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Designation: E 1387 – 95
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Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM

Standard Test Method for

Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris
Samples by Gas Chromatography1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1387; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 3. Summary of Test Method

1.1 This test method covers the identification of residues of
ignitable liquids in extracts from fire debris samples. Extrac-
tion procedures are described in the referenced documents.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
only.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For a specific
precautionary statement, see 6.3.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E 260 Practice for Packed Column Gas Chromatography2
E 752 Practice for Safety and Health Requirements Relating
to Occupational Exposure to Carbon Disulfide3
E 1385 Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignit-
able Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Steam
Distillation2
E 1386 Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignit-
able Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Solvent
Extraction2
E 1389 Practice for Cleanup of Fire Debris Sample Extracts
by Acid Stripping2
E 1412 Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignit-
able Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Passive
Headspace Concentration2
E 1413 Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignit-
able Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Dy-
namic Headspace Concentration2
E 1618 Guide for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts
from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass
Spectrometry2
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-30 on
Forensic Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.01 on
Criminalistics.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1995. Published December 1995. Originally
published as E 1387 – 90. Last previous edition E 1387 – 90.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.03.
3.1 The sample extract or preparation is introduced into the
gas chromatographic column containing a liquid phase suitable
for the separation of common ignitable liquid components. The
resulting chromatogram is interpreted by techniques of pattern
recognition and pattern comparison described in this test
method. Ignitable liquids may fall into one of five major
classifications, or into a “miscellaneous” category described
herein.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 The identification of an ignitable liquid residue in a
sample of fire debris can support a field investigator’s opinion
regarding the incendiary nature of a fire.
4.1.1 The identification of an ignitable liquid residue in a
fire scene does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that a fire
was incendiary in nature. Further investigation may reveal a
legitimate reason for the presence of ignitable liquids.
4.2 Due to the volatility of ignitable liquids and to variations
in sampling technique, the absence of detectable quantities of
ignitable liquid residues does not necessarily lead to the
conclusion that ignitable liquids were not present at the fire
scene.
4.3 When the gas chromatographic pattern is not sufficiently
complex, as described in 10.3, additional analytical techniques
are required.
5. Apparatus
5.1 Gas Chromatograph—A chromatograph equipped with
a flame ionization or mass spectral detector may be used. Other
detectors may be used if it can be shown that they have
sensitivity and selectivity equal to the above detectors.
5.1.1 Sensitivity—The system shall be capable of detecting
0.05 volume % in carbon disulfide (or any appropriate solvent)
of any common ignitable mixtures.
5.1.2 Sample Inlet System—A sample inlet system that
allows a reproducible volume of liquid to be injected.
5.1.3 Column—A non-polar capillary column is recom-
mended, but any column may be used provided that, under the
conditions of use, the test mixture can be resolved into its
component peaks.
5.1.3.1 The test mixture shall consist of equal parts by
weight of the even-numbered normal alkanes ranging from

1
 E 1387
n-hexane through n-eicosane, plus the following aromatic
components: toluene, p-xylene, o-ethyltoluene,
m-ethyltoluene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.
5.1.3.2 If total resolution of the test mixture cannot be
obtained on a single column or program, changing columns or
programs is permitted as long as using both columns or
programs results in the complete resolution of the test mixture.
5.2 Column Oven—A column oven capable of reproducible
temperature and temperature program settings in the range of
50 to 300°C should be used.
5.3 Strip Chart Recorder—A recording potentiometer with
a full scale deflection of 10 mV or less should be used. The full
scale response of the recorder should not exceed 1 s. An
integrator, or computerized data station and printer which
meets or exceeds these requirements, is acceptable.
5.4 Syringes:
5.4.1 For liquid samples—a microsyringe, capable of repro-
ducibly introducing sample sizes in the range of 0.1 to 10.0
mL.
5.4.2 For gas samples—a gas-tight syringe capable of
reproducibly introducing sample sizes in the range of 0.5 to 5
mL.
6. Reagents and Materials
6.1 Purity of Reagents—Reagent grade chemicals shall be
used in all tests. Unless otherwise indicated, it is intended that
all reagents conform to the specifications of the Committee on
Analytical Reagents of the American Chemical Society where
such specifications are available.4 Other grades may be used,
provided it is first ascertained that the reagent is of sufficiently
high purity to permit its use without lessening the accuracy of
the determination.
6.2 Solvents—The solvent in which the extract is dissolved
will depend upon the extraction technique employed. Fre-
quently check solvents for purity by running appropriate
blanks, both neat and evaporated, to at least twice the extent
used in the analysis.
6.2.1 If Carbon disulfide is used, read and follow the safety
precautions described in Practice E 752.
6.3 Carrier Gas—Caution: hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen
are compressed under high pressure, and hydrogen is an
extremely flammable gas.
6.4 Combustion Gases—Air and hydrogen (if a flame ion-
ization detector is used).
6.5 Activated Charcoal.
7. Sample Handling
7.1 Methods of obtaining the extracts or preparations for
analysis are described in Practices E 1385, E 1386, E 1389,
E 1412, and E 1413.
7.2 Due to the volatility of the solvents and the analytes,
take care to ensure that samples do not evaporate or otherwise
4
Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American
Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not
listed by the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory
Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia
and National Formulary, U.S. Pharmaceutical Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville,
MD.
2
change composition. Extracts in carbon disulfide may be
covered with water prior to removing the extracts from the
sample preparation hood. Alternatively, septum seal vials may
be used for storing any solvents or extracts.
7.2.1 If water is used as a sealant, exercise care to avoid the
introduction of water onto DMCS treated columns.
7.2.2 Avoid the use of water as a sealant if the presence of
water soluble compounds is suspected.
8. Calibration
8.1 Calibrate the chromatographic instrument frequently
using standards of known concentrations of known ignitable
liquids as well as blanks. Optimize gas flows periodically.
Refer to Practice E 260 for detailed instructions on operation of
the gas chromatograph.
8.1.1 Run appropriate blanks and controls periodically.
8.1.1.1 Clean syringes thoroughly between injections.
8.1.2 Run known standards as necessary.
8.1.2.1 Standard chromatograms must be run under the
same chromatographic conditions as those used to produce the
sample chromatogram.
8.1.2.2 Every case file that includes a positive identification
of an ignitable liquid or residue must include the standard
chromatogram used to confirm the identification.
8.2 Chromatogram Evaluation—A good chromatogram for
comparison work is one in which the peaks of interest are 50
to 100 % of full scale. Rerun samples, or replot chromatogram,
using different parameters (attenuation or sample size) to
achieve a good chromatogram.
8.2.1 In addition to the chromatogram described above, it is
sometimes necessary to produce other, off-scale plots, in order
to bring some features into view for comparison. Such off-scale
plots may be required when there are one or more components
present at a significantly higher concentration than the other
components in the residue.
9. Petroleum Distillate Classification System
9.1 Six major classes of complex liquid products are recog-
nized as usually identifiable by GC patterning alone when
recovered from fire debris.
9.1.1 This test method is only intended to allow isolated
residues to be characterized as to one of the types of products
listed in Table 1. Other characterizations of samples may be
possible, but are not within the scope of this test method.
10. Procedure
10.1 Obtain a chromatogram of the fire debris sample
extract.
10.2 Obtain a chromatogram of a matching, or nearly
matching, standard, and compare the pattern of peaks visually.
10.2.1 The essential requirement for making a classification
using this procedure is the matching of the sample chromato-
gram with a known standard chromatogram obtained under
similar conditions, noting sufficient significant points of corre-
lation or similarities. Make all comparisons using only good
chromatograms, as described in 8.2.
10.2.2 Pattern matching requires that the entire pattern used
for comparison be displayed at the same sensitivity.
10.2.2.1 To provide sufficient detail for some comparisons,
 E 1387
TABLE 1 Ignitable Liquid Classification System
“Peak Spread” Based on
Class Number (Class Name) N-Alkane Carbon Numbers Examples
(Unevaporated Liquid)
1 C4–C11 Petroleum ethers, Pocket lighter fuels, Some rubber cement solvents, Skelly solvents, V M &
Light Petroleum Distillates (LPD) P Naphtha, Some camping fuels
2 C4–C12 All brands and grades of automotive gasoline, including gasohol.
Gasoline
3 C8–C12 Mineral spirits, Some paint thinners, Some charcoal starters, “Dry-cleaning” solvents, Some
Medium Petroleum Distillates (MPD) torch fuels, Some solvents for insecticides and polishes, some lamp oils
4 C9–C17 Number 1 Fuel Oil, Jet-A (aviation) fuel, Insect sprays, Some charcoal starters, Some torch
Kerosene fuels, Some paint thinners, Some solvents for insecticides and polishes, some lamp oils
5 C9–C23 Number 2 fuel oil, Diesel fuel
Heavy Petroleum Distillates (HPD)
0
Miscellaneous Variable Single compounds, Turpentines, Specialty mixtures that cannot be further classified into one
of the categories below
0.1
Oxygenated solvents Variable Alcohols, Esters, Ketones
0.2
Isoparaffins Variable Isoparaffin products, Some charcoal starters, Some copier fluids, Some aviation gasolines,
Some lamp oils, Some solvents for insecticides and polishes, Some camping fuels
0.3
Normal alkanes Variable Specialty products formulated from normal alkanes, Some lamp oils, Some solvents for
insecticides and polishes
0.4
Aromatic solvents Variable Light, medium and heavy “aromatic naphtha” used as solvents for paints and plastics
0.5
Naphthenic/paraffinic solvents Variable Specialty solvent/fuel products made from Class 3 or Class 4 distillates-treated to remove
normal alkanes and aromatics, with higher cycloalkane content than isoparaffin products

different amplitudes or presentations of the data may be
necessary.
10.2.2.2 The carbon number range is determined by com-
paring the chromatogram to a standard containing known
normal alkanes, as shown in Fig. 1.
10.2.3 Store the standard chromatogram(s) in the case file,
along with the sample chromatogram(s).
10.3 Use the following criteria to determine whether suffi-
cient similarities exist between the sample and the standard to
classify the residue:
10.3.1 . Class 1—At least four major peaks matching a
known Class 1 standard are in the C4 to C11 range. No major
peak beyond C11 is associated with ignitable liquids. Examples
of Class 1 liquids are shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 1 C6–C20 Normal Alkanes

3
 E 1387

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 2 Example of a Class 1 Pattern; Brand A Cigarette Lighter Fluid

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 3 Example of a Class 1 Pattern; Brand B Cigarette Lighter Fluid, Evaporated 90 %

10.3.2 Class 2—The C3 alkylbenzene four-peak group,
which represents m- and p-ethyltoluene, 1,3,5-
trimethylbenzene, o-ethyltoluene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene
(pseudocumene), must be present; this group occupies the
range between C9 and C10 and is still present in gasolines that
have lost as must as 90 % of their initial (“fresh”) weight by
evaporation or combustion. Other peak groupings characteris-
tic of gasoline must also be present. Examples of Class 2
liquids are shown in and Fig. 4. A time-expanded view of the
C3 alkylbenzene four-peak group is shown in Fig. 5.
10.3.2.1 The mere presence of these alkylbenzenes does not
justify an identification of gasoline. These compounds must be

4
 E 1387

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 4 Example of a Class 2 Pattern; Gasoline, Evaporated 90 %: (3) C3 Alkylbenzenes, (4) C4 Alkylbenzenes, (5) Naphthalene, and (6) 2-
and 1-Methylnaphthalene

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 5 Time Expanded View of C3 Alkylbenzene Region of Gasoline: (1) m-Ethyltoluene, (2) 1,3,5-rimethylbenzene, (3) o-Ethyltoluene, (4)
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, (*) Unresolved p-Ethyltoluene, and ( + ) Branched C10 Alkane

present at approximately the same relative concentrations as 10.3.2.2 Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, cumenes,
are observed in samples of known gasoline. Many carpet and naphthalenes, which are present in gasoline, are also
samples that have been exposed to fire conditions contain these sometimes found in fire debris samples containing no foreign
compounds in some concentration. ignitable liquid residues.

5
 E 1387
10.3.2.3 Class 1 and Class 2 patterns may change signifi-
cantly as the residue becomes more evaporated.
10.3.3 Class 3—The pattern starts near C8 and ends near
C12 and contains at least two significant N-alkane peaks
between C8 and C12 . An example of a Class 3 pattern is shown
in Fig. 6.
10.3.4 Class 4—The pattern starts near C8. At least five
consecutive N-alkane peaks between C12 and C17 must be
present. An example of a Class 4 pattern is shown in Fig. 7.
10.3.5 Class 5—The pattern starts near C9. At least five
consecutive N-alkane peaks between C14 and C20 must be
present. An example of a Class 5 pattern is shown in Fig. 8.
10.3.5.1 In Class 3, 4, and 5 patterns, N-alkanes are typi-
cally the tallest peaks and those peaks frequently describe a
roughly bell-shaped curve.
10.3.5.2 Class 3, 4, and 5 patterns tend to shift upward in
carbon number range with evaporation, but the overall appear-
ance of the pattern does not usually change as a result of
evaporation.
10.3.5.3 It is recognized that a distinction between Class 4
and Class 5 may be difficult or impossible due to fire exposure
and fractionation during sample preparation. A category that
includes both classes may be referred to as “fuel oil” as long as
five consecutive N-alkane peaks can be identified.
10.3.5.4 When N-heptadecane (C17 H36) and N-octadecane
(C18 H38) are identified, observe the pattern to determine
whether pristane and phytane are also present. Fuel oils that
contain C17 and C18 will usually also contain identifiable
quantities of these two branched alkanes. Fuel oils also contain
significant quantities of other branched alkanes that exhibit a
characteristic pattern.
10.4 No classification system is likely to describe all pos-
sible ignitable liquids. There are numerous commercial and
industrial products which are ignitable but which fall into more
than one category or do not fall into any of the above
categories, other than “miscellaneous.” Many of these are
synthetic mixtures consisting of only a few compounds, rather
than distillation fractions, and require multiple column analysis
in order to achieve an identification. Other techniques such as
GC/MS, Infrared Spectroscopy, or Ultraviolet Spectroscopy
may be indicated when the gas chromatographic pattern is not
sufficiently complex to identify a mixture of components.
10.5 Extraneous Components—It is recognized that the
matrix from which the sample is extracted may contribute
extraneous components to an extract. These components may
cause some difficulty in pattern interpretation, but the presence
of extraneous components does not invalidate the proper
classification of a sample.
10.5.1 Extracts that meet the criteria for Class 4 or Class 5
should be reviewed carefully for “extraneous components” that
elute near N-alkanes and are the result of polyolefin decompo-
sition. Peaks representing the corresponding 1-alkene or 1,
(N-1) diene, and having a concentration near the concentration
(within 1⁄2 an order of magnitude) of the alkane, should be
considered as indicating the presence of polyolefin products
rather than fuel oil products. Polyolefin decomposition prod-
ucts typically do not exhibit the same pattern of branched
alkanes as fuel oils.
10.6 Missing Components—The experience of the ignitable
liquid during a fire may result in the loss of lighter components,
and the experience of the residue during the separation process
may result in the loss of heavier components. The selective loss
of normal alkanes and the lower aromatics from soil samples
by microbial degradation has been documented, but it has not
been reported in other types of substrate materials. Once a
pattern starts, it should match a standard until the pattern ends.

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 6 Example of a Class 3 Pattern; 50 % Evaporated Mineral Spirits

6
 E 1387

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 7 Example of a Class 4 Pattern; 50 % Evaporated Kerosene: (1) Pristane, and (2) Phytane

Chromatographic Conditions
Instrument: HP 5890 Gas Chromatograph Initial Temperature: 60°C, 6 min
Detector: HP 5971 Mass Selective Detector Ramp: 20°C/min
Column: 25 m, HP-1, 0.2 mm, ID, 0.5 µm film thickness Final Temperature: 280°C, 4 min
All injections are 1 µL of a 1 % solution in diethyl ether.

NOTE 1—These are typical chromatograms, provided for illustration only. Each laboratory is likely to obtain slightly different retention times and
relative abundances of individual components, depending on sample history, separation procedure, and chromatographic conditions.
FIG. 8 Example of a Class 5 Pattern; 50 % Evaporated Diesel Fuel

Peaks missing from the middle of a pattern are usually those cases, the use of GC/MS as described in Guide E 1618 is
sufficient grounds for concluding that there is not a match recommended.
between the sample and the standard.
10.7 Diffıcult Patterns—Patterns will occasionally be en- 11. Report
countered that make a distinction between an ignitable liquid 11.1 Report the following information:
and a background material such as carpet very difficult. In 11.1.1 Laboratory case number,

7
 E 1387
11.1.2 Submitting agency’s name, address, and case number
or other identifier,
11.1.3 Date(s) of sample delivery,
11.1.4 Name of the person(s) making the delivery,
11.1.5 Name of the person(s) receiving the sample,
11.1.6 Type of examination requested,
11.1.7 Name of the analyst,
11.1.8 Itemized list describing the submitted samples, and
11.1.9 Results of the laboratory examination.
11.2 A conclusion, summarizing the results in terms under-
standable to a lay person, may be added to the report.
11.2.1 The description of the evidence would seem to be
merely a clerical matter, but it is important that the analyst be
sure that the evidence is described accurately, not simply as it
was identified by the submitting agent. Fire debris samples,
especially, tend to appear similar from the outside. It is possible
for samples coming from different locations within a fire scene,
or even from different fire scenes, to be confused with each
other.
11.2.1.1 While it may not be possible for the analyst to
distinguish by visual inspection the difference between carpet-
ing from the living room and carpeting from the hallway, it is
possible to determine by visual inspection the difference
between bedding from the master bedroom and carpeting from
the hallway or concrete from the basement. The information
which the analyst puts into the report should be verified by the
analyst to the extent possible. An analyst’s first hand observa-
tions, and information supplied by a submitter when a sample
is delivered, should be easily distinguishable.
11.3 The results section should state which preparation
techniques were used and which analytical techniques were
used.
11.4 The conclusion should give the scientist’s opinion as to
whether an ignitable liquid was identified in the sample. If a
negative result was obtained, a disclaimer to the effect that
negative results do not preclude the possibility that ignitable
liquids were present at the fire scene may help to avoid
misunderstanding by readers of the report.
11.5 Certain words should not appear without explanation
within the report. All extracts from organic materials are likely
to contain“ hydrocarbons.” The word “hydrocarbon” should
not appear in a report unless those hydrocarbons can be
specifically identified and classified. The phrase “hydrocarbons
from an unknown source” is expressly prohibited. Similarly,
words such as “consistent with,”“ in the boiling range of,”
“similar to,” or “characteristic of” a particular ignitable liquid
should not be used unless that liquid has been positively
identified using the methods described in Section 10.
12. Precision and Bias
12.1 Precision—It is not practicable to specify the precision
of this test method because of the unavailability of interlabo-
ratory test data.
12.2 Bias—Because the test method yields a qualitative
identification, there is no bias.
13. Keywords
13.1 fire debris samples; forensic sciences; gas chromatog-
raphy; ignitable liquid residues

ANNEX

(Mandatory Information)

A1. SAMPLE STORAGE

A1.1 Store the original sample after extraction using
appropriate procedures for handling and documentation.
A1.1.1 Extract Storage-Short Term
Extracts may be stored in a refrigerator in a stoppered tube
to prevent evaporation.
A1.1.2 Extract Storage-Long Term
Long term stability can be obtained by adding activated
charcoal to the solvent containing the extract and allowing the
solvent to slowly evaporate. The sample can later be reconsti-
tuted by addition of the solvent. A charcoal adsorption package,
such as a C-strip, may serve the same purpose as added
charcoal.

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