Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy
Latent fingermarks are an important form of crime-scene trace evidence and their usefulness may be increased by a greater understanding of the effect of chemical distribution within fingermarks on the sensitivity and robustness of fingermark detection methods. Specifically, the relative abundance an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Royal Society of Chemistry
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70217 |
| _version_ | 1848762246348406784 |
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| author | Dorakumbura, B. Boseley, R. Becker, Thomas Martin, D. Richter, A. Tobin, M. van Bronswjik, W. Vongsvivut, J. Hackett, Mark Lewis, Simon |
| author_facet | Dorakumbura, B. Boseley, R. Becker, Thomas Martin, D. Richter, A. Tobin, M. van Bronswjik, W. Vongsvivut, J. Hackett, Mark Lewis, Simon |
| author_sort | Dorakumbura, B. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Latent fingermarks are an important form of crime-scene trace evidence and their usefulness may be increased by a greater understanding of the effect of chemical distribution within fingermarks on the sensitivity and robustness of fingermark detection methods. Specifically, the relative abundance and micro-distribution of sebaceous (lipophilic) and eccrine (hydrophilic) material in fingermarks have long been debated in the field, yet direct visualisation of relative abundance and micro-distribution was rarely achieved. Such a visualisation is nonetheless essential to provide explanations for the variation in reproducibility or robustness of latent fingermark detection with existing methods, and to identify new strategies to increase detection capabilities. In this investigation, we have used SR-ATR-FTIR and confocal Raman microscopy to probe the spatial micro-distribution of the sebaceous and eccrine chemical components within latent fingermarks, deposited on non-porous surfaces. It was determined that fingermarks exhibit a complex spatial distribution, influenced by the ratio of lipophilic to aqueous components, and to a first approximation resemble a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion. Detection of a substantial lipid component in "eccrine enriched fingermarks" (wherein hands are washed to remove lipids) is noteworthy, as it provides a potential explanation for several scenarios of unexpected fingermark detection using methods previously thought unsuitable for "eccrine deposits". Furthermore, the pronounced distribution of lipids observed in natural fingermark deposits was intriguing and agrees with recent discussion in this research field that natural fingermarks contain a much higher lipid content than previously thought. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:44:31Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-70217 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:44:31Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Royal Society of Chemistry |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-702172018-12-14T00:59:12Z Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy Dorakumbura, B. Boseley, R. Becker, Thomas Martin, D. Richter, A. Tobin, M. van Bronswjik, W. Vongsvivut, J. Hackett, Mark Lewis, Simon Latent fingermarks are an important form of crime-scene trace evidence and their usefulness may be increased by a greater understanding of the effect of chemical distribution within fingermarks on the sensitivity and robustness of fingermark detection methods. Specifically, the relative abundance and micro-distribution of sebaceous (lipophilic) and eccrine (hydrophilic) material in fingermarks have long been debated in the field, yet direct visualisation of relative abundance and micro-distribution was rarely achieved. Such a visualisation is nonetheless essential to provide explanations for the variation in reproducibility or robustness of latent fingermark detection with existing methods, and to identify new strategies to increase detection capabilities. In this investigation, we have used SR-ATR-FTIR and confocal Raman microscopy to probe the spatial micro-distribution of the sebaceous and eccrine chemical components within latent fingermarks, deposited on non-porous surfaces. It was determined that fingermarks exhibit a complex spatial distribution, influenced by the ratio of lipophilic to aqueous components, and to a first approximation resemble a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion. Detection of a substantial lipid component in "eccrine enriched fingermarks" (wherein hands are washed to remove lipids) is noteworthy, as it provides a potential explanation for several scenarios of unexpected fingermark detection using methods previously thought unsuitable for "eccrine deposits". Furthermore, the pronounced distribution of lipids observed in natural fingermark deposits was intriguing and agrees with recent discussion in this research field that natural fingermarks contain a much higher lipid content than previously thought. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70217 10.1039/c7an01615h http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Royal Society of Chemistry fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Dorakumbura, B. Boseley, R. Becker, Thomas Martin, D. Richter, A. Tobin, M. van Bronswjik, W. Vongsvivut, J. Hackett, Mark Lewis, Simon Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title | Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title_full | Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title_fullStr | Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title_short | Revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| title_sort | revealing the spatial distribution of chemical species within latent fingermarks using vibrational spectroscopy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70217 |