Chemical Analysis of Fingerprints
Fingerprints contain a great deal of chemical information that is not often exploited for forensic analysis. DART can detect and identify the chemical components of fingerprints, often providing information about what substances a subject has been handling.
An example is shown here for DART analysis of a single fingerprint made on a glass vial after touching an aspirin/oxycodone tablet. The aspirin and oxycodone are readily detected, along with minoxidil (hair-loss treatment), fatty acids, urea, lactic acid, squalene, cholestadiene, ansd the common plasticizer BEHP bis(ethylhexylpthalate). The amino acids A, F, G, I/L, S, P, T, and V are also detected with relative abundances between 0.5% and 18%. Other lipids can be detected at higher masses (not shown). Oxycodone is readily separated at the AccuTOF's high resolving power from an unassigned interference at m/z 316.