectrosc. 57, 381 (2003).

10.

Chan

K. L. A.

Hammond

S. V.

and Kazarian

S. G

, Anal. Chem. 75, 2140 (2003).

11.

Colley

C. S.

Kazarian

S. G.

Weinberg

P. D.

and Lever

M. J

, Biopolymers 74, 328 (2004).

12.

Chan

K. L. A.

and Kazarian

S. G

, Analyst (Cambridge, U.K.) 131, 126 (2006).

13.

Kazarian

S. G.

and Chan

K. L. A

, Macromolecules 36, 9866 (2003).

14.

White

, Crime Scene to Court (Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2004), 2nd ed.

15.

Degaetano

and Siegel

J. A

, J. Forensic Sci. 35, 1087 (1990).

16.

Singer

R. L.

Davis

and Houck

M. M

, J. Forensic Sci. 41, 195 (1996).

17.

Fitsev

I. M.

Budnikov

G. K.

Blokhin

V. K.

and Teslenko

P. G

, J. Anal. Chem. 58, 755 (2003).

18.

Laks

Pelander

Vuori

Ali-Tolppa

Sippola

and Ojanpera

, Anal. Chem. 76, 7375 (2004).

19.

Sharma

S. P.

Purkait

B. C.

and Lahiri

S. C

, Forensic Sci. Int. 152, 235 (2005).

20.

El-Haj

B. M.

Al-Amri

A. M.

and Ali

H. S

, Forensic Sci. Int. 145, 41 (2004).

21.

Day

J. S.

Edwards

H. G. M.

Dobrowski

S. A.

and Voice

A. M

, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A 60, 563 (2004).

22.

Day

J. S.

Edwards

H. G. M.

Dobrowski

S. A.

and Voice

A. M

, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A 60, 1725 (2004).

23.

Daeid

N. N.

and Waddell

R. J. H

, Talanta 67, 280 (2005).

24.

Burka

E. M.

and Curbelo

, US Patent 6,141,100 (2000).

25.

Wolten

G. M.

Nesbitt

R. S.

Calloway

A. R.

Loper

G. L.

and Jones

P. F

, “Equipment systems improvement program-final report on particle analysis for gunshot residue detection”, Report ATR-77(7915)-3, Ed. (The Aerospace Corp., Washington, D.C., 1997).

26.

Bernhard

W. R.

, J. Forensic Sci. 45, 1312 (2000).

27.

Kazarian

S. G.

and Martirosyan

G. G

, Int. J. Pharm. 232, 81 (2002).

28.

Al-Zoubi

Koundourellis

J. E.

and Malamataris

, J. Pharmaceut. Biomed. 29, 459 (2002).

29.

Ivanova

B. B.

, J. Mol. Struct. 738, 233 (2005).

30.

Ravreby

and Gorski

, J. Forensic Sci. 34, 918 (1989).

31.

Moynihan

H. A.

and O'Hare

I. P

, Int. J. Pharm. 247, 179 (2002).

32.

N. C. WebBook, http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ (accessed June 2005).

33.

Clarys

and Barel

, Clin. Dermatol. 13, 307 (1995).