Learning Objectives

1 Define “Polymer”

2 Explain the methods used to identify fibres and dyes

3 Identify synthetic and natural polymers

4 Describe the phases of hair growth

5
Describe how hair analysis helps
to identify species and individuals
1
What is a polymer?

Monomer

A long chain molecule made

up of many repeating units

2
What is a polymer?

May be made up of two different monomers

Co-polymer

3
Polymers

Polyethylene or polythene

Polymerise

Ethylene Polyethylene

4
Polymers

Polypropylene

Propylene monomer
Polystyrene

Formation in a similar way to

the polymerisation of ethylene
Styrene monomer
5
Polymers

Polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene

Not good for making fibres

6
Nylon

Co-polymer

7
Nylon

Adipic acid Diaminohexane

Nylon-6,6
8
Fibre examination

1 Microscopic to determine type

Wool, nylon, cotton, etc.

2 Spectroscopic analysis of fibre

3 Physical features Shape

9
Fibre examination

4 Colour Spectroscopic analysis of the dye

5 Delustrant Chemicals added to reduce shine

More chemical components analyzed

Better individualization of fibre

10
Polymers

Natural fibres vs synthetic fibres

Natural fibres From plants and animals

Synthetic fibres From chemical industry

11
Synthetic polymer fibres

Made by Extrusion

Fibre shape and size

depends on the hole

12
Synthetic polymer fibres

Microscopic examination
allows for identification of

Manufacturer

Batch of material
Trilobal fibre
13
Identification
Microscope

IR spectrum

IR microscope

Analysis of IR spectrometer
chemical
constituents
IR Microscope
14
 Jeffrey
MacD on a l d

15
Jeffrey MacDonald

U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Convicted of murdering
his wife and daughters

Beaten and stabbed

to death at home Jeffrey MacDonald
16
Defense

Murders done by a group of drug addicts

Broke into the house

No evidence of anyone else in the house

MacDonald found guilty

17
Defense

Additional evidence used at the appeal

Fibre from the crime scene

No match to victims’ clothes

Evidence of an intruder

18
IR comparison

From Mrs.
MacDonald

Claimed to be
from attackers

19
Natural Polymers

Rubber

Isoprene Latex

20
Natural Polymers

Polymerisation is
done by the tree

Latex from Hevea brasiliensis

21
Natural Polymers

Rubber

Used for clothing

Not good material for making fibres

22
Natural Polymers

Cellulose Good for making fibres

Polymer of glucose

Cellulose
23
Natural Polymers

Polymers of glucose

1 Starch

Can be digested
by humans

Starch
24
Natural Polymers

Polymers of glucose

1 Starch Cellulose

2 Cellulose Structural material for plants

Cannot be digested by humans

25
Natural Polymers

Polymers of glucose

1 Starch

2 Cellulose

Stereo chemical Difference in 3D structure

26
Natural Polymers

Cellulose from cotton plant

Fibres produced
naturally by plant

Spun and processed by mills

Cotton boll
27
Natural Polymers

All cotton fibres are identical

All cellulose

Natural fibres

All cotton fibres look similar

28
Natural Polymers

Cotton fibres at the crime scene

Information will only

come from the dye

29
Natural Polymers
`

Proteins

About 20 different amino acids

Amino acid
Carboxylic acid group (CO2H)

Amino group (NH2)

Substituent (R)
30
Natural Polymers

Polymers of amino acids are proteins

Protein

Structure and function of proteins depend on R

31
Natural Polymers

Cellulose

Structural material for plants

Proteins

Structural material for animals

32
Proteins

Tissues

Cells

Hair

Fingernails

Part of bones
33
Enzymes

Chemical catalysts

Proteins

Highly specialized

Protein folding
34
Antibodies

Highly specialized
proteins

Antibody
35
Hair
Cuticle

Cortex
Follicle
Hair
Root
root
36
Hair growth

Anagen phase

Growth phase

Up to 6 years Anagen phase

Hairs pulled out will

contain DNA in the root
37
Hair growth

Growth phase slows and stops

Catagen phase

Transitional phase
Catagen phase,
2 to 3 weeks
38
Hair growth

Growth stops and root shrivels

Hair can fall out

Telogen phase
Telogen phase,
Do not contain much DNA 2 to 6 months

39
Cross-section of Hair Looks scaly
Cuticle
Useful for species
Medulla
identification
Width & pattern
Cortex
is characteristic
of species
Contain pigment
granules
May not be
continuous
Colour, size,
distribution, density
40
Human or animal hair?

Human Dog cuticle Cat cuticle

cuticle
41
Human or animal hair?

Human Dog medulla Cat medulla

medulla
42
Individualisation

Follicle tissue may

contain DNA attached
to forcibly removed hair

If not enough DNA Rely on comparison

43
Individualisation

Hair from crime scene

Hair from a person Suspect or corpse

Compare hairs under a microscope

FBI survey 11% wrong

44
Hair analysis

Hair

Contains a record of chemicals

that were in your body in the past

45
Hair analysis

E.g. bar raid

Someone tested positive for ketamine

Denied being a drug user

during police questioning

46
Hair analysis

Hair sample

Cut off at the scalp (newest hair)

Cut hair into segments

Analyze the segments

47
Hair analysis

If person telling the truth

No ketamine in the hair

If ketamine found evenly distributed along hair

Habitual user Person was lying

48
Hair analysis

Helps us determine chemical exposure

Willingly exposed

Unknowingly exposed

49
August, 1991

Robert Curley died in hospital

Analysis of body fluids High levels of thallium

Worked in a University Chemistry lab

Exposure to thallium?
50
August, 1991

Low levels of thallium

In wife, daughter and his thermos flask

$297 000 insurance

Body exhumed Hair analysis

51
Hair analysis

Longest hairs were about 10 months old

Thallium exposure
for over 9 months

Spike in thallium levels

just before his death
Hair analysis
52
 Wayne
Williams

53
Atlanta, July 1979

Young black men found dead in

woodland over several months

Were the murders linked?

54
Investigation

Same fibres found on several bodies

Identical yellow-green and violet fibres

In victims’ clothing

Microscopic analysis Unusual shape

55
February, 1981

A newspaper reported the findings of the fibres

Further bodies found

Stripped naked

Dumped in the river

56
22 May, 1981

Police watching the bridge

at 2 a.m. heard a splash

Bridge above Chattahochee River

57
22 May, 1981

Wayne Williams arrested

Wayne Williams
58
Two days later

Body of Nathaniel Carter found downstream

Yellow-green fibres found on him

Not clothed

In his hair
59
Investigation

Suspect Fibre evidence

Searched Wayne
Williams’s house

60
Search found

Yellow-green bedroom carpet

Fibres matched those found on 10 victims

1 in 7792 homes in Atlanta

638 995 homes in Atlanta

61
Search found

Yellow-green bedroom carpet 10 victims

Violet fibres from bedspread 12 victims

Dog hairs 11 victims

Fibres from car carpet 8 victims

62
S a r a h Payne

63
Sarah Payne

Body found 2 weeks

after going missing

Substantially
decomposed

Identified by DNA Sarah Payne

64
Suspect

Roy Whiting

Tests were carried

out on his van

Roy
Whiting
65
Results

Fibres found on Sarah’s shoe

In the Velcro strap 350 fibres

Most were blue fibres from her own clothes

Four fibres from a red sweatshirt

DNA links it to Roy Whiting

66
Results

Fibres in Sarah’s hair

Matched the sweatshirt, some socks

and van seat of Roy Whiting’s van

67
Results

40 fair hairs found in van

Same colour as Sarah’s hair

One gave a DNA result

DNA matched Sarah’s DNA

68
Tests carried out

461 microspectrophotometry tests

23 infrared spectroscopy tests

128 thin layer chromatography tests

69
Tests carried out

Investigation involved over

1300 people

18 months

2 million pounds

70
Summary

1 Identification of fibres

Microscopy and spectroscopy

2 Hair analysis

Microscopy to identify species

Comparison to identify individual

71