Microextraction, capillary electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry for forensic analysis of azo and methine basic dyes from acrylic fibers.

Designed experiments based on a simplex mixture design were employed to explore the effects of three solvent components (water, formic acid, and aqueous acetic acid), extraction time, and extraction temperature for the automated microextraction of basic (cationic) dyes from acrylic fibers. Extractions were conducted by an automated liquid handling system, and dye extraction was evaluated using a UV/visible microplate reader. Highest extraction efficiency for two subclasses of basic dyes (methine and azo) from acrylic fibers was achieved with an extraction solvent containing 88% formic acid/12% water. Cationic dyes were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using a 45 mM ammonium acetate buffer in acetonitrile-water at pH 4.7. The utility of microextraction combined with capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for analysis of extracts from trace fibers was demonstrated by the detection and characterization of three basic dyes extracted from a 2-mm length of single acrylic fiber.

Forensic analysis of anthraquinone, azo, and metal complex acid dyes from nylon fibers by micro-extraction and capillary electrophoresis.

The extraction and separation of dyes present on textile fibers offers the possibility of enhanced discrimination between forensic trace fiber evidence. An automated liquid sample handling workstation was programmed to deliver varying solvent combinations to acid-dyed nylon samples, and the resulting extracts were analyzed by an ultraviolet/visible microplate reader to evaluate extraction efficiencies at different experimental conditions. Combinatorial experiments using three-component mixture designs varied three solvents (water, pyridine, and aqueous ammonia) and were employed at different extraction temperatures for various extraction durations. The extraction efficiency as a function of the three solvents (pyridine/ammonia/water) was modeled and used to define optimum conditions for the extraction of three subclasses of acid dyes (anthraquinone, azo, and metal complex) from nylon fibers. The capillary electrophoresis analysis of acid dye extracts is demonstrated using an electrolyte solution of 15 mM ammonium acetate in acetonitrile/water (40:60, v/v) at pH 9.3. Excellent separations and discriminating diode array spectra are obtained even for dyes of similar color.