Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy hair analysis after household contamination

Trace evidence found at crime scenes is rarely in an unsullied condition. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a modern analytical technique that can be used for the detection of artificial hair colourants (S. Higgins and D. Kurouski, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Enables Highly Accurate Identification of Different Brands, Types and Colors of Hair Dyes, Talanta, 2022, 251, 123762). However, contaminants pose a problem to collecting accurate spectra from the dyes. In this study, we sought to analyze how the different physical properties of contaminants can influence the collected spectra. We utilized 11 household substances of varying viscosity and opacity to contaminate hair dyed with permanent black or semi-permanent blue dyes. We discovered that contaminant opacity generally does not affect the spectral quality but that high contaminant viscosity does and that acidic substances could destroy the colourant's spectral identity altogether. Cleaning the contaminated hair with a water rinse allowed the underlying colourant to be identified in 21 out of 22 cases. Overall, this study provided a clearer understanding of the capabilities and limitations of SERS in forensic hair analysis.