Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology

Module Title: Hair and textile fibers, Arson

Course Facilitator: Nelinda V. Duero, DR.Dev.

Overview
The examination of hairs and textile fibers is an important phase in criminal
investigation because almost all crimes of violence include the possibility of physical
contact between the criminal and the victim. This topic tends to find out the
importance of hairs and textile fibers in criminal investigation and to explain the
proper collection, packing, preservation and transportation of hair.
Arson is the destruction of property by fire and the extent of liability. Now the
crime of arson includes the burning of one’s own property. This topics includes the
basic lines of inquiry in the investigation of arson such as: Origin of fire, Motive,
Identification of prime suspect and the Identification of fire setter.

Lesson Outcomes
1. Find out the importance of hairs and textile fibers in criminal investigation and
to explain the proper collection, packing, preservation and transportation of
hair.
2. Find out the basic lines of inquiry in the investigation of arson.
3. Discuss guides in the investigation of the fire scene.
4. Explain the collection and preservation of arson evidence.

 Indicative Content
1. Hair and textile fibers
2. Arson

Additional Readings:
1. Sunico, Lorenzo A., 2008. Forensic Chemistry

References:
1. Salonga, C., 2012. Manual and Workbook for Forensic Chemistry
2. Philippine College of Criminology, Undated. Lecture guide in Forensic
Chemistry and Toxicology.
3. Francisco, F. M. 2018. Handbook/Manual in Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology.
Revised Edition.

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Let’s Discuss
HAIR AND TEXTILE FIBERS

The examination of hairs and textile fibers is an important phase in criminal

investigation. Almost all crimes of violence include the possibility of physical contact
between the criminal and the victim. During this short bodily contact, it is quite
possible that there may be a transfer of head or body hairs or textile fibers onto each
others’ clothing. In other types of cases, fibers from clothing may become caught by
protruding portion of entrances used to gain access to a building or caught by the
rugged edges of torn automobiles or jeepney fenders in a hit-and-run case. In one case
bit of evidence was mainly responsible for its identification. The successful
investigation of crimes of violence such as rape, murder, assault, kidnapping, etc. are
frequently materially assisted by the result of the examination of hairs and fibers.

What is Hair?

Hair is an appendage of the skin which occurs everywhere on the human body
except on the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. Hair is not completely round but
maybe oval or flattered. Its width is not always the same along its length. It stands out
pointed and narrow and strays more or less the same.

Two Kinds of Hair (among mammals including human being)

1. Real Hair – generally long and stiff

2. Fuzz hair – generally short, fine, at times curly and wooly

Parts of Hair

1. Root– portion embedded in the skin

2. Shaft – portion above the surface of the skin
3. Tip – sometimes termed point. The distal end of an uncut hair.

Parts of Shaft

1. Cuticle – outermost covering of the hair. It is consists of one layer of non-

nucleated polygonal cells which overlaps like the scales on a fish.

2. Cortex – the intermediate and the thickest layer of the shaft and is composed
of elongated, spindle-shaped fibrils which cohere. They contain pigment
granules in varying proportion depending on the type of hair.

3. Medulla or Core – the most characteristic portion of the hair. It is the central
canal of the hair that maybe empty or may contain various sorts of cells more
or less pigmented and begins more or less near the root.

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Hair can be classified into two categories

1. Hair without medulla

2. Hair with medulla

COLLECTION, PACKING, PRESERVATION AND

TRANSPORTATION OF HAIR

1. All of the hairs in the questioned specimens should be submitted, but do not
mix hairs found at different places.
2. In vicious assault and murder cases, obtain the clothing of the victim from the
hospital or morgue to avoid the loss of evidence by careless handling and to
prevent the clothing from being destroyed.
3. Representative samples of hair from the victim as well as the suspect should
be obtained if possible.
4. Do not mix known samples of hair from different parts of the body.
5. The hairs should be placed in a folded paper or in a white mailing envelope,
but the corners of the envelope should be sealed with scotch tape.
6. Do not secure the hair samples to a piece of paper with scotch tape because
this will damage the hair.
7. All foreign fibrous debris should be removed from the submitted specimen.
8. Fragmentary hair or underdeveloped hairs are not suitable for examination.
9. Areas on an object containing hairs should be protected with cellophane or
paper tape over the area before wrapping the object for transmittal to the
laboratory.

Microscopic Examination of Human Hair

1. Color

a. With naked eye

b. Under the microscope

Melanin – brownish-black pigment in hair, skin, etc. It is the chemical

responsible for the color of the hair. Black and brown hairs differ only to the amount
of melanin.

2. Length by actual measurement

3. Character of hair – whether stiff, wiry or soft
4. Width (breadth)
5. Character of hair tip if present
6. Manner by which hair had been cut
7. Condition of root or base or bulb of hair

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2 kinds of Roots
a. Living root – often found on hair in full growth
b. Dry roots – dead roots

8. Character of cuticle – the size, the general shape and the irregularity of the
scale are observed.
9. Character of cortex – structural features is studied under the microscope.

Cortex is embedded with the pigmented granules that impart hair with
color. It is the color, shape and distribution of these granules that provide the
chemist with important points of comparison between the hairs of the different
individuals.

10. Presence of dye in hair

Dyed hair can be distinguished from natural hair. Under the
microscope dyed hair has a dull appearance and the color tone is constant,
whereas natural hair is not and the individual pigment granules stand sharply.

11. Determination of whether naturally or artificially curled.

12. Character of Medulla

The Medulla

The medulla and cortex is the most characteristic portion of the hair. Have
more distinguishing qualities, thus they yield the most reliable criteria in the diagnosis
of hair.
Medulla or core or the central canal of the hair can be continuous or
interrupted. It is continuous in large numbers of animals, very often interrupted in
human, monkey, and horses. Medulla’s diameter can be absolutely constant. At times
alternately narrow and broader. The diameter of the medulla is of very little
importance but the relationship between the diameter of the medulla and the diameter
of the whole hair is of great importance.

Medullary Index or M.I. – is the relationship between the diameter of the

medulla and the diameter of the whole hair. Its determination is performed under a
microscope provided with micrometer eyepiece.

Hair with Narrow Medulla (less than 0.5) – belongs to human

Hair with medium medulla (approximately 0.5) – belongs to hair of cow, horse,
others

Hair with thick medulla (greater than 0.5) – almost all animals belong to this

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COMPARISON BETWEEN HUMAN AND ANIMAL HAIR

HUMAN ` ANIMAL

1. M.I is less than 0.5 1. M.I. more than 0.5

2. Medulla may not be present 2. Medulla always present
3. Scale pattern is fine and each one 3. Scale in coarse and overlaps
overlaps the other more than 4/5 less than ½
4. Pigment granules are fine 4. Pigment granules are coarse

OTHER ASPECT OF HAIR EXAMINATION

1. Characteristics by race
2. Characteristics by sex
3. The region of the body from which the human hair has been removed
4. The approximate age of individual.

CHARACTERISTICS BY RACE

Negroid Race Hair

1. Contains heavy pigment distributed unevenly

2. A thin cross section of the hair is oval in shape
3. Hair is usually kinky with marked variation in the diameter along the shaft

Mongoloid Race

1. Hair contains dense pigment distributed more evenly than Negroid race
hair
2. Cross section of the hair will be round to oval in shape
3. Hair is coarse and straight with very little variation in diameter along the
shaft of the hair
4. Usually contains a heavy black medulla or core

Caucasian Race

1. Hair contains very fine to coarse pigment, and more evenly distributed
than is found in Negro or Mongolian
2. Cross section will be oval to round in shape
3. Usually straight or wavy and not kinky

CHARACTERISTICS BY SEX

1. Male hair is generally larger in diameter, shorter in length, more wiry in

texture than of a female
2. Male hair averages approximately 1/350 of an inch in diameter, female
hair averages approximately 1/450 of an inch in diameter

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The region of the body from which the human hair has been removed:

1. Scalp hair – they are more mature than any other kind of human hair
2. Beard hair – coarse, curved, very stiff, and often triangular in cross section
3. Hairs from eyebrow, eyelid, nose, and ear-short, stubby, and have wide
medulla. Eyebrow and eyelashes are usually very short and has a sharp tip.
4. Trunk hair- vary in thickness along the shaft and are immature but are
somewhat similar to head hairs. They have fine, long tip ends.
5. Limb Hairs – similar to trunk hairs but usually are not so long or so coarse
and usually contains less pigment.
6. Axillary Hair – is fairly long with unevenly distributed pigment. They very
considerably in diameter along the shaft and have frequently have
bleached appearance. It has an irregular shape and structure. Looks like
public hair but the ends are shaper and the hair is not so curly.
7. Pubic Hair – similar to axillary hairs but are coarser, and do not appear
bleached. More wiry, have more constriction and twist and usually have
continuous broad medulla. Has many broken ends because the clothing
rubs.

The Aproximate Age of an Individual Through Hair Examination

Infant hairs are fine, short in length, have fine pigment and are rudimentary in
character. Children’s hair through adolescence is generally finer and more immature
than adult hair but cannot be definitely differentiated with certainty.

If it is noted that the pigment is missing or starting to disappear in the hair, it

can be stated that the hair is from adult. It is common for a relatively young person to
have prematurely gray or white hair (head hair) but not body hairs.

TEXTILE FIBERS

Textile fibers – fibers can be converted into yarns.

Yarn-made of fibers which have been twisted together, liked thread.

Classificationof Textile Fibers

Two Divisions of Fiber:

1. Natural Fiber
2. Synthetic or artificial fiber

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Three Subdivisions of Natural Fibers:

1. Vegetable fibers – made of Cellulose. Example are seed fibers, stem barks or
bast fiber, leaf fibers, cotton, woody fibers, fruit or nut fibers
2. Animal fibers – made of protein. Example are wool, silk, hair
3. Mineral fibers – example is asbestos

Two kinds of synthetic fibers:

1. Organic fiber

a. Cellulosic – example rayon

b. Non-cellulose - example rylon, casein, fiber, resin fiber

2. Inorganic fiber

a. Mineral fiber – example glass fiber wool, glass rock, and slag wools
b. Metallic fibers – example finewire filament, steel wool, tinsel threads

Test for Fibers:

1. Burning test or ignition test

2. Fluorescence test
3. Microscope test
4. Chemical test

a. Staining test
b. Dissolution test

BURNING OR IGNITION TEST

A simple preliminary macroscopic examination a test that determine whether

fiber is mineral, animal or vegetable. A single fiber is applied with flame at one end
and the following are noted:

a. Manner of burning
b. Odor of fumes
c. Appearance of burnt end
d. Color of ash
e. Action of fumes on moistened red and blue litmus paper
f. Effect of fumes on a piece of filter paper moistened with lead acetate

FLUORENSCENCE TEST- frequently used to determine the general group to

which a fiber belongs. It is not reliable for positive identification of fiber.

MICROSCOPE EXAMINATION – the fiber is placed on a slide teased and

covered. In general it is the most reliable and best means of identifying fibers.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMON TEXTILE FIBERS

1. Cotton – unicellular filament, flat, ribbon-like, twisted spirally to right or lift

on its axis; central canal is uniform in diameter. Cell wall thick, covered by a
thick, structureless, waxy cuticle. Fibers taper gradually to a blunt or rounded
point at one end.
2. Mercerized Cotton – straight, cylindrical with occasional twist; unevenly
lustrous, smooth except for occasional transverse fold or wrinkles; cuticle
mostly lacking.
3. Linen- multicellular filament, straight and cylindrical, not twisted and
flattened, tapering to a sharp point. Cell walls thick, the lumen appearing as a
narrow dark line in the center of the fiber to appear joined resembling bamboo.
4. Cultivated silk-smooth, cylindrical, lustrous threads, usually single but often
double, the twin filament held together by an envelope of gum. More or less
transparent, without definite structure.
5. Wild silk- similar to cultivated silk but broader and less regular in outline.
Marked by very fine longitudinal striation with infrequent diagonal cross
markings.
6. Artificial silk- cylindrical, lustrous, appearing like a glass rod.
7. Wool- easily distinguished by presence of flattened, overlapping epidermal
scales not found on silk or any of the vegetable fibers

CHEMICAL TEST

A. Staining test- the fiber is stained with picric acid, millon’s reagent, stannic
chloride or iodine solution

Picric acid + silk -------------------------------- dyed

Picric acid + wool ------------------------------ dyed
Picric acid + cellulosic fiber ------------------ unchanged
Silk + millon’s reagent ------------------------ brown
Wool + millon’s reagent ---------------------- brown
Cellulosic fiber + millon’s reagent ------- no reaction
Stannic chloride + cellulose ------------------ black

B. Dissolution Test – if the fiber is white or light colored it is treated with the
following chemicals. If dyed, the fiber is first decolorized by boiling in
ether 1% hydrochloric acid, acetic acid or dilute potassium hydroxide. The
fiber is then treated with the following and reaction observed.

1. 10%NaOH
2. 5% oxalic acid
3. Half saturated oxalic acid
4. Concentrated sulfuric acid
5. Concentrated and dilute ammonium hydroxide
6. Concentrated nitric acid

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Let’s Discuss
ARSON

Definitions of Arson
1. Under the Old Common Law

Arson is the willful and malicious burning of the house or house of another
man. Present laws on arson have extended the scope of the crimes of the covers all
kinds of buildings and structures even including personal property. Now the crime of
arson includes the burning of one’s own property.

2. Under the Revised Penal Code

Arson is the destruction of property by fire and the extent of liability depends
on:
a. Kind and character of the building
b. Its location
c. Extent of damage or value
d. Its state of being inhabited or not

3. According to Webster:

Arson is the malicious burning of a building or property. (as a dwelling

house)

4. Arson is Fire Set Intentionally.

What constitute arson?

Definition of Terms:

1. Willfulness- means intentional and implies that the act was done purposely.
2. Intent- is the purpose or design with which the act is done and involves the
will. An essential element of crime, motive is not.
3. Motive- is the moving cause which induces the commission of a crime.
Something the leads or influence a person to do something.
4. Malice- denotes hatred or ill will or a desire for revenge. Is the intent to do
injury to another.
a. A fire can only be considered as arson if all accidental and natural
cause of fire can be eliminated. The mere burning of a building does
not constitute the body of the crime.
b. To prove the body of the crime it is necessary to show.
a. First, that the building in questioned burned.
b. 2nd, it was burned are result of the intentional criminal act of the
accused.

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5. Burning- to constitute burning, there must be some burning or charring, i.e

the fiber of the wood must be destroyed, its identity change. It is not necessary
that the building be seriously damaged.

A mere smoking, scorching or discoloration of the wood is not sufficient.

BASIC LINES OF INQUIRY IN THE INVESTIGATION OF ARSON

The four (4) basic lines of inquiry in the investigation of arson:

1. Origin of fire
2. Motive
3. Identification of prime suspect
4. Identification of fire setter

ORIGIN OF FIRE

The first step in recognizing arson is the exclusion of all accidental and natural
causes of fire.

CAUSES OF FIRE

Fire may belong to anyone of the following:

1. Natural cause without human intervention

a.Lighting
b. Explosion
c.Spontaneous Combustion
d. Miscellaneous Case

2. Accident cause with or without human intervention

a. Faulty Wiring
b. Careless handling of inflammables
c. Children playing with match
d. Careless Smokers
e. Careless handling of electric stoves, candles, cigarette butts, mosquito coils

3. Arson or touch off fire (a set fire)- when all natural and accidental causes
have been eliminated, then fire is as suspicious.

TELL TALE SIGNS- sign that maybe obvious that the fireman will suspect arson

Some tell tale signs:

1. Burned building – a type of building may indicate a set fire under some
circumstance.

2. Separate fire – when two or more separate fire break within a building the
fire is certainly suspicious.

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3. Color of smoke– some fire burn with little or no smoke but they are
exception. The observation of the smoke must be made at the start of the
fire since once the fire has assumed a major proportion; the value of smoke
is lost because the smoke will not indicate the material used the arsonist.

a. White smoke appears before the water comes in contact with the fire
indicates humid material burning. examples: burning hay, vegetable
material, phosphorus (with garlic odor)

b. Biting smoke; irritating the nose and throat and causing lacrymation
and coughing indicate presence of chlorine.

c. Grayish smoke or black smoke – indicates lack of air but if

accompanied by large flame it indicates petroleum and petroleum
products and rubber, tar, coal, turpentine.

d. Reddish brown smoke – indicates nitrocellulose, sulfur, sulfuric acid,

nitric acid or hydrochloric acid.

4. Color of flame - The color of the flame is a good indication of the intensity of fire
and sometimes of the nature of the combustible substance present.
Ex. Burning alcohol-blue flame
Burning petroleum products- red flame

5. Size of fire – rapid extension of the fire is indicative of the use of accelerants.
6. Direction of travel – fire normally sweeps upward, the travel of fire is predictable
from the knowledge of the construction of the building.
7. Intensity – the degree of the heat given off by a fire and the color of its flame
oftentimes indicate that some accelerants has been added to the material normally
present in the building.
8. Location of flame– investigator should note whether there is more than one
apparent point of origin and should try estimate the approximate location of each
9. Odors – many accelerants emit characteristic odors especially liquid like
turpentine, alcohol, kerosene, and gasoline.

POINT OF ORIGIN OF THE FIRE

In case of arson, point of origin of the fire is the area that the physical
evidence of criminal design is likely to be discovered. This maybe established by an
examination of the witness and by inspecting the debris at the fire scene or by both.
The witness to be interrogated is the discoverer of the fire and second the person who
turned in the alarm and lastly and other witness that can be found. Inspection of the
crime scene must immediately be made to determine the point of origin and possibly
to establish the arsonist’s technique.

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FIRE SETTING MECHANISM

An arsonist may use the simplest method in a match and some papers or he
may use an elaborate means to start the fire. He may use mechanical method or
chemical method to start the fire.

TWO METHODS TO START THE FIRE

1. Mechanical method
2. Chemical method

MECHANICAL METHODS:
a. Matches
b. Candles, cigarette
c. Mechanical devise as clock mechanism, animals tied to ignition device like
portable lamp or stove
d. Electrical System
e. Heating appliance as heaters, sparkers
f. Explosives

CHEMICAL METHOD:
1. Hot water or ice bag used a receptacle for phosphorus and water ignition
device
2. Metallic sodium ignited by drops of water
3. Potassium chlorate, sugar and sulfuric acid
4. Chemical devices as thermit bombs, phosphorus

Incendiary Materials- materials used to start a fire. They are combustible; fuels
Example of Incendiary Material
a. Arson Chemical- incendiary materials often used by arsonist as accelerants.
Example are alcohol, benzene, petroleum ether, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha,
turpentine
b. Gases as acetylene, butane, CO, ethylene, hydrogen, natural gas, propane
c. Solids as chlorates, perchlorates, chromates, bichromates, nitrates,
permanganates

MOTIVE

Five motives that predominate in arson cases:

1. Economic gain
2. Concealment of crime
3. Punitive measure
4. Intimidation and economic disabling
5. Pyromania

Fires are set by two types of Settlers namely:

1. Person with motive
2. Persons without motive

PERSON WITH MOTIVE:

1. Those with desire to defraud the insurer
2. Employees or such other person who have grievance

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Fire of revenge- revenge is sometimes the cause of a fire where a person wishes
to destroy the good of another person against whom he has a bad feeling.
3. Those who desire to conceal evidence of other crimes
4. Those who set fire for purpose of intimidation

PYROMANIA- an uncontrollable impulse toward incendiarism. A term used to

describe a condition of mind leading to an act of arson.

PYROMANIAC- a type of a person who has passion for fire that can be satisfied
only by watching flames. People who get pleasure in watching fireman put out fire.

DEVELOPMENT/ IDENTIFICATION OF PRIME SUSPECT

The third basic line of inquiry pointed towards the identification of the
criminal and his accomplices of any. To accomplish this identification it is first
necessary to develop what are known as prime suspect among those having motive
and opportunity to set the fire or to pinpoint a prime suspect in pyro fire by studying
the fire pattern.
Suspected fire setters with rational motivation are usually developed by a
check of their activities, questioning and background study. Friends, eyewitness and
others who may posses information about the fire are interviewed. The owner of the
building, the occupants of the premises effected by the fire and anyone who may
profit by the fire are interrogated. The following may serve the investigation
1. Search for the fire scene for physical evidence
2. Background study of policyholders, occupants of premises, owner of building
or other persons having major interest in the fire.
3. Interviews and interrogation of the person who discovered the fire, the one
turned the first alarm, fireman, eyewitness
4. Surveillance

IDENTIFICATION OF FIRE SETTER

The final basic line of inquiry to be purposed by and arson investigation

concern which one of the prime suspect is the fire setter and who were his
accomplices if any. This identification results from the full development of leads,
clues and traces.
The testimony of persons, particularly eyewitness and the development of
expert testimony maybe of value.

GUIDES IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE FIRE SCENE

The fire scene holds the key to the origin of any fire. A careful, methodical
and thorough search of the scene of a suspicious fire is a basic part of the initial
investigation.
The following points must be given due attention:
1. The scene must be protected so that the evidence is not destroyed or removed
either by careless person or the guilty party.
2. Mechanics of search
3. Collection and preservation of physical evidence
4. Laboratory

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COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF ARSON EVIDENCE

1. Two the three quarts of ash and soot debris must be collected at the point of
origin of fire.
2. Specimens should be packed immediately in an airtight container.
a. Can use new clean paint cans friction lids
b. Wide-mouths glass can be used provided they contain airtight lids.
c. Leave an airspace in the container above the debris
3. Plastic polyethylene bags are not suitable for packaging.
4. Fluids found in open bottles or cans must be collected and sealed.
5. Thorough search of the scene should be undertaken for igniters
6. Collect clothing of the suspect/perpetrator and place in a separate airtight
container.
7. Freeze sample containing soil or vegetation.

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Name: _________________________________________________________

Course and Year:

________________________________________________

Evaluation
Directions: Write your answer on the Space provided and use another sheet for the
enumeration

1. An appendage of the skin which occurs everywhere on the human body except on
the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. ______________________
2. Part of hair in which the portion is embedded in the skin. ___________________
3. It refers to the outermost covering of the hair. _____________________________
4. It is the central canal of the hair that maybe empty or may contain various sorts of
cells more or less pigmented and begins near the root. _____________________
5. Fibers that can be converted into yarns called ____________________________
6-7 – two kinds of hair
8-10 – parts of hair
11-13 – pats of shaft
14-16 – three subdivisions of natural fibers
17-20 – four test for fibers

Essay: Answer briefly: Use another

1. How to collect and preserve an Arson Evidence?

2. What constitute arson?
3. How to identify the suspect for Arson?
4. Explain the basic lines of Inquiry in the Investigation of Arson
5. How to identify the fire setter?

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