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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the D1S80 Locus in Lab Classes
Published on: July 17, 2021
Chemical differences are observed in children's versus adults' latent fingerprints as a function of time
Kimone M Antoine1, Shirin Mortazavi, Angela D Miller
1John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA.
Abstract:
The identification of aged latent fingerprints is often difficult, especially for those of children. To understand this phenomenon, the chemical composition of children's versus adults' latent fingerprints was examined over time using Fourier transform infrared microscopy. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that children's and adults' prints were distinguishable for up to 4 weeks after deposition, based on differences in sebum composition. Specifically, adults had a higher lipid content than children, but both decreased over time, attributable to the volatility of free fatty acids. The aliphatic CH(3), aliphatic CH(2), and carbonyl ester compositions changed differently in adults versus children over time, consistent with higher cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in children's prints and wax esters and glycerides in adults' prints. Thus, fingerprint composition changes with time differently in children versus adults, making it a sensitive metric to estimate the age of an individual, especially when the age of the print is known.
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