NCJ Number
218483
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 630-642
Date Published
May 2007
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study tested a new method (pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry [PyGC-MS] and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry [GC-MS]) as an alternative to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for the analysis of condom lubricant residues.
Abstract
The methods of extraction and analysis used in the current experiment were found to be significantly more sensitive than FTIR for the analysis of the condom lubricants of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). PDMS was detected as low as 1 mg from clean swabs by using the GC-MS method. Pyrolysis of PDMS lubricant formed cyclic products know as cyclic dimethyl siloxanes (DMS), which were separated and detected by the GC-MS. The PEG lubricant was analyzed by GC-MS directly from solution. The study was unable to provide further distinction between condom brands and subbrands. The methods used throughout the research detected condom lubricants in donated postcoital swabs. Lubricants were detected on swabs up to 12 hours after intercourse. Recommendations are offered for the execution of the new methods for routine analysis of casework samples, and pyrolysis interpretation criteria are presented in order to minimize the possibility of misinterpreting false positives. PyGC-MS and GC-MS were used to analyze condom lubricants in standard solution, from clean swabs, and from postcoital swabs. 5 tables, 18 figures, and 16 references