Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues

Synchrotron-infrared microscopy provides a non-destructive technique to investigate the chemical composition of latent fingermarks in-situ. The high spatial resolution and brightness of the synchrotron source also lends itself to the chemical characterisation of trace amounts of material on surfaces...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fritz, Patrick, Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm, Lepkova, Katerina, Lewis, Simon, Lim, K., Martin, D., Puskar, L.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21063
_version_ 1848750486021210112
author Fritz, Patrick
Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm
Lepkova, Katerina
Lewis, Simon
Lim, K.
Martin, D.
Puskar, L.
author_facet Fritz, Patrick
Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm
Lepkova, Katerina
Lewis, Simon
Lim, K.
Martin, D.
Puskar, L.
author_sort Fritz, Patrick
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Synchrotron-infrared microscopy provides a non-destructive technique to investigate the chemical composition of latent fingermarks in-situ. The high spatial resolution and brightness of the synchrotron source also lends itself to the chemical characterisation of trace amounts of material on surfaces. However, only the lipid fraction of fingermark deposits is targeted when transmission-reflection is used. The fingermark lipid residues appeared to be relatively homogenous in composition across the deposit for any particular donor. No significant variation in the lipid composition as a function of age or gender of the donor was observed.Investigations into fingermark degradation were carried out by collecting spectra from fingermarks at three month intervals. An overall decrease in signal intensity was observed, ascribed to evaporation of the fingermark deposit. Greatest loss of material appeared to occur during the first 3 months following deposition. However, no significant variation in lipid composition was detected over a 9-month period.The outcomes of this study indicate that latent fingermark visualisation reagents that target lipids should produce accurate and reliable renditions of fingermarks irrespective of the age or gender of the donor, albeit with reduced sensitivity as the fingermark ages.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T07:37:35Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-21063
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T07:37:35Z
publishDate 2013
publisher Elsevier
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-210632019-02-19T04:27:50Z Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues Fritz, Patrick Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm Lepkova, Katerina Lewis, Simon Lim, K. Martin, D. Puskar, L. Synchrotron-infrared microscopy provides a non-destructive technique to investigate the chemical composition of latent fingermarks in-situ. The high spatial resolution and brightness of the synchrotron source also lends itself to the chemical characterisation of trace amounts of material on surfaces. However, only the lipid fraction of fingermark deposits is targeted when transmission-reflection is used. The fingermark lipid residues appeared to be relatively homogenous in composition across the deposit for any particular donor. No significant variation in the lipid composition as a function of age or gender of the donor was observed.Investigations into fingermark degradation were carried out by collecting spectra from fingermarks at three month intervals. An overall decrease in signal intensity was observed, ascribed to evaporation of the fingermark deposit. Greatest loss of material appeared to occur during the first 3 months following deposition. However, no significant variation in lipid composition was detected over a 9-month period.The outcomes of this study indicate that latent fingermark visualisation reagents that target lipids should produce accurate and reliable renditions of fingermarks irrespective of the age or gender of the donor, albeit with reduced sensitivity as the fingermark ages. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21063 10.1016/j.microc.2012.08.005 Elsevier fulltext
spellingShingle Fritz, Patrick
Van Bronswijk, Wilhelm
Lepkova, Katerina
Lewis, Simon
Lim, K.
Martin, D.
Puskar, L.
Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title_full Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title_fullStr Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title_full_unstemmed Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title_short Infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
title_sort infrared microscopy studies of the chemical composition of latent fingermark residues
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21063