Improvement in Latent Fingerprint Detection on Thermal Paper Using a One‐Step Ninhydrin Treatment with Polyvinylpyrrolidones (PVP)

Abstract: Most thermosensitive surfaces of thermal paper turn black when they come into contact with polar organic solvents such as are used in ninhydrin petroleum benzin solution. This dark staining reduces the contrast between the developed fingerprint and the background to such an extent that the identification process becomes very difficult. Integrating polyvinylpyrrolidones (PVP) into a ninhydrin solution prevents the black staining, and the developed fingerprints appear in clear contrast to the background. The new ninhydrin solution containing PVP is successful compared to the two‐step ninhydrin–acetone washing method for thermal paper which is popular in Germany.     

Improved method for DFO development of latent fingerprints

A new formulation has been developed for DFO stock solution. The working DFO solution, based on the new stock solution, appears to be more stable, has a longer shelf life, and has little effect on inks (and therefore does not cause inks to run). Photoluminescence spectra of latent fingerprints developed with DFO reagent have been measured and the choice of filters for excitation and emission (barrier) have been derived from these measurements. Comparisons of latent fingerprints developed with ninhydrin and DFO have been made using various papers and at various intensities. These comparisons show the much greater sensitivity of DFO developed latent fingerprints. Although enhanced ninhydrin and DFO develop latent fingerprints with similar sensitivity, the DFO process is much simpler.     

DFO／PVP试剂显现热敏纸上汗潜指纹方法研究

目的建立热敏纸上汗潜手印显现的新方法。方法根据DFO／PVP溶液能够阻碍热敏纸的显色,能够和手印遗留物质中的氨基酸发生显色反应的原理来显现手印。结果PVP浓度为5％、7．5％、10％时,荧光效果较好;DFO／PVP试剂显现热敏纸上汗潜指纹不会导致背景变黑;DFO／PVP试剂在热敏纸上的显现效果优于DFO试剂;对遗留时间为154天的ATM机上一枚凭证显出了清晰的指纹纹线。结论DFO／PVP显现法操作简单、安全可靠、显出率高、荧光强。     

A further study to investigate the detection and enhancement of latent fingerprints using visible absorption and luminescence chemical imaging

This study investigated the application of chemical imaging to the detection of latent fingerprints using the Condor macroscopic chemical imaging system (ChemImage Corp., Pittsburgh, USA). Methods were developed and optimised for the visualisation of untreated latent fingerprints and fingerprints processed with DFO, ninhydrin, cyanoacrylate, and cyanoacrylate plus rhodamine 6G stain. The results obtained with chemical imaging were compared to the detection achieved using conventional imaging techniques. The Condor significantly improved the detection of many prints, especially those that might be considered poor quality or borderline prints. Prints on newspaper treated with ninhydrin and DFO, and prints on white and yellow paper treated with ninhydrin, benefited the most from chemical imaging detection. In many cases, fingerprints undetectable using conventional imaging techniques could be visualised with chemical imaging. Ridge detail from untreated prints on yellow paper was also detected using the Condor. When prints of high quality were examined, both detection techniques produced quality results. The results of this project demonstrate that chemical imaging offers advantages over conventional visualisation techniques when examining latent fingerprints, especially those that would be considered difficult, such as weak prints or prints on surfaces that produce highly luminescent backgrounds. Standard testing procedures for the detection and enhancement of fingerprints by chemical imaging are presented and discussed.     

Dual fingerprint reagents with enhanced sensitivity: 5-methoxy- and 5-methylthioninhydrin

"Dual fingerprint reagents" are chemical formulations which produce with latent fingerprints in a single step, impressions that are both colored and fluorescent. Pre-mixed solutions of the two commercially available ninhydrin analogues, 5-methoxyninhydrin (MN) and 5-methylthioninhydrin (MTN) with zinc or cadmium salts, are true dual reagents. They are much more sensitive than the parent dual reagent, ninhydrin/ZnCl(2). The main advantage of the new formulations is that they can be used at room temperature, with no need to cool the sample to liquid nitrogen temperature. At 0.05% concentration, which is 10-fold lower than the common ninhydrin working solution, MTN/ZnCl(2) is as sensitive as DFO in the fluorescence mode and considerably more sensitive in the color mode. MTN is also slightly cheaper than DFO.     

硝酸银、茚三酮、DFO法显现纸张上指印的效果比较

目的为有效的提高纸张上汗潜手印的显现率。方法根据汗潜手印的显现原理,针对不同的纸张,分别运用硝酸银、茚三酮与DFO（1,8-二氮芴-9-酮）3种显现方法进行了实验,并对实验结果进行了分析比较。重点分析了这3种方法在显现不同纸张、不同遗留时间、不同汗液量的汗潜手印时的效果及其适用范围。结果为改善渗透性客体上的汗潜手印显现效果,提供科学的依据。     

Advanced solvent-free application of ninhydrin for detection of latent fingerprints on thermal paper and other surfaces

This work presents the first known experiments of ninhydrin sublimation in vacuum to detect latent fingerprints on thermal paper. In this method, latent fingerprints become visible in rich detail without the background black staining known from the application of ninhydrin solutions to thermal paper. The method involves hanging the thermal paper samples 15 cm above a heating source with dispersed ninhydrin crystals in a vacuum chamber. The optimized conditions for ninhydrin sublimation are 50 mg ninhydrin, 2 to 5 mbar vacuum, and 150 degrees C heating source temperature for 30 min. The application of this method is also successful on the new euro notes. Latent fingerprints can be developed across the transitions from paper to optical variable device (OVD).     

Determination of efficacy of fingermark enhancement reagents; the use of propyl chloroformate for the derivatization of fingerprint amino acids extracted from paper

The analysis of the constituents of fingerprints has been described numerous times, mainly with the purpose of determining the aging effect on fingerprints or showing the differences between donors or groups of donors. In this paper we describe the use of derivatized amino acids to determine the efficacy of the visualization reagents 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one (DFO) and ninhydrin. At present certain conditions are used for the application of these reagents, as determined by trial-and-error investigations, to the effect on fingerprints. The recovery of amino acids from a porous surface can be used as a measure for the efficacy of a visualization agent.In this paper we describe a method for the determination of the amount of amino acid left after reaction with well known fingerprint visualization reagents. This will allow a more scientific approach to method development for fingermark enhancement techniques. Furthermore, investigations on the influence of the concentration of fingermark amino acids, the order of application of and exposure time to reagents and the influence of age of the amino acids were carried out. These studies have resulted in a broader understanding of the mechanism involved in visualization of fingermarks using DFO and ninhydrin.     

Thermal development of latent fingermarks on porous surfaces—Further observations and refinements

In a further study of the thermal development of fingermarks on paper and similar surfaces, it is demonstrated that direct contact heating of the substrate using coated or ceramic surfaces at temperatures in excess of 230 °C produces results superior to those obtained using hot air. Fingermarks can also be developed in this way on other cellulose-based substrates such as wood and cotton fabric, though ridge detail is difficult to obtain in the latter case. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicates that the phenomena observed during the thermal development of fingermarks can be reproduced simply by heating untreated white copy paper or filter paper, or these papers treated with solutions of sodium chloride or alanine. There is no evidence to suggest that the observed fluorescence of fingermarks heated on paper is due to a reaction of fingermark constituents on or with the paper. Instead, we maintain that the ridge contrast observed first as fluorescence, and later as brown charring, is simply an acceleration of the thermal degradation of the paper. Thermal degradation of cellulose, a major constituent of paper and wood, is known to give rise to a fluorescent product if sufficient oxygen is available [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. However, the absence of atmospheric oxygen has only a slight effect on the thermal development of fingermarks, indicating that there is sufficient oxygen already present in paper to allow the formation of the fluorescent and charred products. In a depletion study comparing thermal development of fingermarks on paper with development using ninhydrin, the thermal technique was found to be as sensitive as ninhydrin for six out of seven donors. When thermal development was used in sequence with ninhydrin and DFO, it was found that only fingermarks that had been developed to the fluorescent stage (a few seconds of heating) could subsequently be developed with the other reagents. In the reverse sequence, no useful further development was noted for fingermarks that were treated thermally after having been developed with ninhydrin or DFO. Aged fingermarks, including marks from 1-year-old university examination papers were successfully developed using the thermal technique.     

手印显现物理显影液的研究

物理显影液是渗透性客体上富脂手印的一种有效显现方法.本文就物理显影液显现手印的原理、方法、显现手印类型、显现客体类型、操作注意事项以及影响显现效果的各种因素作了一些探讨.     

Evaluation of 1,2-indanedione and 5,6-dimethoxy-1,2-indanedione for the detection of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces

The ability of 1,2-indanedione and 5,6-dimethoxy-1,2-indanedione to detect latent prints on porous surfaces, as compared to DFO and ninhydrin, has been evaluated. Comparisons of prints developed under various conditions determined the optimum development conditions for the new reagents. The indanediones tested were found to have lower detection limits for glycine. The carrier solvent used was found to affect the quality of the prints developed. In Arklone, the new reagents developed prints that displayed superior luminescence to those developed with DFO. In HFE 7100, 1,2-indanedione and 5,6-dimethoxy-1,2-indanedione gave superior luminescence to DFO after zinc salt treatment and cooling with liquid nitrogen, both of which improve the luminescence of prints developed with 1,2-indanediones. 1,2-Indanediones could offer less expensive but effective alternatives to DFO. With further optimization, the new reagents may supersede DFO as the method of choice for the detection of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces.     

Latent Fingerprint Development on Thermal Paper Using Traditional Ninhydrin and 1,2‐indanedione

Thermal paper poses a significant challenge to latent print development as it tends to change color when traditional fingerprint development formulations are applied to it. In this study, the optimal components of ninhydrin, 1,2‐indanedione, 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO), and 5‐methylthioninhydrin (5‐MTN) for yielding clear fingerprints on thermal paper were determined by systematically adjusting the relative amounts of the reagents, polar solvents, and the nonpolar diluent petroleum ether, followed by validation on text‐printed thermal paper. Specifically, 3.0% ethyl acetate as the polar solvent in petroleum ether was found to be the optimal combination; the optimal dilution ratios of ninhydrin, DFO, and 5‐MTN original solutions with petroleum ether were 1 to 2, 11, and 7, respectively. The optimal concentration of 1,2‐indanedione in petroleum ether was 0.125 g/L, with a string of 0.5% ethyl acetate in petroleum ether.     

Genipin, a novel fingerprint reagent with colorimetric and fluorogenic activity, part II: optimization, scope and limitations

Genipin, a hydrolytic product of geniposide extracted from gardenia fruit, was thoroughly studied as a potential fingerprint reagent, and optimal conditions for fingerprint development have been determined. Latent fingerprints on paper items that have been treated with a non-ink running formulation containing 0.17% of the reagent, showed up as both colored and fluorescent images. On brown wrapping paper and on papers with highly luminescent backgrounds, genipin developed more visible and clearer prints than did classical reagents such as ninhydrin or DFO. Another potential advantage of genipin is that it is totally harmless and an environmentally friendly reagent.     

Optimization and initial evaluation of 1,2-indandione as a reagent for fingerprint detection

1,2-Indandione has been used to develop fluorescent fingerprints on porous materials such as paper. The compound reacts with amino acid residues to produce highly fluorescent fingerprint ridges. An optimized formulation and treatment protocol for using the reagent is presented here. The reagent is applied as a solution in HFE7100 containing acetic acid and ethyl acetate. Treated articles are heated at 100 degrees C for 10 min at ambient humidity and stored in the dark before recording the fingerprints using fluorescence photography or digital imaging. Photodecomposition of the fluorescent fingerprints has been observed. Storage in the dark reduces degradation, extending the lifetime of the fingerprints. Other chemical methods to stabilize the fingerprints proved unsuccessful. Comparisons of the performance of 1,2-indandione with DFO in CFC113 performed on a limited range of substrates indicated that the reagent might be an effective method for the development of latent fingerprints despite the new reagent producing less intense fluorescence.     

TFD-2纸张手印快速显现系统的应用

目的介绍一种利用特殊的红外热成像技术显现常见纸张上汗潜手印的新方法。方法利用英国Foster4-Freeman公司生产的TFD-2纸张手印快速显现系统,通过特殊的红外热成像技术,使汗潜手印呈现强烈荧光,从而显现手印。结果红外热成像方法处理后,汗潜手印在特种激发光（带宽为450nm-510nm）激发下显出较强的橙色荧光;持续处理后,汗潜手印在自然光下呈棕褐色,并在短波紫外光源（254nm）激发下也可显出清晰连贯的手印纹线;而且,新鲜和陈旧手印均有较好的显现效果。结论TFD-2纸张手印快速显现系统显现纸张上汗潜手印的方法,具有操作简单、快速安全、无需化学试剂、显现效果明显的特点,适合推广使用。     

ESDA processing and latent fingerprint development: the humidity effect

The influence of humidification in the ESDA process on subsequent development of fingerprints on paper items was studied. It was found that, while the DFO process is nearly insensitive to previous humidification, fingerprint development with ninhydrin or with indanedione can be significantly affected by previous humidification of the paper.     

京尼平与茚三酮显现手印方法的比较研究

目的对京尼平与茚三酮两种手印显现方法进行综合评价。方法用两种方法显现不同遗留客体上不同遗留时间的手印,并对显现效果、显出手印的稳定性及纸张字迹油墨扩散等现象进行考察。结果京尼平与茚三酮有着相似的的显现原理、适用范围和熏显条件,但在显现效果、显出手印稳定性、试剂成本和安全性能方面存在差异。结论京尼平相比茚三酮方法更安全、绿色环保、显出的手印稳定性更强。     

热敏纸表面上汗潜指纹的显现

茚三酮溶液显现法是显现普通纸表面汗潜指纹的常用方法。但是由于热敏纸表面涂有热敏涂料,使得上述方法在该客体表面汗潜指纹的显现中难以奏效。不过,在此方法基础上改良发展而来的1,2茚二酮法、二甲基氨基肉桂醛法、过量丙酮冲洗法、半醇酮茚显现法等4种方法能取得较好效果。     

The effect of metal salt treatment on the photoluminescence of DFO-treated fingerprints

Ninhydrin developed fingerprints can be enhanced by treatment with a zinc or cadmium salt. The resulting fingerprint luminescence has been attributed to the induced coplanarity of the bicyclic indanedione rings of Ruhemann's purple due to complexation with the metal ions. This paper explores whether this effect also occurs in the 1,8-diaza-9-fluorenone (DFO)-amino acid adduct (1), formed from the reaction of DFO with amino acids. Molecular modeling studies of (1) indicate a relatively small out-of-plane angle of 24 degrees. 1H NMR studies indicate (1) is asymmetric about the C2 axis in contrast to what has been previously reported. Little, if any, enhancement of luminescence was observed with Zn, Cd, Ru or Eu treated DFO developed latent fingerprints. This lack of enhancement was also borne out by solution luminescence studies. Given this lack of enhancement of luminescence, solutions of (1) and the four metal ions above were analyzed by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). This indicated the formation of predominantly 1:1 complexes of (1) with both Zn and Cd, and the 2:1 complex with ruthenium. No evidence of a Eu complex was found by ESMS.     

基于超低温环境下的DFO荧光手印增强技术

目的研究超低温环境下DFO荧光手印增强技术。方法采用二级复迭式机械制冷，在超低温环境下增加DFO显现手印的荧光强度。结果温度对荧光物质的荧光强度有显著影响，当温度降至-40℃以后荧光强度随激发波长的加长而加强。结论本技术方法对常用纸张上DFO显现的手印荧光效果明显。