A New Visibly—Excited Fluorescent Component in Latent Fingerprint Residue Induced by Gaseous Electrical Discharge

Abstract

A technique that exposes fingerprint residue to a gaseous electrical discharge in nitrogen followed by treatment with ammonium hydrogen carbonate vapors to produce fluorescence is investigated. Particular attention is made to fluorescence observed via laser illumination at 514 nm. Insight into the nature of the fluorescent components is achieved through the use of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of fingerprint residue. Results reported indicate the fluorescence observed is from previously non-fluorescent fractions of the fingerprint residue, and TLC results point towards lipid derivatives as a possible source of the fluorescence.

The analytical determination of the uniqueness and persistence of the volatile components of human scent using optimized collection methods

“…It has been shown that fingerprint residue components can be separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) [49] and visibly-excited fluorescent components are also present that can also be separated by TLC [50]. In addition to the fluorescent components already present, another visiblyexcited fluorescent component in latent fingerprint residue can be induced by gaseous electrical discharge [51].…”