Traces of spirits can help in solving crimes

The researchers suggest that the traces of the perfume can help law enforcement officers solve the crime. Scientists have found that the chemical components of the fragrance can pass from one person to another through clothing, even if the contact is very brief. The trace of this fragrance remains on the clothes for several days, despite the fact that it decreases with time. The team of researchers states that their work is proof of the correctness of the principle that suggests that spirits can be used as evidence.

Publication of the study

The researchers published their work in the journal Science and Justice. They argue that analysis of perfume can be a useful tool in those cases when close physical contact occurred, for example, with sexual harassment.

Lead researcher Simon Gergel from the University College of London said: "We assumed that the analysis of traces of spirits has great potential, as many people use them. In fact, about 90% of women and 60% of men use them on a regular basis. "

Although there are many studies in the field of forensic science - for example, analysis of fibers or powder residues after the shot, - there has so far been no research on the transfer of perfume.

Results of the work of scientists

Perfumes are prepared from many different chemical components, which in combination have a unique smell. The researchers worked with one male fragrance. They found that some of these components are easily transferred from one piece of cotton to another.

When two pieces of material were pressed against each other for one minute, 15 of the 44 chemical components passed onto the second tissue. When the contact time was increased to 10 minutes, 18 components were switched to another tissue.

What does time mean

Scientists also monitored how time affects the transport of volatile compounds.

They found that if after 5 minutes after the scent was sprayed, press this cloth to the other for 10 minutes, then 24 of the 44 perfume components will pass to it. If the fragrance was sprayed 6 hours ago, 12 components are transferred to the other fabric on contact, and a trail of six volatile components can still be found a week later.

Dr. Ruth Morgan, director of the Center for Forensic Science, said that thanks to this experimental study, scientists were able to show that spirits are capable of transmitting to other tissues, and it is possible to determine when exactly this happened.

How to use perfume to recreate a picture of a crime

In the future, there may well be situations when there will be contact between two people, and this method allows to find out what kind of contact occurred and when it was.

However, scientists say that such evidence must be collected very quickly after an offense has occurred, since delay can limit its usefulness. This means that the use of traces of perfume is not always possible, since crimes often become known a few days after they were committed. In addition, it is unlikely that they will use only the fragrance to solve the problem.

The trace of spirits can not be the only evidence of a crime. Scientists hope that this evidence will be used in a comprehensive manner, along with DNA analysis, for example, or fingerprints. And in combination with other forms of evidence, this will make it possible to build a very convincing picture.

Researchers say that now more work is needed to assess how to properly use perfume for realistic judicial reconstructions.