Analysis of household ignitable liquids and their post-combustion weathered residues using compound-specific gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry

The continuing rise in home and vehicular arson cases involving the use of ignitable liquids continues to be an area of concern for criminal and civil investigators. In this study, the compound-specific δ13C values of various components of four flammable household chemicals were measured using a single quadrupole mass spectrometer and an isotope ratio mass spectrometer as simultaneous detectors for a gas chromatograph. Whereas compound-specific carbon isotope ratios were able to discriminate between different sources of neat (pre-combustion) ignitable liquids, analyses of the post-combustion residues were problematic. Weathering caused by combustion resulted in a significant increase in the 13C content of specific peaks relative to the neat liquids (i.e. less negative delta values) such that the isotopic comparison of pre- and post-combustion residues resulted in fractionation ranging from 0 to +10‰. Because of the current lack of understanding of isotopic fractionation during combustion, and because of problems encountered with co-elution in the more complex samples, compound-specific IRMS does not appear to be suitable for fire debris analysis. The comparison of non-combusted or non-weathered ignitable liquids is much more reliable, especially for relatively simple mixtures, and is best suited for exclusionary purposes until such time as a comprehensive database of samples is developed. Without a measure of the population variance, one cannot presently predict the false positive identification rate for the comparison of two ignitable liquids; i.e. the probability that two random ignitable liquid samples have indistinguishable isotope ratios.