ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 7

The Use of 1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one (DFO) for the Fluorescent Detection of Latent Fingerprints on Paper. A Preliminary Evaluation
Pounds, AC
Central Research and Support Establishment, Home Office Forensic Science Service,

Grigg, R
Professor and post-doctoral research fellow, The Queens University,

Mongkolaussavaratana, T
Professor and post-doctoral research fellow, The Queens University,

(Received 23 February 1989; accepted 31 March 1989)

Abstract

The use of a new amino acid reagent 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one (DFO), which produces a highly fluorescent species with latent fingerprints on paper, is described. Spectral characteristics of the fluorescent fingerprint show excitation (λ^ex approximately 470 nm) and emission (λ^ex approximately 570 nm) maxima in the visible part of the spectrum. Some printing inks fluoresce under these conditions and would therefore hinder fingerprint detection, but optical brighteners present in paper do not interfere. Fluorescent fingerprints visualized by DFO revealed more fingerprint detail than ninhydrin, the standard method for such surfaces.

Keywords:
questioned documents, 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one (DFO), fingerprints, papers

Paper ID: JFS12813J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12813J
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