CHED 216 |
| Arson related fires cause hundreds of deaths and thousands of dollars in damage each year. Medium petroleum distillates such as kerosene and paint thinner are commonly used as accelerants in such fires. The classification of these petroleum distillates has become increasingly more specific, relying on both chemical composition and boiling point. However, the ability of this classification system to withstand scrutiny when examining contaminated or weathered products, as well as fire residues is still a concern. In this study, various brands of paint thinners were analyzed using passive headspace sampling in coordination with Gas Chromatography FID and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy to examine the specificity of hydrocarbon content in the different brands. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Analytical Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |