Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques
Sexual assault kits are the standard method for collecting and preserving sexual assault evidence. During the sexual assault examination, swabs are commonly used to collect bodily fluids as sexual assault evidence from the vagina, anus, mouth, and skin. The type of fiber swab used during collection...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Forensic Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/3/4/45 |
| _version_ | 1797381024625197056 |
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| author | Safiya J. Best Santana Thomas Nancy Flynn Candice Bridge |
| author_facet | Safiya J. Best Santana Thomas Nancy Flynn Candice Bridge |
| author_sort | Safiya J. Best |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sexual assault kits are the standard method for collecting and preserving sexual assault evidence. During the sexual assault examination, swabs are commonly used to collect bodily fluids as sexual assault evidence from the vagina, anus, mouth, and skin. The type of fiber swab used during collection can greatly influence the recovery of the substrate. In cases where lubricant residue may be present, it would be useful to identify the swab type that would be the most efficient in the collection of lubricant residues. In this study, four types of swabs with different fibers (i.e., cotton, polyester, rayon, and foam) with sexual lubricants present, were extracted in various solvents. The extracts were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCCs) test was applied to determine a pairwise comparison between swab lube extracts and the standard lubricant reference. Visual comparisons of the lubricant reference, blank fiber swab, and the fiber lubricant extract were used to determine peak overlap, significance, and matrix interference. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:45:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0276d0ff1a1142be8fec945f1b1b0a8f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6756 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:45:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-0276d0ff1a1142be8fec945f1b1b0a8f2023-12-22T14:09:11ZengMDPI AGForensic Sciences2673-67562023-12-013462063710.3390/forensicsci3040045Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic TechniquesSafiya J. Best0Santana Thomas1Nancy Flynn2Candice Bridge3Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USANational Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USADepartment of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USADepartment of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USASexual assault kits are the standard method for collecting and preserving sexual assault evidence. During the sexual assault examination, swabs are commonly used to collect bodily fluids as sexual assault evidence from the vagina, anus, mouth, and skin. The type of fiber swab used during collection can greatly influence the recovery of the substrate. In cases where lubricant residue may be present, it would be useful to identify the swab type that would be the most efficient in the collection of lubricant residues. In this study, four types of swabs with different fibers (i.e., cotton, polyester, rayon, and foam) with sexual lubricants present, were extracted in various solvents. The extracts were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCCs) test was applied to determine a pairwise comparison between swab lube extracts and the standard lubricant reference. Visual comparisons of the lubricant reference, blank fiber swab, and the fiber lubricant extract were used to determine peak overlap, significance, and matrix interference.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/3/4/45forensic lubricantsoptimal swabsample collectionATR-FTIRRaman spectroscopy |
| spellingShingle | Safiya J. Best Santana Thomas Nancy Flynn Candice Bridge Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques Forensic Sciences forensic lubricants optimal swab sample collection ATR-FTIR Raman spectroscopy |
| title | Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques |
| title_full | Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques |
| title_fullStr | Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques |
| title_short | Chemical Analysis of Sexual Lubricant Residue: A Comparison of Medical Examination Swabs Analyzed Using Spectroscopic Techniques |
| title_sort | chemical analysis of sexual lubricant residue a comparison of medical examination swabs analyzed using spectroscopic techniques |
| topic | forensic lubricants optimal swab sample collection ATR-FTIR Raman spectroscopy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6756/3/4/45 |
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