Forensic Discrimination of Lipstick Stains Using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Pattern Recognition Techniques

Mohd Afiq Mohd Azis; Naji Arafat Mahat; Hasmerya Maarof; Sarah Aina Azman

doi:10.22146/ijc.97097

Forensic Discrimination of Lipstick Stains Using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Pattern Recognition Techniques

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.97097

Mohd Afiq Mohd Azis⁽¹⁾, Naji Arafat Mahat^(2*), Hasmerya Maarof⁽³⁾, Sarah Aina Azman⁽⁴⁾

(1) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
(2) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Investigative and Forensic Sciences Research Group, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Center for Sustainable Nanomaterials, Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Center of Research for Fiqh Forensics and Judiciary, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
(3) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia; Investigative and Forensic Sciences Research Group, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
(4) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

Lipstick stains discovered on objects (such as drinking cups) may be utilized as evidence and/or lead in forensic investigations by chemical analysis. Hence, this study analyzed two brands of lipstick stains' organic composition on paper cups over 0, 24, and 48 h of exposure using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), coupled with pattern recognition techniques of principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Spectral analysis revealed several functional group differences between the two brands of lipstick, viz. Wardah (W) and Silkygirl (S) stains, particularly in the fingerprint region of 1800–650 cm⁻¹. Application of PCA (variance of ≥ 70%) and LDA successfully provided the suitable means for categorically classifying (a) the different brands of lipstick, (b) the male and female volunteers, as well as (c) the different periods of exposure. The fact that the cross-validation correct classification rates for all the LDA models exceeded 90.0%, their suitability for forensic provenance application of lip stains appears statistically supported. Hence, such an approach to combine the non-destructive ATR-FTIR analysis with PCA and LDA is not only easy and cost-effective but also forensically relevant for enabling the data mining process for forensic intelligence.

Keywords

lipstick; ATR-FTIR; principal component analysis; linear discriminant analysis; forensic science

Full Text:

Full Text PDF

References

[1] Gładysz, M., Król, M., and Kościelniak, P., 2021, Current analytical methodologies used for examination of lipsticks and its traces for forensic purposes, Microchem. J., 164, 106002.

[2] Wong, J.X.W., Sauzier, G., and Lewis, S.W., 2019, Forensic discrimination of lipsticks using visible and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, Forensic Sci. Int., 298, 88–96.

[3] Gładysz, M., Król, M., Chudecka, A., and Kościelniak, P., 2020, Application of spectroscopic and separation techniques to the examination of the chemical composition stability of lipsticks exposed to various factors and storage conditions, Forensic Sci. Int., 309, 110230.

[4] Gładysz, M., Król, M., and Kościelniak, P., 2017, Differentiation of red lipsticks using the attenuated total reflection technique supported by two chemometric methods, Forensic Sci. Int., 280, 130–138.

[5] Chophi, R., Sharma, S., and Singh, R., 2020, Forensic analysis of red lipsticks using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics, Forensic Chem., 17, 100209.

[6] Ezegbogu, M.O., and Osadolor, H.B., 2019, Comparative forensic analysis of lipsticks using thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, Int. J. Chem. Mol. Eng., 13 (5), 231–235.

[7] Kaur, K., Yadav, P.K., Bumbrah, G.S., and Sharma, R.M., 2020, Forensic classification of lipsticks using attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Vib. Spectrosc., 110, 103146.

[8] Shadan, A.F., Mahat, N.A., Wan Ibrahim, W.A., Ariffin, Z., and Ismail, D., 2018, Provenance establishment of stingless bee honey using multi‐element analysis in combination with chemometrics techniques, J. Forensic Sci., 63 (1), 80–85.

[9] Gautam, R., Vanga, S., Ariese, F., and Umapathy, S., 2015, Review of multidimensional data processing approaches for Raman and infrared spectroscopy, EPJ Tech. Instrum., 2 (1), 8.

[10] Sharma, S., Chophi, R., Kaur, H., and Singh, R., 2020, Differentiation of cosmetic foundation creams using attenuated total reflection Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy: A rapid and nondestructive approach in trace evidence analysis, J. Forensic Sci., 65 (3), 751–761.

[11] Hussin, F.N.N.M., Attan, N., and Wahab, R.A., 2020, Extraction and characterization of nanocellulose from raw oil palm leaves (Elaeis guineensis), Arabian J. Sci. Eng., 45 (1), 175–186.

[12] Gładysz, M., Król, M., Własiuk, P., Piwowar, M., Zadora, G., and Kościelniak, P., 2018, Development and evaluation of semi-destructive, ultrasound assisted extraction method followed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry enabling discrimination of red lipstick samples, J. Chromatogr. A, 1577, 92–100.

[13] Saferstein, R., 2017, Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science, 12^th Ed., Pearson, New Jersey, US.

[14] NPRA, 2018, Guideline on Good Distribution Practice, National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division Ministry of Health Malaysia, 3^rd Ed., 1–36. http://www.npra.moh.gov.my.

[15] Arifin, N.A., and Denan, Z., 2015, An analysis of indoor air temperature and relative humidity in office room with various external shading devices in Malaysia, Procedia – Soc. Behav. Sci., 179, 290–296.

[16] Sharma, V., Bharti, A., and Kumar, R., 2019, On the spectroscopic investigation of lipstick stains: Forensic trace evidence, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A, 215, 48–57.

[17] Fiume, M.M., Heldreth, B.A., Bergfeld, W.F., Belsito, D.V., Hill, R.A., Klaassen, C.D., Liebler, D.C., Marks, J.G., Shank, R.C., Slaga, T.J., Snyder, P.W., and Andersen, F.A., 2015, Safety assessment of ethanolamine and ethanolamine salts as used in cosmetics, Int. J. Toxicol., 34 (Suppl. 2), 84S–98S.

[18] de Bruin-Hoegée, M., van der Schans, M.J., Langenberg, J.P., and van Asten, A.C., 2024, Biomarker profiling in plants to distinguish between exposure to chlorine gas and bleach using LC-HRMS/MS and chemometrics, Forensic Sci. Int., 358, 112022.

[19] Arora, T., Verma, R., Kumar, R., Chauhan, R., Kumar, B., and Sharma, V., 2021, Chemometrics based ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method for rapid and non-destructive discrimination between eyeliner and mascara traces, Microchem. J., 164, 106080.

[20] He, X., and Wang, J., 2020, Rapid and nondestructive forensic identification of tire particles by attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics, Anal. Lett., 53 (5), 714–734.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.97097