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Microbial Degradation of Ignitable Liquids

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Forensic Analysis of Fire Debris and Explosives

Abstract

Ignitable liquids in fire debris samples that are biologically active, such as soil or moldy building materials, can be subject to degradation through microbial metabolism. Unlike weathering, where compounds are lost in a predictable fashion based on volatility, microbial degradation alters ignitable liquids in an unpredictable fashion. The general trends in chemical losses and the factors that affect microbial degradation will be discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Walnut Creek, CA, USA

    Katherine Hutches

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  1. Katherine Hutches
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Tampa, Tampa, FL, USA

    Kenyon Evans-Nguyen

  2. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Walnut Creek, CA, USA

    Katherine Hutches

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Hutches, K. (2019). Microbial Degradation of Ignitable Liquids. In: Evans-Nguyen, K., Hutches, K. (eds) Forensic Analysis of Fire Debris and Explosives. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25834-4_6

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