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Analytical Chemistry in Forensic Science
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Analytical Chemistry in Forensic Science

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 2528

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Igor Lednev

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA
Interests: analytical chemistry; forensic science; biochemistry; laser spectroscopy; raman spectroscopy; biomedical diagnostics; protein folding and aggregation
Prof. Dr. Brooke Weinger Kammrath

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forensic Science, Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd., West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Interests: forensic science; criminalistics; analytical chemistry; microscopy; spectroscopy; portable spectroscopy; transfer and persistence; evidentiary significance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are honored to have been invited to put together a Special Issue of Molecules on the topic of “Analytical Chemistry in Forensic Science” with the goal of publishing high-quality and applied research across all disciplines related to the development and use of analytical techniques for the advancement of forensic science. Specifically, this Special Issue will promote rigorous novel research that investigates forensic science-related topics and offers a platform for the dissemination of scientific advancement to a diverse audience of forensic practitioners, research scientists, and law enforcement officials.

All submissions must contribute to advancing the field of forensic science and be technically sound with clear research justifications. Contributions from forensic practitioners reporting on validation and implementation of novel analytical methods and techniques in crime laboratories are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Igor Lednev
Prof. Dr. Brooke Weinger Kammrath
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • forensic science
  • analytical chemistry
  • trace evidence
  • criminalistics
  • toxicology
  • CSI
  • crime scene investigation
  • crime scene
  • evidence
  • microscopy
  • raman spectroscopy
  • infrared spectroscopy
  • vibrational spectroscopy
  • fingerprint
  • fingermark
  • questioned documents
  • ballistics
  • firearms
  • toolmark
  • forensic pathology
  • anthropology
  • serology
  • forensic entomology
  • DNA typing
  • illicit drugs
  • gunshot residue
  • explosives
  • arson
  • ignitable liquids
  • biological stain
  • body fluid
  • phenotypic profiling
  • time since deposition

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
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  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2554 KiB  
Article
Laser Desorption-Ion Mobility Spectrometry of Explosives for Forensic and Security Applications
by Giorgio Felizzato, Martin Sabo, Matej Petrìk and Francesco Saverio Romolo
Molecules 2025, 30(1), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30010138 - 1 Jan 2025
Viewed by 873
Abstract
Background: The detection of explosives in crime scene investigations is critical for forensic science. This study explores the application of laser desorption (LD) ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) as a novel method for this purpose utilising a new IMS prototype developed by MaSaTECH. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: The detection of explosives in crime scene investigations is critical for forensic science. This study explores the application of laser desorption (LD) ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) as a novel method for this purpose utilising a new IMS prototype developed by MaSaTECH. Methods: The LD sampling technique employs a laser diode module to vaporise explosive traces on surfaces, allowing immediate analysis by IMS without sample preparation. Chemometric approaches, including multivariate data analysis, were utilised for data processing and interpretation, including pre-processing of raw IMS plasmagrams and various pattern recognition techniques, such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machines (SVMs). Results: The IMS prototype was validated through experiments with pure explosives (TNT, RDX, PETN) and explosive products (SEMTEX 1A, C4) on different materials. The study found that the pre-processing method significantly impacts classification accuracy, with the PCA-LDA model demonstrating the best performance for real-world applications. Conclusions: The LD-IMS prototype, coupled with effective chemometric techniques, presents a promising methodology for the detection of explosives in forensic investigations, enhancing the reliability of field applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry in Forensic Science)
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20 pages, 3054 KiB  
Article
Insights into the Silylation of Benzodiazepines Using N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA): In Search of Optimal Conditions for Forensic Analysis by GC-MS
by Eleazar Vargas Mena, Eliana R. Herrera Giraldo and Jovanny A. Gómez Castaño
Molecules 2024, 29(24), 5884; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29245884 - 13 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 962
Abstract
Silylation is a widely used derivatization technique for the gas chromatographic analysis of benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs commonly encountered in forensic and biological samples. This study investigated the optimal experimental conditions for the silylation of benzodiazepines using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide [...] Read more.
Silylation is a widely used derivatization technique for the gas chromatographic analysis of benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs commonly encountered in forensic and biological samples. This study investigated the optimal experimental conditions for the silylation of benzodiazepines using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane (BSTFA + 1% TMCS), a widely employed silylating agent. Ten structurally different benzodiazepines, including variations within the classic 1,4-benzodiazepine core and triazolo ring derivatives, were selected to address the effect of structural diversity on silylation. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to optimize the silylation of benzodiazepines by means of GC-MS analysis. PCA identified key experimental factors influencing silylation efficiency and distinct response patterns of different benzodiazepines. HCA further categorized the benzodiazepines based on their silylation behavior, highlighting the need for tailored derivatization strategies. The results indicated that the BSTFA + 1% TMCS concentration and solvent volume were pivotal for achieving high silylation efficiency, whereas the temperature, reaction time, and catalyst were less critical. The optimized method was successfully applied to 30 real forensic samples, demonstrating its efficacy in detecting and identifying various benzodiazepines, including designer drugs like etizolam. This study provides a foundation for improving drug detection methodologies in forensic toxicology and provides useful insights into the dynamics of benzodiazepine silylation and the use of individualized analysis parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry in Forensic Science)
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