The Characterization of Explosive Residue within Forensically Processed Fingerprints using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Detection of exogenous material within latent fingerprints offers two vital pieces of information: 1. what substances have been handled and 2. the identity of the person who handled them. Utilizing attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, individual particles within a fingerprint may be chemically characterized without altering the ridge flow of the fingerprint. Chemical characterization of the trace explosive material contained within the fingerprint can be accomplished even after typical powder processing and cyanoacrylate fuming techniques. By limiting the variability observed with various testing techniques utilizing fingerprint material, this research sought to statistically analyze the effect of forensic processing techniques on the detection of trace explosive material. It was determined that the addition of sebaceous material and processing agents affected the magnitude of the peak absorbencies, but did not affect the detection of the explosive material contained within a processed fingerprint.

Author

• Flanagan, Julie Dawn

Language

• en

Keyword

• Trace Evidence
• Explosives
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy
• Fingerprint Processing

Date created

• 2011

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Forensic Sciences

Degree

• M.F.S.

Advisor

• Robinson, Edward

Committee Member(s)

• Lappas, Nicholas T

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/m900nt49x