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Finding evidence in the dark: utilization of inkjet-printed amino acids

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posted on 2019-05-28, 13:11 authored by Beth McMurchie, Paul KellyPaul Kelly, Roberto S.P. King, George TorrensGeorge Torrens
© 2019, © 2019 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. Inkjet-printing amino acids has been suggested as a method to obtain pseudo latent fingermarks which are identical to each other and can therefore be used to compare different fingermark development techniques. This article outlines how this method of printing amino acids was utilized to obtain standardized fluorescent patterns that could be used to assess individual’s dark adaptation. Shapes, letters and patterns were printed in alanine using a standard inkjet printer, then developed using DFO to provide fluorescent images when viewed under green light and through a red filter. Images were also printed and developed using ninhydrin to obtain the resultant developed image in Ruhemann’s purple. The use of the fluorescent patterns to assess dark adaptation led to the confirmation that forensic examiners should dark adapt their eyes prior to looking for fluorescent evidence in the dark, as 16% more evidence was discoverable after waiting an average of 10 minutes in the dark prior to examination.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Chemistry

Published in

Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences

Volume

51

Issue

sup1

Pages

pp.S149-S153

Citation

MCMURCHIE, B. ... et al., 2019. 2019. Finding evidence in the dark: utilization of inkjet-printed amino acids. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 51 (sup1), pp.S149-S153.

Publisher

© Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. Published by Taylor & Francis

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences on 11 Feb 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/00450618.2019.1571108

Acceptance date

2019-01-13

Publication date

2019-02-11

Copyright date

2019

ISSN

1834-562X

eISSN

1834-562X

Language

  • en

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