The study found that relevant fingerprint compounds were easily distinguished from carbon cluster peaks when using HRMS. For fair comparison, half of a fingerprint was dusted with CFP while the other half was dusted with traditional organic matrices. All compounds studied had comparable, or higher, signal to noise (S/N) ratios when CFP was used as the matrix. Additionally, chemical image qualities closely followed the trend of S/N ratios. CFP proved to be an effective one-step development and matrix application technique for MALDI MSI of latent fingerprints, when carbon cluster peaks are well separated by a HRMS. (publisher abstract modified)
Carbon-Based Fingerprint Powder as a One-Step Development and Matrix Application for High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Latent Fingerprints
NCJ Number
254297
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 64 Issue: 4 Dated: 2019 Pages: 1048-1056
Date Published
2019
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Since researchers have refrained from using carbon based fingerprint powder (CFP ) as a matrix due to high background and contamination, the current study reassessed the compatibility of CFP with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS ) and its imaging (MALDI MSI ), using a high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) and compared to traditional organic matrices.
Abstract
Date Published: January 1, 2019