Bloodstain age estimation through infrared spectroscopy and Chemometric models
SCIENCE & JUSTICE
Authors: Kumar, Raj; Sharma, Kajal; Sharma, Vishal
Abstract
The chemical profiling of bloodstains is essential to link the suspect with the crime. The current study proposed a proof-of-concept methodology for the investigation of bloodstains by utilizing advanced ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with new generation chemometric methods. Current study provides encouraging data to allow discrimination between human and animal blood though with small sample size. In this study, different models for the age estimation of human bloodstains are developed from the trained data sets of 1-175 days old bloodstains. The models such as curve estimation (CE), multiple linear regression (MLR), and partial least squares regressions (PLSR) are developed to determine the best prediction model for aged human bloodstains. The obtained results on the dating of bloodstains are very encouraging and also tested for unknown samples. The maximum dating errors are observed in the curve estimation models whereas, the other models MLR, PLSR show excellent age estimation of unknown bloodstains. These models represent an error of similar to 3 +/- 1 days and similar to 4 +/- 1 days in actual and estimated date, respectively, which is lowest ever reported so far. The present methodology is expected to provide a valuable insight into forensic society and hence, to the law enforcement community. The present methodology can further be explored for an ideal model by including all other external variables/factors and for more longer aging time.
A combined first principles and classical molecular dynamics study of clay-soil organic matters (SOMs) interactions
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
Authors: Zhang, Yingchun; Liu, Xiandong; Zhang, Chi; Lu, Xiancai
Abstract
In this study, clay-soil organic matters (SOMs) interactions were investigated by combining first principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) and classical molecular dynamics (CMD) techniques. FPMD was employed to quantify the binding mechanisms of reactive SOMs groups on clay surfaces and to derive parameters for the bonding of the reactive groups on edge surfaces. By integrating the derived parameters with CVFF-CLAYFF force fields, CMD simulations were carried out to investigate the structures of large models of clay-SOMs associations. All possible reactive SOMs groups, including carboxylate, phosphate, quinone species and ammonium groups were taken into account. FPMD results showed that all these groups are important to the complexation of SOMs on clay surfaces under dry conditions but only chemical bonding of carboxylate and phosphate and cation bridging are of significance under wet conditions. pH dependence of carboxylate and phosphate and Eh-pH dependence of quinone species are presented. CMD simulations showed that SOMs bound on clay surfaces via direct bonding of carboxylate and Ca2+ bridging and revealed the effect of water on structures of the clay-SOMs association. Based on the computational results, a procedure was proposed for constructing realistic molecular models for soils. Possible applications and further improvements of these models are discussed. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.