Journal Article

A method based on thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry for the forensic differentiation of latex gloves

Schiavone, Sergio, Guardia, Vittorio Della, Marega, Carla, Carresi, Pietro, Causin, Valerio, Marigo, Antonio

2009

Overview

Latex gloves are quite frequently employed by felons, when committing crimes, if they want to avoid shedding fingerprints or biological traces. Less forensic aware crime committers, though, may discard the gloves at the crime scene or nearby. If found and properly analyzed, these items may therefore provide useful information to investigators. An analytical procedure of such items is proposed, using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. By these very straightforward and inexpensive techniques, without sample preparation, nearly all the considered samples could be discriminated. 99.5% of the possible pairs of latex gloves, indistinguishable by visual examination, were differentiated. The rather large degree of variability existing in latex gloves, even though they are mass produced, was shown, confirming that these items can be useful in comparisons between items related to the crime scene and those seized in the suspect's premises.

• Publisher: Elsevier Ireland Ltd,Elsevier,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Biological and medical sciences / Discrimination / Experiments / Forensic medicine / Forensic science / Forensic sciences / General aspects / Gloves / Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects) / Latex / Medical sciences / Pathology / Phase transitions / Plastic materials / Public health. Hygiene / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Spectrum analysis / Standard deviation / Studies / Temperature / Thermal analysis / Thermogravimetric analysis / Thermogravimetry