Analysis of human hair at a crime scene may be possible with a portable technique adapted by Queensland University of Technology researcher Sarina Brandes.
The technique, called Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), has the advantage of being readily available and Ms Brandes has demonstrated it could be used to analyse hair for forensic purposes.
A chemistry Masters researcher, Ms Brandes said this method was independent of analysis of DNA, which could break down quite quickly, especially at disaster scenes such as after a tsunami.
Her supervisor, Dr Serge Kokot, who has researched the forensic possibilities of human hair analysis for the past 12 years, said human hair could survive relatively harsh environments, where DNA couldn't.