Study of the cyanoacrylate fuming mechanism by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract

Despite cyanoacrylate fuming being widely used in the forensic science field, its mechanism is not well understood. In this study, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is used to study latent fingerprints that have been cyanoacrylate fumed in an attempt to gain insight into the fuming mechanism. In the negative mode mass spectrometry data, four compounds related to the polymerization of cyanoacrylate are identified and their structures are determined from accurate mass and MS/MS. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of these compounds that are regarded as intermediates in the polymerization reaction. In addition, based on the fuming of standard endogenous compounds, we suggest that fatty acids and amino acids are the major catalytic nucleophiles that initiate the polymerization reactions.

Expanding the Efficacy of Fingermark Enhancement Using ToF-SIMS

“…Some m/z values (e.g., 177, 224 and 235, assigned to C9H9O2N2, C11H14O4N, and For the ambient aged samples, CA was used as an enhancement process prior to SIMS imaging. Some m/z values (e.g., 177, 224 and 235, assigned to C 9 H 9 O 2 N 2 , C 11 H 14 O 4 N, and C 11 H 11 O 4 N 2 , respectively), used to make up several of the negative ion images treated with CA, can be attributed to fragments associated with cyanoacrylate [23]. In some images, the peaks at m/z 39 (assigned to 39 K), m/z 23 (assigned to 23 Na), and m/z 35 (assigned to 35 Cl), presumed to derive from the salts commonly found in eccrine secretions [2], contribute to the ion image and may have been preserved from washing by the sebaceous components of fingerprint residue or the cyanoacrylate.…”

“…Molecules 2023, 28, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 12 C11H11O4N2, respectively), used to make up several of the negative ion images treated with CA, can be attributed to fragments associated with cyanoacrylate [23]. In some images, the peaks at m/z 39 (assigned to 39 K), m/z 23 (assigned to 23 Na), and m/z 35 (assigned to 35 Cl), presumed to derive from the salts commonly found in eccrine secretions [2], contribute to the ion image and may have been preserved from washing by the sebaceous components of fingerprint residue or the cyanoacrylate. m/z 369 contributed to several ion images for female donors and is presumed to be cholesterol [12].…”