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Effect of Aging and Surface Interactions on the Diffusion of Endogenous Compounds in Latent Fingerprints Studied by Mass Spectrometry Imaging ,
Author(s) -
O'Neill Kelly C.,
Lee Young Jin
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.13591
Subject(s) - diffusion , chemistry , mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry imaging , fingerprint (computing) , endogeny , desorption , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , organic chemistry , biochemistry , thermodynamics , artificial intelligence , physics , adsorption , computer science
The ability to determine the age of fingerprints would be immeasurably beneficial in criminal investigations. We explore the possibility of determining the age of fingerprints by analyzing various compounds as they diffuse from the ridges to the valleys of fingerprints using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging. The diffusion of two classes of endogenous fingerprint compounds, fatty acids and triacylglycerols ( TG s), was studied in fresh and aged fingerprints on four surfaces. We expected higher molecular weight TG s would diffuse slower than fatty acids and allow us to determine the age of older fingerprints. However, we found interactions between endogenous compounds and the surface have a much stronger impact on diffusion than molecular weight. For example, diffusion of TG s is faster on hydrophilic plain glass or partially hydrophilic stainless steel surfaces, than on a hydrophobic Rain‐x treated surface. This result further complicates utilizing a diffusion model to age fingerprints.