Visualization of Fingermarks Deposits on Untreated Thermal Paper Exploiting the Near Infrared Luminescence |
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Authors: | Pietro Cappiello B.Sc. Francesco Zampa M.Sc. Maria Siciliano M.Sc. Biagio Amata B.Sc. Renato Di Palma B.Sc. Martino Modica B.Sc. Antonio Pasquale Lazzaro Ph.D. |
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Affiliation: | 1. Raggruppamento Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche, Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche (R.I.S.), Strada delle Fonderie 10, 43125 Parma, Italy;2. Università degli Studi "La Sapienza", Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy |
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Abstract: | Thermal paper is widely used as a print medium for different applications but it constitutes a tricky substrate for fingermark visualization. An earlier work (J Forensic Sci 2015; 60 :1034) reported how to visualize fingermarks on untreated thermal paper by illuminating the item with a UV-A light source. In the present paper, the potential of the near infrared (NIR) luminescence has been tested on thermal paper compared to the mentioned method. A controlled study was carried out utilizing eccrine enriched fingermarks. The promising outcomes obtained were further confirmed by performing a pseudo-operational trial. Data clearly showed that the use of the NIR filter gave better results. Finally, preliminary tests suggested a different mechanism of reaction induced by fingermarks with respect to the one behind the thermal printing. Thus, NIR luminescence represents a refinement to the suite of optical examination processes, including the potential to increase the number of marks recovered in a noncontact, nondestructive way. |
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Keywords: | forensic science thermal paper fingermarks NIR luminescence ultraviolet nondestructive method |
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