Publications by authors named "Simona Gherghel"
It has recently been established that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) successfully transfer between clothing even with a short contact of 10 s, highlighting the potential to use VOCs in forensic reconstruction scenarios, such as sexual assault cases. The mid and low volatility compounds transferred in greater amounts than high volatility compounds. This study presents empirical data addressing the persistence of transferred VOCs on clothing for the first time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSexual assault is a serious crime that often has low conviction rates. Recent literature has demonstrated that there is potential for fragrances to be valuable in forensic reconstructions where there has been contact between individuals. However, developing appropriate evidence bases for understanding the nature of fragrance transfer in these contexts is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- An optimized method for identifying trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cosmetics industry was developed using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
- Researchers tested various extraction conditions, including fibre type, incubation time, extraction time, and temperature, to find the best approach for capturing relevant VOCs.
- The validated method successfully analyzed and quantified VOCs in commercial perfumes from fabrics, showing potential applications in forensic investigations, particularly in cases involving perfume transfer during assaults.
Rum classification using fingerprinting analysis of volatile fraction by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Talanta
September 2018
Article Synopsis
- A study developed targeted and untargeted analyses using HS-SPME-GC-MS to classify 33 commercial rums, finding that certain compounds correlated with aging but posed challenges across different brands.
- To enhance classification, unsupervised methods like hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used, revealing significant chemical descriptors for rum classification.
- Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effectively classified rums based on production factors like manufacturing country and aging, achieving high accuracy rates between 91% to 95%.
Article Synopsis
- Many people in developed countries, both men and women, use perfumes daily, yet their trace materials are rarely analyzed in forensic casework despite their potential value as evidence.
- A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed to analyze perfume traces, focusing on how factors like perfume ageing time and contact time affect component transfer.
- The findings emphasize the importance of these factors for forensic protocols, highlighting the potential significance of analyzing perfume traces from clothing in cases involving close contact, such as sexual assaults.