Natural Hair Colour
Melanin is a special kind of protein that maintaninces the
natural colour of the hair. It also has two different types
of proteins for dark hair and fair hair. Dark hair protein
is eumelanin and fair hair protein is phaeomelanin. The
quantities of them and the ratios between decide the
colour of the hair. As the hair is bleached, the bleach
reacts with the melanin and oxidizes it. At that state
melanin is still present but it canot show its own colour.
Then as any othere colours are blocked out hair is seen
in the natural colour of keratin which is a pale yellow.
Also the bleach reacting with eumelanin more makes the
colour even lighter and sometimes in different colours
the hair shows up.
HAIR DYE COULD BE
USED TO TRACK DOWN
CRIMINALS
Hair is one of the most common types of physical
evidence found at a crime scene. A well-known
chemistry technique could help authorities to identify
criminals based on their artificial hair color. Hairs left
behind at a crime scene are related with DNA testing,
but it requires too much time to get the result of test
because comparison of appearance of the hair under
the microscope is a long process.
Gökçen Nilay NAKTİYOK
9-B
References:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/hair/
hair_3.html
http://www.hair-science.com/_int/_en/topic/
topic_sousrub.aspx?tc=root-hair-science%5Eportraitof-an-unknown-element%5Esuperbchemistry&cur=superb-chemistry#THE-RAW-
MATERIAL
http://www.hair-science.com/_int/_en/topic/topic_
sousrub.aspx?tc=ROOT-HAIR-SCIENCE%5EINFINITE-
TRANSFORMATIONS%5ECOLOR-FORE&cur=COLOR-
FORE
To overcome this obstacle, a new research published in
Analytical Chemistry, which explains how to track down
criminals by using hair dye. The technique uses surfaceenhanced
Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to precisely
measure how light from a laser bounces off a hair.
Vibrations within the molecules on the hair’s surface
change the energy of the reflected photons (photon
is an elementary particle, the quantum of light and all
other forms of electromagnetic radiation) and they are
caught by a detector. If the sample has a dye on it (blood,
drug etc.) the laser will reflect differently, and each dye
creates a unique pattern. By the help of this technique,
scientists are able to identify the brand of dye.
When this technique starts to be used more in the future,
DNA testing won’t be useful anymore. Authorities will be
able to use a new and quick way to get detailed data
from hairs which left behind at a crime scene. The new
clue which will be gathered from this method could be
used to track down criminals. (Shultz, 2015)
Yusuf Can KABAY
9-A
Bibliography:
Shultz, D. (2015, February 19). Hair dye could be used
to track down criminals. Retrieved February 18, 2015,
from Sciencemag: http://news.sciencemag.org/
THE CLAPPER 2014 - 2015
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