Pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry—A New Forensic Science Technique

Pyrolysis gas chromatography (PGC) has found wide acceptance in forensic science laboratories as a technique for identifying and comparing many types of synthetic polymeric materials, particulary paints, adhesives, and fibers [1–5]. As a tool for identification, this technique is restricted to assorting polymeric materials into broad classes. Wheals and Noble [4] have demonstrated the ease of identifying thermosetting alkyd finishes, acrylic lacquers, and acrylic enamels by PGC. Stewart [2] has used PGC to distinguish the three types of nonaqueous dispersion acrylic enamels commonly used by American automobile manufacturers, thereby facilitating the identification of a car's make and model from the pyrogram of its paint binder.