Highlights from The Future of Forensic Analysis

Back in September, we launched a one-day online content series called “The Future of Forensic Analysis.” Our content series featured numerous Q&A interviews and news articles that spotlight the ongoing trends and developments in forensic analysis. Much of our focus concentrated on the impact that spectroscopy has had in this industry, detailing the latest studies that used spectroscopy to provide us with new information and innovations that can advance the field.

You can view the highlights from the first part of our content series here:

The Future of Forensic Analysis: Under the Magnifying Glass With the Experts

The Future of Forensic Analysis: The Latest Studies

In this e-book, we feature two Q&A interviews that we conducted with Glen Jackson and Brooke Kammrath. Glen Jackson, a Ming Hsieh Distinguished Professor of Forensic and Investigative Science at West Virginia University, has been conducting research in forensic analysis applications extensively (1). In this interview, we talk to Jackson about the historical developments of mass spectrometry (MS) in forensic analysis, current research efforts in this field, and how the role of MS is currently evolving (1).

Meanwhile, our conversation with Kammrath focuses more on her unique path to becoming a forensic science researcher and the development of spectroscopic instrumentation to meet the needs of forensic analysts (2). This interview reveals how these new technological developments and innovations will impact forensic analysis moving forward (2).

Along with the two Q&A interviews, the e-book also contains a compilation of a selection of recent studies in forensic analysis. In these news stories, the editors of Spectroscopy wrote about studies that used methods like attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform-infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and LIBS to enable quick, accurate crime scene analyses, aiding law enforcement in solving and prosecuting criminal cases (3). The article spotlights recent studies showcasing how these technologies enhance forensic capabilities, offering reliable tools to uncover the truth and support justice (3).

This e-book also features two peer-reviewed articles. Both these articles demonstrate that many spectroscopic techniques are being used in forensic analysis in unique ways. The first article, titled “Illicit Drug Analysis in Blood Samples with Multivariate Analysis Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy,” explores the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with chemometric techniques like principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to identify illicit drugs (MDMA and THC) in blood samples (4). A PLS-DA model was developed and validated using leave-one-out cross-validation, showing effective discrimination even at low drug concentrations (4). The findings demonstrate the potential of Raman spectroscopy with PCA and PLS-DA for classifying complex biological samples, offering a promising tool for drug analysis in forensic and clinical applications (4).

The second peer-reviewed article, titled “Physicochemical Analysis and Detection of Rice Syrup Adulteration in Kelulut Honey Using Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy,” departs from crime scene investigations and instead focuses on evaluating Kelulut honey adulteration with rice syrup using NIR spectroscopy (5). Physicochemical properties like moisture content, conductivity, and HMF content decreased with higher adulteration. NIR data pre-processing and regression analysis showed the principal component regression (PCR) model outperformed PLS with R² = 0.914 (5). The findings support a rapid, non-destructive method using handheld NIR spectrometers to detect honey adulteration, ensuring quality control in the honey market.

The Future of Forensic Analysis e-book is available here for download.

References

1. Wetzel, W. Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Analysis: An Interview with Glen Jackson. Spectroscopy Suppl. 2024, ASAP.
2. Wetzel, W. The Future of Forensic Analysis: An Interview with Brooke Kammrath. Spectroscopy Suppl. 2024, ASAP.
3. The Editors of Spectroscopy, The Role of Forensic Analysis at the Scene of the Crime: An Inside Look. Spectroscopy Suppl. 2024, ASAP.
4. Açıkgöz, G.; Çolak, A. Illicit Drug Analysis in Blood Samples with Multivariate Analysis Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy Suppl. 2023, 38 (s6), 20–27. DOI: 10.56530/spectroscopy.er6076I5
5. Ying, L. L.; Saleena, L. A. K.; Solihin, M. I.; Phing, P. L. Physicochemical Analysis and Detection of Rice Syrup Adulteration in Kelulut Honey Using Portable Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy 2024, ASAP.