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Clover Ree L, de la Hunty M, Moret S, Chadwick S. An investigation into the effect of surfactants on iron oxide powder suspension formulations for fingermark development. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 358:112019. [PMID: 38599146 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Iron oxide powder suspension (FePS) is a fingermark development technique that can be used on adhesive and non-porous surfaces, the efficacy of which is known to be influenced by the surfactant used in the formulation. Despite previous work optimising surfactants for use in FePS, there is limited understanding of the interactions between surfactants, powders and fingermark residue which aid the successful development of fingermarks. To better understand the effect of surfactant on development quality produced by FePS, this research assessed a wide range of surfactants of different ionic natures and evaluated their ability to develop fingermarks based on the quality of ridge detail, contrast and background development produced. It was found that surfactants play a critical role in the selective deposition of powder on fingermark residue, as formulations made with only water (no surfactant) produced heavy background deposition. The efficacy of each surfactant depended on the quality parameter considered, and the addition of some surfactants hindered fingermark development. Effective surfactants such as T20, KP and TX100 prevented background development and produced well contrasted developed marks. Poor contrast was produced by LN, SP80/T80 and T80 due to indiscriminate powder deposition either across the entire sample or preventing any powder to deposit on the surface, demonstrating the role surfactants play in allowing powder deposition in this technique. The effectiveness of a surfactant in PS was not directly dependent on its ionic nature, and most surfactants were more effective when diluted from stock concentrations. This research has provided a robust base for future work improving fundamental understanding of FePS, which will greatly aid the efficacy of future optimisation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumikki Clover Ree
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Mackenzie de la Hunty
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sébastien Moret
- School of Sciences, College of Sciences and Engineering, University of Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Scott Chadwick
- Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
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Filipek P, Hellwig H, Szlapa-Kula A, Filapek M. Simple Donor-π-Acceptor Compounds Exhibiting Aggregation-Induced Emission as Hidden Fingerprints Detecting Agents. Molecules 2023; 28:7597. [PMID: 38005318 PMCID: PMC10674358 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28227597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Latent fingerprints are a significant carrier of information for a court expert. To detect this type of forensic trace, what is necessary is a method that is easy to use, compact, and versatile. The research aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of luminescent substances of donor-π-acceptor systems in terms of their potential use in detecting hidden fingerprints. During the research, a group of fluorene compounds consisting of the (-CH=C(CN)(COOR)) moiety was designed and successfully synthesized. The optical, electrochemical, and aggregation-induced emission properties were studied. The aggregation-induced emission of compounds has been studied in the mixture of THF (as a good solvent) and water (as a poor solvent) with different water fractions ranging from 0% to 99%. Due to the molecular structure, substances showed different affinities to organic traces. As a result, it was noticed that all compounds showed the AIE phenomenon, while during tests on latent fingerprints, it was observed that two substances had particularly forward-looking features in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Filipek
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; (P.F.); (A.S.-K.)
| | - Hubert Hellwig
- Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis, Research Unit MolSys, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Sart Tilman, Belgium;
| | - Agata Szlapa-Kula
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; (P.F.); (A.S.-K.)
| | - Michał Filapek
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland; (P.F.); (A.S.-K.)
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Preliminary forensic assessment of the visualised fingerprints on nonporous substrates immersed in water using the green and optimised novel nanobio-based reagent. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14780. [PMID: 36042359 PMCID: PMC9427934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18929-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of forensic evidence (e.g. weapons) during forensic underwater investigations has seen an increasing trend. To date, small particle reagent (SPR) has been one of the routinely used methods for visualising fingerprints on wet, non-porous substrates. However, the long term use of SPR is detrimental to humans and environment due to the use of toxic chemicals. Although previously we have successfully developed and optimised a greener nanobio-based reagent (NBR), its suitable practical use in a more realistic scene (e.g. outdoor pond) was not evaluated. Therefore, this present research is aimed at (1) investigating the performance of NBR against the benchmark SPR in visualising fingerprints immersed in a natural outdoor pond and (2) evaluating the greenness of NBR against the analytical Eco-Scale. Results showed that the performance of the optimised NBR was mostly comparable (University of Canberra (UC) comparative scale: 0) with SPR at visualising fingerprints on three different non-porous substrates immersed in a natural outdoor pond. Observably, the NBR had higher preference towards aged fingerprints (up to 4 weeks of immersion). In addition, its greenness assessment revealed 76 points, indicating ‘excellent green analysis’. The findings gathered here further supported the practical use of the NBR in forensic investigations.
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Brini L, Bennour I, Toncelli A, Maalej R, Abdelhedi M. Eu-Doped Pyrochlore Crystal Nano-Powders as Fluorescent Solid for Fingerprint Visualization and for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15072423. [PMID: 35407757 PMCID: PMC8999860 DOI: 10.3390/ma15072423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Undoped Y2Sn2O7 and Eu3+ doped Y2Sn2O7 samples with doping concentrations 7%, 8%, 9%, and 10% are successfully synthesized by the co-precipitation method. A complete structural, morphological, and spectroscopic characterization is carried out. XRD measurements reveal that samples crystallize in the pure single pyrochlore phase and Eu3+ ions occupy sites with D3d symmetry. After mechanical grinding, the average crystallite size is less than 100 nm for all compositions. Optical characterization shows emission from the 5D0 level towards the lower lying 7F0,1,2,3,4 levels. The CIE color coordinates of all the pyrochlore phosphors are very close to those of the ideal red light. For the visualization of latent fingerprints, different surfaces are tested, including difficult ones (wood and ceramic), with excellent results. All three levels of fingerprint ridge patterns are visualized: core (Level 1), bifurcation and termination (Level 2), and sweat pores (Level 3). Moreover, our nano-powders are used to prepare a stable fluorescent ink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Brini
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Sfax University, Sfax 3018, Tunisia; (L.B.); (M.A.)
| | - Ines Bennour
- Laboratory of Dielectric and Photonic Materials, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Sfax University, Sfax 3018, Tunisia; (I.B.); (R.M.)
| | - Alessandra Toncelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nanoscienze CNR, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Sezione di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-2214-556
| | - Ramzi Maalej
- Laboratory of Dielectric and Photonic Materials, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Sfax University, Sfax 3018, Tunisia; (I.B.); (R.M.)
| | - Mohamed Abdelhedi
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Sfax University, Sfax 3018, Tunisia; (L.B.); (M.A.)
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Hughes DA, Szkuta B, van Oorschot RAH, Conlan XA. "Technical Note:" Optimisation of Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye preparation, application, and visualisation, for latent DNA detection. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 330:111096. [PMID: 34794062 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A targeted sampling approach of latent DNA, deposited when a person makes contact with a surface, can prove challenging during crime scene or evidence processing, with the sampling of latent DNA often relying on the expert judgement from crime scene officers and forensic examiners. As such, the ability to use the quick and robust screening tool Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye (DD) was explored, with a focus on the visualisation of latent DNA on non-porous substrates, namely polypropylene, acrylic, aluminium, PVC composite material, glass, and crystalline silicon. The application of DD was performed according to methods reported in literature, where 10 µL of the dye solution (20-fold dilution of DD in 75% EtOH) was applied onto a variety of non-porous substrates via a micropipette and then subsequently visualised using a portable fluorescence microscope. It was discovered that there was scope for improvement in the reported methods due to the observation of crystal formations on all test substrates upon drying of the DD, resulting in the impaired visualisation of latent DNA and fingerprint detail. Thus, changes to the EtOH water ratio of the dye solution, and changes to the mode of dye application from a micropipette to a spray application, were explored to improve the drying time of the dye and mitigate the formation of crystals. While changes to the EtOH water ratio did not improve the overall drying time, the mode of dye application enhanced visualisation, with a spray application eliminating the formation of crystals no matter the EtOH water ratio. Visualisation with a portable Dino-Lite and Zeiss Widefield fluorescence microscope were also explored, with the Zeiss Widefield fluorescence microscope proving to be useful in whole print imaging and a more efficient imaging tool in a laboratory setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Hughes
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bianca Szkuta
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist, Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roland A H van Oorschot
- Office of the Chief Forensic Scientist, Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, Macleod, Victoria, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xavier A Conlan
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
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Pacheco BS, Da Silva CC, Da Rosa BN, Mariotti KC, Nicolodi C, Poletti T, Segatto NV, Collares T, Seixas FK, Paniz O, Carreño NLV, Pereira CMP. Monofunctional curcumin analogues: evaluation of green and safe developers of latent fingerprints. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01556-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Box-Behnken design optimisation of a green novel nanobio-based reagent for rapid visualisation of latent fingerprints on wet, non-porous substrates. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 43:881-898. [PMID: 33389272 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-03052-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Optimisation of the green novel nanobio-based reagent (NBR) for rapid visualisation of groomed fingerprints on wet non-porous substrates using response surface methodology and assessment of its stability and sensitivity were attempted for forensic applications. RESULTS Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated successful attachments of NBR onto the constituents of fingerprints on the substrates. The highest average quality of visualised fingerprints was attained at the optimum condition (100 mg of CRL; 75 mg of acid-functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes; 5 h of immobilisation). The NBR produced comparable average quality of fingerprints with the commercially available small particle reagent, even after 4 weeks of storage (without any preservatives) in both chilled and sultry conditions. The NBR was sensitive enough to visualise the increasingly weaker fingerprints, particularly on glass slides. CONCLUSION The optimised novel NBR could be the relatively greener option for visualising latent fingerprints on wet, non-porous substrates for forensic applications.
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Bécue A, Eldridge H, Champod C. Interpol review of fingermarks and other body impressions 2016-2019. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2020; 2:442-480. [PMID: 33385142 PMCID: PMC7770454 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2020.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature in fingerprint and bodily impression sciences from 2016 to 2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.int/content/download/14458/file/Interpol%20 Review%20 Papers%202019. pdf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Bécue
- École des Sciences Criminelles, Faculté de Droit, des Sciences criminelles et d’Administration publique, Quartier Sorge, Building Batochime, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Dorigny, Switzerland
| | - Heidi Eldridge
- École des Sciences Criminelles, Faculté de Droit, des Sciences criminelles et d’Administration publique, Quartier Sorge, Building Batochime, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Dorigny, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Champod
- École des Sciences Criminelles, Faculté de Droit, des Sciences criminelles et d’Administration publique, Quartier Sorge, Building Batochime, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Dorigny, Switzerland
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