Forensic Evidence from Chemical Imaging of Triacylglycerols in Latent Fingerprints

• NCJ Number: 308218
• Author(s): Young-Jin Lee
• Date Published: 2023
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2019-DU-BX-0134
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Grant Sponsored)

Annotation

In this paper, the authors test their hypothesis that fingerprint triacylglycerols (TGs) can be used to determine fingerprint aging as well as individual health information.

Abstract

The authors of this study hypothesize that fingerprint triacylglycerols (TGs) can be used to determine fingerprint aging as well as individual health information. Currently, there is no reliable method to determine the time since deposition of latent fingerprints, which is a crucial bottleneck to convict a suspect based on fingerprint evidence. The goal of this project is to test the authors’ hypothesis by systematically studying fingerprint aging under controlled environment and finding correlation between fingerprint TGs and individual health information. Fingerprints have been used for over one hundred years and are still one of the most powerful means of biometric identifications. In spite of the wide use and success, there are a number of cases in which it cannot produce fruitful outcomes. Among those, the determination of how long a fingerprint is left at a crime scene is often controversial and is subject to heavy scrutiny as court evidence. It would be desirable to obtain extra information from the latent fingerprints, especially the time-since-deposition, that can be used as forensic evidence in addition to a fingerprint database search for identification. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is an analytical technique that can analyze the chemical composition of fingerprints directly from the surface. In this project, the authors attempt to obtain forensic evidence from fingerprint triacylglycerols (TGs), a major component of fingerprint compounds, using MALDI-MS.