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Detection and Identification of Explosive Particles in Fingerprints Using Attenuated Total Reflection‐Fourier Transform Infrared Spectromicroscopy
Author(s) -
Mou Yongyan,
Rabalais J. Wayne
Publication year - 2009
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/j.1556-4029.2009.01060.x
Subject(s) - explosive material , attenuated total reflection , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , fourier transform , infrared , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , infrared spectroscopy , materials science , chromatography , optics , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The application of attenuated total reflection (ATR)‐Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy for detection of explosive particles in fingerprints is described. The combined functions of ATR‐FTIR spectromicroscopy are visual searching of particles in fingerprints and measuring the FTIR spectra of the particles. These functions make it possible to directly identify whether a suspect has handled explosives from the fingerprints alone. Particles in explosive contaminated fingerprints are either ingredients of the explosives, finger residues, or other foreign materials. These cannot normally be discriminated by their morphology alone. ATR‐FTIR spectra can provide both particle morphology and composition. Fingerprints analyzed by ATR‐FTIR can be used for further analysis and identification because of its non‐destructive character. Fingerprints contaminated with three different types of explosives, or potential explosives, have been analyzed herein. An infrared spectral library was searched in order to identify the explosive residues. The acquired spectra are compared to those of finger residue alone, in order to differentiate such residue from explosive residue.