June 25, 2015
Wetzel presents at forensic microscopy meeting
David Wetzel, professor of grain science and industry, recently presented "Microspectroscopic Dichroism Regarding Commercial Origin of PET Fiber Evidence" at McCrone Research Institute’s annual Inter/Micro forensic microscopy meeting June 8-10 in Chicago.
Wetzel and Mark Boatwright, doctoral student in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, contributed the data produced in the Microbeam Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory. Spectroscopy performed through microscope optics provides forensic evidence that enables matching individual man-made textile fibers to the factory where that fiber was manufactured.
In the Microbeam Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory in the past decade, spatial resolution has enabled analysis of paint chip layers, drugs in a human hair, marker fibers in currency, and polarized light dichroism applied to fibers reveals the deliberate stress applied in manufacturing.