Veronika Tibljas

Veronika Tibljas

Email: c2098860@hallam.shu.ac.uk
Research Centre: BMRC
Research Group: Bioanalytical Research Group
PhD Thesis Title: Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Spectroscopic Detection of Counterfeits and Forgery
Director of Studies: Dr Robert Bradshaw
Supervisors: Prof Simona Francese, Dr Marjory Da Costa Abreu

SUMMARY

I am Veronika Tibljas, a PhD student at Sheffield Hallam University using mass spectrometry and spectroscopy to detect counterfeits.

I am a ChemBoost student ambassador, inspiring young people to study chemistry, and a student representative for the lab management group, advocating for student needs and laboratory improvements.

RESEARCH

Counterfeit and forgery detection is critical for protecting individuals, businesses, and political entities, with offenders facing up to 10 years imprisonment.

Traditionally, whisky counterfeits are identified by analyzing the liquid’s composition, requiring the bottle to be opened, thus diminishing its value. This study presents a multimodal analytical workflow with increasing destructiveness: desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI).

These methods analyze the ink/substrate composition of labels, providing a non-destructive alternative. Machine learning can enhance this approach by creating a database for counterfeit identification. This workflow also applies to inked documents, aiming to detect alterations.

Future research will focus on developing spectroscopic techniques and tandem MS analysis to identify various ink compounds.