• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.14-20
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• 2011

It is very difficult for fire investigators to analyze the fire debris in fire scene to figure out the reason of fire. ASTM E 1618 method with Gas Chromatoghraphy-Mass Spectrometry was used to analyze the ignitable liquid residues in fire debris prepared in our laboratory. According to fire cases, sample handling procedure methods and fire debris store time, different total ion chromatograms were obtained. We wish the study will be helpful to fire investigators to figure out the reason of fire.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.231-239
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• 2021

Detection of fire accelerants from fire residues is critical to determine whether the case was arson or accidental fire. However, to develop a standardized model for determining the presence or absence of fire accelerants was not easy because of high temperature which cause disappearance or combustion of components of fire accelerants. In this study, logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machine models were trained and evaluated from a total of 728 GC-MS analysis data obtained from actual fire residues. Mean classification accuracies of the three models were 63 %, 81 %, and 84 %, respectively, and in particular, mean AU-PR values of the three models were evaluated as 0.68, 0.86, and 0.86, respectively, showing fine performances of random forest and support vector machine models.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

This paper studied analysis of deflagration rapid propagation of burning through only a few second and fire cause into the Busan indoor shooting range. We carried out combustion experiment of sound-absorbing materials extensively used, to analyze propagation path of burning in indoor shooting range. From the experimental results, general sound-absorbing materials were rapid burned simultaneously with ignition and in case of attached gunpowder residue, they were burning about tripled by comparison with general sound-absorbing materials. The incombustibility sound-absorbing materials had all gone out simultaneously with ignition, but they were burning similar to general type materials in case of attached gunpowder residues. In order to analysis of the cause of fire, we calculated kinetic energy of bounced off bullet, from result, if the bounced off bullet impacted gunpowder residues, the gunpowder residues were possible to ignite by the bullet.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.148-151
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• 2010

화재증거물 속의 인화성물질을 분석하는 기술은 현재 다양한 추출 및 농축법을 활용한다. 본 연구에서는 Tenax TA를 이용하여 화재증거물 속의 인화성물질을 농축한 후 자동열탈착 장비를 사용하여 Tenax TA관 속에 농축되어 있는 인화성물질을 자동열탈착시켜 GC로 보낸 후 MS 분석하는 기술을 소개한다. 이러한 전처리과정을 사용하여, 화재증거물속의 인화성물질(경유, 등유 등)을 분석하였는데, 물로 화재증거물을 물을 이용하여 소화하여도, 시간이 오래지난 화재증거물이라도 열탈착 장비를 이용한 분석은 경유, 등유등을 확인하는데 유용하였다.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.112-119
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• 2011

In this study, a fire cause of setting fire to one's own car to collect the insurance is analyzed. Through a close examination of causes of this car fire, it is suggested to improve current practices and institutions: (1) A collection system of fallen vehicle parts or fire debris in the fire site should be established; (2) A system of providing fire site information in detail should be established when a police station requests National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI) to examine causes of vehicle fires; (3) When a burned car is suspected of arson, a fire station and a police station should maintain a mutual cooperation system; (4) Procedures of examining the causes of vehicle arson in National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI) should be improved; and (5) Recognition of the examination of fire causes and correlation with analysis equipment should be changed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.234-239
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• 2017

Identifying the components of residues that are not completely burned at the sites of fires site can provide valuable information for tracing the causes of fires. In order to clarify the types of plastic combustion residues found at the scenes of fires, we studied the residue formed after the combustion of polyethylene (PE) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Plastic samples were burned at 200, 300, 350, 400, and $500^{\circ}C$ for 3 min using a cone calorimeter, and the changes in weight and combustion products were observed. The powder products obtained by lyophilization and pulverization of the combustion products obtained at each temperature were analyzed by a Fourier transform-near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrometer. When the PE samples were burned, the weight did not change up to $350^{\circ}C$, however a significant change in the weight could be measured above $400^{\circ}C$. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the FT-NIR spectra of the PE and ABS samples obtained at each temperature confirmed that the combustion residues at each temperature were PE and ABS, respectively. Therefore, the types of unburned plastics found at the sites of fires can be confirmed rapidly by near infrared spectroscopy.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.7-14
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• 2012

This paper is to develop analytical techniques of flammable liquids which have been used for accelerating fire in accidental fires and arsons. We tested the temperature distribution of ceiling, fire patterns on the floor, and existence of flammable liquids and a check with GC/MS about flammable liquids comparing with papers, newspapers, and clothing. Research findings are as follows. The temperature of ceiling is influenced by flame. So gasoline and thinner was observed that combustible materials would be burned by flame. The fire patten on the floor was observed that flammable liquids had specialized pattern comparing combustible materials. When combustible materials on the PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) floor was burned, they didn't react to the gas detector. But flammable liquids had opposite results. After 7 days, we identified components of fire residues with the GC/MS (Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry) about existence of flammable liquids and got components of flammable liquids. Fire investigation is a complicated processes. But we understand characteristics of materials, need detail investigations, and use the GC/MS to analyse flammable materials.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.89-96
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to check the fire origin and cause of the fire by observing the shape of the flame propagation in air-conditioner indoor unit through the fire tests. We supposed that the flame is spread from the surroundings to the top of the air-conditioner and ignited on top of the air-conditioner with n-heptane. And then repeated this experiment twice under the same conditions. After the ignition, refrigerant filled in air-conditioner and lubricating oil exploded with large explosion and flame having high temperature and pressure belched out rapidly due to bursting refrigerant pipe linked air-conditioner between 734 seconds and 559 seconds. After result of checking the combustion residue we found that almost all of that was lost except a part of the evaporator, motor and metal. The position of short-circuit traces of wiring for the air-conditioner ignited itself is similar to that of fire damage by external flame. Therefore, we verified that it is not certain to determine the ignition cause and point by only the shape of the combustion residues.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2024

Objectives: This is a case of air exposure assessment conducted after researchers complained of headaches and odor due to residual substances from fire extinguishing agents spread throughout the laboratory due to a malfunction of the fire extinguishing facility. Methods: A component analysis was conducted on the residual substances of a fire extinguishing agent spread in a laboratory using Py-GC-MS (pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry) at the research institute's own central equipment research center. As a result of the component analysis, several types of substances were detected. Among these, five types of substances subject to work environment measurement in the aromatic hydrocarbon series, which can affect headaches and odor, were selected as substances subject to exposure assessment in the air, and the measurement and analysis methods of the target substances were conducted in accordance with the KOSHA Guide for each substance. Conclusions: The measurement results showed that all 5 types of substances were not detected at locations A, B, and C. This is believed to be the result of the residual substances in the fire extinguishing agent being measured when approximately two months had elapsed after being exposed to the test bench, and the substances already exposed had volatilized and disappeared. In this survey, it is believed that the measurement process is more important than the measurement results.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

Flammable liquids residues in fire debris and pyrolysis products of flammable materials were analyzed by using Gas detecting tube, Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometers (GC/MS), and Pyrolyzer. Comparison studies between chemical components detected in debris fired with and without Flammable liquids were performed. Though Flammable liquids were not present in debris, Gas detecting tube colors were also changed. Chemical components produced from conventional combustions were different from those produced from pyrolysis. Due to the difference of the reaction conditions between combustions and pyrolysis, different chemical products were produced. Petrochemical products of PVC wood-linoleum block could produce ignitable chemicals, such as toluene, ethylbenzene, undecane, and dodecane. So, for better fire investigation more consideration of those chemicals will be porformed.