title: Detection of anionic energetic material residues in enhanced fingermarks on porous and non-porous surfaces using ion chromatography.
abstract: The ability to link criminal activity and identity using validated analytical approaches can be of great value to forensic scientists. Herein, the factors affecting the recovery and detection of inorganic and organic energetic material residues within chemically or physically enhanced fingermarks on paper and glass substrates are presented using micro-bore anion exchange chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection. Fingermarks on both surfaces were enhanced using aluminium powder or ninhydrin after spiking with model test mixtures or through contact with black-powder substitutes. A quantitative study of the effects of environmental/method interferences, the sweat matrix, the surface and the enhancement technique on the relative anion recovery of forensically relevant species is presented. It is shown that the analytical method could detect target analytes at the nanogram level even within excesses of enhancement reagents and their reaction products when using solid phase extraction and/or microfiltration. To our knowledge, this work demonstrates for the first time that ion chromatography can detect anions in energetic materials within fingermarks on two very different surfaces, after operational enhancement techniques commonly used by forensic scientists and police have been applied.
authors.affiliation: Analytical & Environmental Science Division, Department of Forensic & Analytical Sciences, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barron
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D009555:Ninhydrin; D010209:Paper; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009555:Ninhydrin
keywords: Fingermarks; Gunshot residue; Inorganic explosives; Ion chromatography