Development of a GC‐MS Method for the Simultaneous Analysis of Latent Fingerprint Components^*

Abstract

Latent fingerprint residue is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. A full understanding of the composition of this mixture and how it changes after deposition is lacking. Three solvent systems were compared for the simultaneous extraction and derivatization with ethyl chloroformate of selected amino and fatty acids from a nonporous substrate (Mylar for subsequent analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A solvent system comprised of sodium hydroxide, ethanol, and pyridine was found to be the most effective. This method was applied to the analysis of latent fingerprint residue deposited on Mylar and preliminary data are presented. Twelve amino acids (e.g., serine, glycine, and aspartic acid) and 10 fatty acids (e.g., tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic, and octadecanoic acids) were identified. The potential application of this method to further the understanding of latent fingerprint chemistry has been demonstrated.

Variation in amino acid and lipid composition of latent fingerprints

“…For the positive identification of a compound, ion ratio matches for three characteristic ions (within ± 25% range of standard) and a relative retention time match (± 3 s.d. range of standard) were required [22].…”

“…The mean concentration of chloride was almost three times greater in those fingerprints deposited on filter paper compared to those on aluminium foil. A novel procedure which permits the simultaneous analysis of lipid and nitrogenous material, namely fatty acids, squalene and amino acids, in 'real' latent fingerprints has previously been reported [22]. The protocol aimed to allow the analysis of the natural distribution of a variety of substances in latent fingerprints.…”

Development of Laser Desorption Imaging Mass Spectrometry Methods to Investigate the Molecular Composition of Latent Fingermarks

“…Much of the prior research for the detection and identification of endogenous substances in fingermarks has been carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Despite the fact that this technique is destructive and limited to a small class of compounds (<500 Da), it allows the detection of endogenous substances, such as amino acids, fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol, as well as the detection of some exogenous substances coming from hair product, parfum residue, cosmetics, and skin lotion [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Many nondestructive MS techniques have been developped for the detection of endogenous and exogenous substances from fingermarks.…”

Fatty Acid Structure and Degradation Analysis in Fingerprint Residues

“…GC-MS was used in 1999 to identify components of fingerprint residues, including free fatty acids, triglycerides, wax ester, amino acids, glycerol, cholesterol, and squalene [17], followed by several studies combining chromatography, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopic techniques [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Gender determination [21], donor classification [21][22][23][24][25], and aging studies [26][27][28][29][30][31][32] were among the major targets of fingerprint research recently.…”