GC-MS Data for Forensic Fire Debris Analysis of Gasoline and Diesel

Raw GC-MS chromatographic data compares conventional and rapid screening techniques for analyzing ignitable liquids and fire debris. The dataset contains files for neat gasoline and diesel fuels, unburned and burned substrates like carpet and wood, and simulated debris samples created by igniting fuels on these materials. Analysis was conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to evaluate rapid GC-MS as a forensic screening tool.

Use Cases

• Compare chromatographic data (counts vs. retention time) from rapid GC-MS and conventional GC-MS for the same sample to validate the screening technique.
• Identify major compounds in gasoline and diesel fuel from the raw GC-MS data files to establish forensic signatures for ignitable liquids.
• Analyze simulated fire debris samples, generated by igniting gasoline or diesel on substrates like carpet or wood, to study residue patterns after combustion.
• Examine data from burned and unburned substrate controls (carpet, wood, primed wood) to differentiate background signals from ignitable liquid residues.

Strengths

• Data includes controlled samples of two common forensic ignitable liquids: gasoline and diesel fuel.
• Covers multiple sample types: neat liquids, unburned/burned substrates, and simulated fire debris for comparative analysis.
• Each sample was analyzed by both conventional GC-MS and rapid GC-MS, providing paired data for method validation.
• Samples were prepared using a standardized forensic method: passive-headspace extraction for debris.

Limitations

• The dataset contains raw instrument files, requiring specialized GC-MS software and expertise for processing and interpretation.
• Sample scope is limited to two ignitable liquids and three substrate materials, which may not represent all forensic scenarios.
• The simulated nature of the fire debris may not fully capture the complexity of evidence from real-world fire scenes.

Provenance

Source

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis using conventional and rapid Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Simulated fire debris samples were created by igniting aliquots of gasoline or diesel on substrates, followed by passive-headspace extraction.

Freshness

Last updated in December 2023.