Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 30 Number 2 (2026): 1732

 

Research Article

 

SPME–GC–MS analysis of solid alcohol fuel residues in forensic fire debris

 

Thananya Soonkum1 and Sirirat Choosakoonkriang2*

 

1 Forensic Science Program, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, 73000 Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Silpakorn University, 73000 Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

 

*Corresponding author: sirath157@gmail.com

 

Received: 26 September 2025; Revised: 27 January 2026; Accepted: 22 February 2026; Published: 28 April 2026

 

Abstract

Detection of ignitable liquid residues in burned materials is critical for forensic investigations, particularly for highly volatile alcohol-based solid fuels that rapidly dissipate after fire suppression. However, the persistence of solid alcohol fuel (SAF) residues under different suppression conditions remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of fire suppressants on the persistence of SAF residues using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS). Cotton fabric piles (20 × 20 × 15 cm3) were treated with SAF, ignited, burned for 30 min, and subsequently suppressed using either water or dry chemical powder. Burned debris samples (1 × 1 cm2) were analyzed for ethanol and isopropanol, which were identified as the principal SAF constituents with retention times of 1.198 and 1.259 min, respectively. The analytical method achieved a limit of detection of 12 mmol for ethanol. Following water suppression, ethanol residues decreased to 46% (1,509 mmol) within 2 h and were undetectable after 3 h. Meanwhile, dry chemical suppression extended residue detectability up to 7 h, although only 4% (282 mmol) of the initial ethanol amount remained, with no residues detected after 8 h. These findings provide practical guidance for collecting post-fire evidence in investigations involving alcohol-based solid fuels.

 

Keywords: solid alcohol fuel, burned materials, residue analysis, SPME GC–MS, forensic accelerants

 

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