Citation

Cavanagh-Steer K, Du Pasquier E, Roux C, Lennard C. Forensic Sci. Int. 2005; 147(1): 71-79.

Affiliation

Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology, Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway NSW2007, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.04.081

PMID

15541594

Abstract

The significance of the presence of petrol in motor vehicle fires has often been challenged due to the possibility of a natural occurrence of petrol residues inside the vehicle. Transfer and persistence studies were undertaken to investigate the potential transfer and persistence of petrol onto vehicle carpets through the 'normal' usage of motor vehicles. The results of the transfer study indicate that petrol may be transferred from the external environment in sufficient quantities via the shoes of drivers or passengers to be detected after a 24h period, but not after 1 week. Low levels of petrol were detectable after 24h on all carpet mats where the initial volume was 500muL or more. The level of evaporation of the petrol detected increased with corresponding increases in the time period between transfer and analysis. The results of the persistence study indicate that small volumes of petrol (less than 100muL) are unlikely to be detected on carpet after a 24h period, and volumes of less than 1000muL are unlikely to be detected on acoustic padding after this time period. Larger volumes may be detected after this period, but will generally not be detectable on either carpet or acoustic padding after 4 weeks. In each case, the petrol that is detected exhibits a chromatographic profile of greater than 60% evaporated petrol. These results demonstrate the significance of finding a large volume of fresh or slightly evaporated petrol on car carpet.