Publication: Study of plastic solid accelerant using fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis and chemometric analysis
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Date
2026-02
Authors
Sukor, Habibah Abdul
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Abstract
Plastics are commonly present at fire scenes and may act as solid accelerants due to their combustible nature, potentially influencing fire behaviour and forensic interpretation. This study investigated the behaviour of selected plastic products under fire-related conditions using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with chemometric analysis through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A total of 20 plastic samples were analyzed using FTIR to obtain baseline spectra of unburnt materials. The samples were then subjected to controlled burning for a fixed duration, followed by FTIR analysis of the burnt residues. Subsequently, a small volume of petrol was applied to the burnt samples and further FTIR analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of accelerant exposure. The FTIR spectra obtained from unburnt, burnt and petrol-exposed samples were interpreted, characterized and compared to assess polymer types as well as changes in functional groups and spectral patterns. PCA was then applied to the FTIR fingerprint region to visualize clustering behaviour among the samples. The results of this study showed that plastic samples exhibited polymer-specific spectral features, allowing grouping based on polymer type. In addition, burning and petrol exposure caused observable spectral changes; however, their characteristic spectral features remained detectable, enabling identification of the polymer type.
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