Identifying Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris
A Guideline for Forensic Experts

This concise though comprehensive guideline discusses in detail the characteristics of, and the variation in chemical composition of the ignitable liquid product classes defined by ASTM E1618. It provides background information on the origin of the characteristics, and summarizes what should be demonstrated for a positive identification of each of the ignitable liquid classes in fire debris analysis.

Jeanet Hendrikse (Author), Michiel Grutters (Author), Frank Schäfer (Author)

9780128043165, Elsevier Science

Paperback, published 8 October 2015

142 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 1.1 cm, 0.25 kg

Identifying Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris: A Guideline for Forensic Experts discusses and illustrates the characteristics of different ignitable liquid products. This guideline builds on the minimum criteria of the ignitable liquid classes defined in the internationally accepted standard ASTM E1618 Standard Test Method for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The volume provides information on the origin of the characteristics of these ignitable liquid products and provides a summary of characteristics to demonstrate a positive identification of the particular product class. Topics such as the term ignitable liquid, relevant guidelines for fire debris analysis, production processes of ignitable liquids, fire debris analysis methods, and interferences in fire debris analysis, are briefly discussed as these topics are essential for the understanding of the identification and classification of ignitable liquid residues in fire debris.

1. Introduction2. Ignitable Liquid Products3. ASTM E16184. General Production Processes of Ignitable Liquid Products5. Fire Debris Analysis Methods6. Interferences in Identification of Ignitable Liquid Products7. Guidance for the Identification of Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris

Subject Areas: Forensic science [JKVF1]