The spectroscopic detection of drugs of abuse in fingerprints after development with powders and recovery with adhesive lifters
| Autor: | Michael J. Went, Matthew J. West |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
Drugs of abuse
Lifting N-Methyl-3 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine Analytical chemistry Spectrum Analysis Raman Analytical Chemistry symbols.namesake Cocaine Spectral subtraction Humans QD Dermatoglyphics Surgical Tape Instrumentation Spectroscopy Chemistry Fingerprint (computing) Exogenous material Atomic and Molecular Physics and Optics Substance Abuse Detection Amphetamine Iron based symbols Ketamine Adhesive Spectroscopic detection Powders Raman spectroscopy |
| Zdroj: | Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 71:1984-1988 |
| ISSN: | 1386-1425 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.saa.2008.07.024 |
| Popis: | The application of powders to fingerprints has long been established as an effective and reliable method\ud for developing latent fingerprints. Fingerprints developed in situ at a crime scene routinely undergo lifting\ud with specialist tapes and are then stored in evidence bags to allow secure transit and also to preserve the\ud chain of evidence. In a previous study we have shown that exogenous material within a fingerprint can\ud be detected using Raman spectroscopy following development with powders and lifting with adhesive\ud tapes. Other reports have detailed the use of Raman spectroscopy to the detection of drugs of abuse\ud in latent fingerprints including cyanoacrylate-fumed fingerprints. This study involves the application of\ud Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of drugs of abuse in latent fingerprints for fingerprints that had\ud been treated with powders and also subsequently lifted with adhesive tapes. Samples of seized ecstasy,\ud cocaine, ketamine and amphetamine were supplied by East Sussex Police and by the TICTAC unit at St.\ud Georges Hospital Tooting. Contaminated fingerprintswere deposited on clean glass slides. The application\ud of aluminium or iron based powders to contaminated fingerprints did not interfere with theRamanspectra\ud obtained for the contaminants. Contaminated fingerprints developed with powders and then lifted with\ud lifting tapes were also examined. The combination of these two techniques did not interfere with the\ud successful analysis. The lifting processwas repeated using hinge lifters. As the hinge lifters exhibited strong\ud Raman bands the spectroscopic analysiswas more complex and an increase in the number of exposures to\ud the detector allowed for improved clarification. Spectral subtraction was performed to remove peaks due\ud to the hinge lifters using OMNIC software. Raman spectra of developed and lifted fingerprints recorded\ud through evidence bags were obtained and it was found that the detection process was not compromised.\ud Although the application of powders did not interfere with the detection process the time taken to locate\ud the contaminant was increased due to the physical presence of more material within the fingerprint. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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