This procedure is particularly useful for screening fire debris samples to determine relative ignitable liquid concentrations and possible ignitable liquid class prior to extraction with other techniques.

This practice is useful when volatile oxygenated products such as alcohols or lacquer thinners are suspected.

This practice is the least sensitive of the sample preparation techniques and may not detect quantities of less than 10 μL of an ignitable liquid.

Because this separation takes place in a closed container, the sample remains in approximately the same condition in which it was submitted. Repeat and interlaboratory analyses are therefore possible.

Due to variables in the debris sample condition prior to headspace sampling, complete reproducibility of chromatograms may be difficult to obtain.

To obtain greater reproducibility, use one of the separation procedures which results in a solution of the ignitable liquid residue (see Practices E1386, E1412, and E1413).

To obtain greater sensitivity for petroleum distillates and oxygenated products, use solid phase microextraction. (See Practice E2154.)

High concentrations of highly volatile compounds may swamp the headspace, inhibiting the recovery of less volatile components.