Recent technological developments in MALDI-MSI based hair analysis

Hair is a common piece of trace evidence found at a crime scene, however, often it is not possible to obtain DNA (due to the lack of a follicular root). These hair samples could potentially provide other intelligence, based on the molecular history of an individual that it contains. Currently, this type of analysis is performed using traditional hyphenated techniques gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). However, these techniques require a large amount of hair, not a few single strands such as those typically found at a crime scene and also involve extensive sample preparation. Recently new technologies such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) have been used to monitor the distribution of drugs of abuse in single hair strands. Using this technology it is possible to reveal the distribution of compounds in the hair more accurately and in single strands as opposed to milligram quantities required by traditional hyphenated methods. The use of MALDI-MSI could provide law enforcement agencies with lifestyle information on an individual and help to narrow down the pool of suspects