True Crime and Chromatography

People have always been fascinated by mystery, and in recent years there has been a major rise in true crime series: podcasts, tv shows, and even books. The horrible, gruesome tragedies have become a form of entertainment for many. They’re full of interesting characters, suspenseful tales, and mind-blowing events. Nobody wants the crimes to be left unsolved (after all, these are TRUE crime stories with real people involved), but what does it actually take to solve a crime?

Forensic Scientists’ Role in True Crime

That’s where the scientists come in. Anyone who’s ever heard a single true crime story probably knows about DNA testing and fingerprints, but something that all the armchair detectives out there might be less familiar with is the use of chromatography in forensics. Chromatography is a fairly in depth forensic procedure used for testing biological samples such as blood or hair, or for testing fabrics found at the scene. This can play a role in determining if certain foods, drugs, or other substances were present at the time of a crime.

Chromatography in Forensics

In murder investigations (or deaths in general), gas chromatography is often used for identifying fluids and compounds found in a body postmortem. This is important for determining the cause of death and maybe even the motive. Chromatography can also be used to determine if explosives or fuels have been used for arson to cover up a crime, or just a crime in and of itself.

Improving Sample Analysis

As you’ve probably figured out by now, criminal investigations often times require analyzing complex mixtures which can be dirty and filled with lots of interferences. One way to ensure that samples can be analyzed properly is to implement sample preparation prior to injecting the samples. Filtration techniques and SPE, such as Agilent’s Bond Elut products are commonly used to clean up samples to provide better and more reliable results.

How to Read More

With that, we hope you have a whole new appreciation for the scientists working hard to solve your favorite true crime cases. For other interesting applications of chromatography, be sure to check out our other blogs and subscribe to The Scoop.