title: New Horizons for Ninhydrin: Colorimetric Determination of Gender from Fingerprints.
abstract: In the past century, forensic investigators have universally accepted fingerprinting as a reliable identification method via pictorial comparison. One of the most traditional detection methods uses ninhydrin, a chemical that reacts with amino acids in the fingerprint content to produce the blue-purple color known as Ruhemann's purple. It has recently been demonstrated that the amino acid content in fingerprints can be used to differentiate between male and female fingerprints. Here, we present a modified approach to the traditional ninhydrin method. This new approach for using ninhydrin is combined with an optimized extraction protocol and the concept of determining gender from fingerprints. In doing so, we are able to focus on the biochemical material rather than exclusively the physical image.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Anh Minh
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halámková
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Agudelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York , 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halámek
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003124:Colorimetry; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009555:Ninhydrin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D009555:Ninhydrin