The amino acid profile obtained from a fingerprint may provide valuable information on its donor. For forensic scientists, recovering evidence relating to the amino acid profile of a suspect can potentially be valuable for identification and exclusion purposes. Herein we detail the use of cross-linkable solutions of dextran-methacrylate to form hydrogels capable of collecting amino acids from surfaces followed by extraction and quantification with UPLC-MS. This method allows for the amino acid profile analysis of fingerprints while allowing for their increased visualisation at a later stage using the standard method of cyanoacrylation. We will demonstrate this method to also be capable of collecting DNA from fingerprints with a 20-60% yield in comparison to using a conventional cotton swab.
Lanthanide-based (Eu and Tb) metal organic frameworks (MOFs) synthesized in this work are highly fluorescent crystalline structures that form through a self-assembly process in an aqueous environment. Various bio-organic molecules, including proteins and amino acids, can act as inducing agents for this process. The fact that these components are present in fingermark secretions, in combination with the excellent luminescent properties of the MOFs, create a visualisation method for (latent) fingermarks. The aqueous MOF precursor solutions are not ideal for the visualisation of latent fingermarks on non-porous surfaces, such as aluminium foil and glass. However, they offer a simple, non-toxic, long-lasting and effective approach for the visibility enhancement of fingermarks treated with cyanoacrylate fuming on aluminium foil and glass and latent fingermarks on the adhesive side of a transparent tape. The luminescent properties of MOF-treated fingermarks persevered for at least 12 months, providing great alternative for commonly used organic dyes such as Basic Yellow 40 and Gentian Violet. In this communication we evaluate the applicability of the proposed method for the forensic fingermark workflow.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.