To Serve and Protect

Robin Couch and postdoc Allyson Dailey’s current research aims to determine if fire-associated volatile organic compounds detected on the outside of firefighters’ protective gear can also be
detected within their gear. Their findings will help verify if firefighters are at an increased risk of exposure to these potentially dangerous elements.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an essential role in another study underway by
Couch, Dailey, and Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program participant Ilana Levy. Together, they developed an “electronic nose” that aims to perform as well as, or better than, cadaver dogs in detecting human remains. Initial studies helped identify human-specific cadaver VOCs that will train and improve the performance of the electronic nose. Further analysis of the data continues to identify human-specific cadaver VOCs and test the electronic nose
against the performance of certified cadaver dogs.