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Visualization of Fingermarks Deposits on Untreated Thermal Paper Exploiting the Near Infrared Luminescence
Author(s) -
Cappiello Pietro,
Zampa Francesco,
Siciliano Maria,
Amata Biagio,
Di Palma Renato,
Modica Martino,
Lazzaro Antonio Pasquale
Publication year - 2020
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 - 10.1111/1556-4029.14071
Subject(s) - luminescence , materials science , visualization , infrared , thermal , nanotechnology , computer science , near infrared spectroscopy , optoelectronics , optics , artificial intelligence , physics , meteorology
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.