Enhancement of latent fingerprints on fabric using the cyanoacrylate fuming method followed by infrared spectral mapping

Sonnex, E., Almond, M. J. and Bond, J. W. (2016) Enhancement of latent fingerprints on fabric using the cyanoacrylate fuming method followed by infrared spectral mapping. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 61 (4). pp. 1100-1106. ISSN 0022-1198 doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.13065

Abstract/Summary

A method has been developed for the visualization of latent fingerprints on fabrics, which is based upon cyanoacrylate (superglue) fuming followed by imaging using an infrared microscope. Results show that imaging on smooth, shiny fabrics such as polyester, silk, nylon and acetate of different colors and patterns can give an improvement over existing enhancement methods. Results for cotton and polycotton were less successful and it is thought this may be due a combination of the presence of the carbonyl functional group in these fabrics as well as their absorbency to fingerprint sweat. The carbonyl peak (1700 cm-1) provided the optimum spectroscopic feature to map and image a fingerprint. Comparisons between infrared mapping at a specific frequency range and principal component analysis showed that improved imaging was obtained with principal component analysis.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/66613
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/1556-4029.13065
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Chemistry Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) > Optical Spectroscopy (CAF)
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
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