Small particle reagents: development of fluorescent variants

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Small particle reagent (SPR) is crucial for developing latent fingerprints on various surfaces.
• Molybdenum disulfide has been the conventional material for SPR, with some alternatives explored.
• Fluorescent SPRs offer potential advantages in visualization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel fluorescent small particle reagents (SPR) based on zinc carbonate.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these new SPRs for latent fingerprint development.
• To assess the reproducibility, shelf life, and optimal application parameters of the developed reagents.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of several SPR formulations combining zinc carbonate with different fluorescent dyes.
• Application of SPRs to develop latent fingerprints on non-porous surfaces.
• Evaluation of fingerprint quality, reproducibility, and shelf life.
• Investigation of the effect of substrate immersion time on reagent performance.

Main Results:

• Successful development of multiple zinc carbonate-based fluorescent SPRs.
• High-quality and reproducible latent fingerprints were obtained on non-porous surfaces.
• The developed SPRs demonstrated acceptable shelf life for practical forensic applications.
• The relationship between immersion period and reagent effectiveness was examined.

Conclusions:

• Zinc carbonate-based fluorescent SPRs are effective for latent fingerprint development.
• These novel reagents offer a viable alternative to conventional methods.
• The findings support the use of these SPRs in forensic casework for enhanced fingerprint visualization.