Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy enables highly accurate identification of different brands, types and colors of hair dyes

Higgins, Samantha; Kurouski, Dmitry

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2022.123762

Cited by 14 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…In the SERS spectra acquired from hair colored with p‐blue, prior to the heat exposure, we observed vibrational bands centered at 436, 466, 533, 1021,1090, 1154, 1180, 1301, 1361,1394, 1450, 1503, and 1590 cm −1 (Figure 1A). As was demonstrated by Higgins and Kurouski [19], these vibrational bands could be used for confirmatory identification of this colorant on hair. We found that a short‐term (6–12 min) heat exposure caused substantial changes in the SERS spectra of colored hair.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Elucidation of the effect of heat exposure on hair colored by permanent and semipermanent colorants using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Steczkowski

Kurouski

2023

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Confirmatory identification of hair colorants can be used to establish a connection between a suspect and the crime science or demonstrate the absence of such connections. A growing body of evidence shows that surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) could be a confirmatory, minimally destructive, and fully noninvasive analysis of hair colorants. In SERS, a signal that provide the information about the chemical structure of both permanent and semipermanent dyes present on hair is enhanced by a million‐fold using noble metal nanostructures. However, it is unclear whether the information of hair colorants can be revealed if hair was contaminated or exposed to harsh environments such as sunlight and heat. In this work, we determine the effect of a short‐ and long‐term heat exposure on SERS‐based analysis of hair colored with blue and red permanent and semipermanent dyes. We found that short and especially long‐term heat exposure at 220°C could alter chemical structure, and consequently SERS spectra, of permanent and semipermanent colorants. This thermal degradation of permanent dyes complicates their direct identification using SERS. We also found that partial least squares discriminant analysis can be used to overcome this issue allowing for highly accurate identification of both permanent and semipermanent dyes on colored hair that was exposed to 220°C for 6–12 min. These results show that heat exposure of colored hair should be strongly considered upon their SERS‐based examination to avoid both false positive or false negative identification of chemical dyes.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Elucidation of the effect of heat exposure on hair colored by permanent and semipermanent colorants using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Steczkowski

Kurouski

2023

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…A growing body of evidence shows that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can be used to detect and identify colorants present on hair 8 , 12 , 13 . In SERS, noble metal nanostructures are used to enhance Raman scattering of molecules located in proximity to metallic surfaces 14 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Esparza and co-workers showed that SERS was able to identify underlying colorants if the hair was re-dyed afterward 13 . Recently, Higgins and Kurouski demonstrated that SERS enabled confirmatory identification of more than 30 different colorants 12 . It was also shown that SERS could be used to predict the color and brand of colorants present on hair.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…demonstrated that SERS enabled confirmatory identification of more than 30 different colorants 12 . It was also shown that SERS could be used to predict the color and brand of colorants present on hair.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, semi-permanent dyes easily come off upon hair washing 11 . Confirmatory analysis of hair colorants can be used to establish a connection between a decedent and a crime scene, as well as help to identify the decedent's identity.A growing body of evidence shows that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can be used to detect and identify colorants present on hair 8,12,13 . In SERS, noble metal nanostructures are used to enhance Raman scattering of molecules located in proximity to metallic surfaces 14 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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The effects of sun exposure on colorant identification of permanently and semi-permanently dyed hair

Holman

Kurouski

2023

Sci Rep

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During bloating and active decay, human remains begin to deform and warp their physical identity. After the skin and muscles loosen and detach from their skeletal structuration, everything but bones, teeth, and hair will fully disintegrate into the soil that surrounds the body. Nearly half of people in the world dye their hair with a variety of permanent and semi-permanent colorants. Expanding upon this, we hypothesized that confirmatory analysis of hair colorants can be used to facilitate and advance forensic analysis of human remains. A growing body of evidence suggests that hair colorants can be identified directly on hair using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this study, we investigate the extent to which SERS can be used to detect black and blue permanent and semi-permanent dyes on hair exposed to sunlight. Our results showed that although substantial photodegradation of all dyes was observed by week 7, SERS enabled highly accurate detection and identification of hair colorants during all 10 weeks of hair exposure to the sunlight with on average 99.2% accuracy. We also found that SERS could be used to predict fading rates of hair colorants. This information can shed light on the exposure of human remains to the exterior environment.

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Flashforward: The Current and Future Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy for Forensic Purposes

Alpuché,

Vyas,

Lednev

2024

J Raman Spectroscopy

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Vibrational spectroscopy combined with machine learning has a great potential for forensic applications. For example, handheld Raman spectroscopic instruments are already used by law enforcement agencies for precise, confirmatory identification of drugs. Beyond drug identification, several emerging technologies based on vibrational spectroscopy are currently under development for forensic investigative purposes, including the analysis of questioned documents, gunshot residue, fabrics, soil, hair, nails, and nail polish. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the application of vibrational spectroscopy in various areas of forensic analysis, particularly focusing on forensic serology and the analysis of trace evidences. In the case of forensic serology, the methodology allows for determining complex aspects of serological casework, including the time since deposition of a stain, as well as the phenotypic profile of the stain donor—namely, sex, race, and age. Furthermore, gunshot residues can be accurately identified by grain, caliber, and manufacturer when Raman spectroscopy is paired with machine learning. This integration of advanced spectroscopic techniques with machine learning holds great promise for furthering both the accuracy and efficiency of investigations, helping to reduce the total backlog of evidence investigation currently plaguing modern forensic laboratories.

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Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy enables highly accurate identification of different brands, types and colors of hair dyes

Cited by 14 publications

References 30 publications

Elucidation of the effect of heat exposure on hair colored by permanent and semipermanent colorants using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Elucidation of the effect of heat exposure on hair colored by permanent and semipermanent colorants using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The effects of sun exposure on colorant identification of permanently and semi-permanently dyed hair

Flashforward: The Current and Future Applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy for Forensic Purposes

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