A preliminary investigation of transfer of condom lubricants in the vaginal matrix

•Investigation of transfer of condom lubricants is needed for forensic casework.•DRIFTS-FTIR allows the detection of transferred residues in the vaginal matrix.•Condom traces were collected from human volunteers.•Donor, receiver and contact significantly affect the transfer. Condom evidence has beco...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forensic science international 2021-08, Vol.325, p.110847-110847, Article 110847
Main Authors: Saric, Nikola, Fabien, Loïc, Fischer, Julia, Hermelin, Anaïs, Massonnet, Geneviève, Burnier, Céline
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical composition
Chemometrics
Cotton
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
DRIFTS-FTIR
Evidence
Forensic sciences
Fourier analysis
Fourier transforms
Interpretation
Investigations
Lubricants
Lubricants & lubrication
Principal components analysis
Reflectance
Residues
Sex crimes
Sexual assault
Sexual intercourse
Software
Vagina
Volunteers
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Summary:•Investigation of transfer of condom lubricants is needed for forensic casework.•DRIFTS-FTIR allows the detection of transferred residues in the vaginal matrix.•Condom traces were collected from human volunteers.•Donor, receiver and contact significantly affect the transfer. Condom evidence has become in the past years a very relevant item of evidence in sexual assault or rape cases, being an objective help in the reconstruction of the activity. Traces recovered from a vaginal swab might help to identify whether a condom or other lubricants were used, and thereby possibly confirming or infirming allegations of the parties. However, the interpretation of condom traces can be challenging and requires a detailed understanding of various factors like condom lubricant chemical composition and occurrence on the market, transfer and persistence parameters and background. Herein, we aimed at improving our understanding of factors affecting the transfer variability of condom residues recovered from vaginal matrix. This work employed Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to provide new data for a characterization of condom lubricants and their traces after a transfer in a vaginal matrix has occurred. Condom traces were recovered from volunteers and the traces characteristics were investigated and analyzed. The effects of donor (condom) and receiver (vaginal matrix) were firstly evaluated, as they are known factors, and these data that could be obtained in real caseworks. Using principal component analysis (PCA), this study highlighted that the effect of the donor was more important than the receiver effect. Vaginal matrix residues were not detected in transferred extracts. The discrimination pattern amongst the donor was found to be indistinguishable from the one obtained on reference material using ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflectance).
ISSN:0379-0738
1872-6283
DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110847