Abstract
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was applied to detect traces of amphetamine on fingerprints. In the present study, three different lift tapes and latent powder fingerprints were tested. The obtained results show that it is possible to identify traces of a drug as well as its distribution over the tested fingerprint after its transfer from the primary base onto an adhesive lifter (secondary base). Moreover, images obtained by the TOF-SIMS technique enable the observation of very small areas of the analysed fingerprint as well as the identification of micro-objects (residues of a contaminant) that were left on the fingerprint. The use of the black latent fingerprint powder did not interfere with the TOF-SIMS analysis, which makes it possible to effectively use this technique to study the traces of substances on the revealed fingerprints.
Highlights
IntroductionPapillary ridges are structures in the skin that are part of human fingers, palms, and feet
We demonstrated time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) as a potential tool in forensic research, especially in chemical investigations of fingerprints and the detection of traces of substances that do not exist in natural excretion, derived from crime scenes, for example metal-containing compounds, gunpowder residues, or arsenic [16,21,31]
The results demonstrated that TOF-SIMS can be helpful in obtaining fragments of the exogenous substances, which can be present on the suspect’s fingers
Summary
Papillary ridges are structures in the skin that are part of human fingers, palms, and feet. They are formed by the third to fourth month of embryogenesis and possess individual characteristics, which do not naturally change throughout one’s life. An impression left by the friction ridges of the human finger is known as a fingerprint, which may be transferred from the finger to other items in the form of a latent or patent print. The imprinted patterns can be related to the fingers, palms, and feet of an individual. Fingerprint identification or hand print identification, known as dactyloscopy, is a very important field of forensic science, as it is proof of contact [1,2,3]
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