ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 3

The Ninhydrin Process in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide
Clifford, AA
School of Chemistry, The University of Leeds, West Yorkshire

Hewlett, DF
Police Scientific Development Branch, Home Office, Hertfordshire

Winfield, PGR
Police Scientific Development Branch, Home Office, Hertfordshire

(Received 16 June 1995; accepted 11 September 1995)

Abstract

Ninhydrin is a widely used reagent for the development of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces. For the past 20 years 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC113) has been used as the solvent of choice in the UK for ninhydrin because of its non-toxicity and non-flammability. With the phasing out of CFC solvents under the terms of the Montreal Protocol on the Control of Ozone Depleting Substances, the need for a suitable replacement has arisen. Supercritical CO² has been found to be a potential replacement for CFC113 in the ninhydrin process. Furthermore, the present processes are two-stage (impregnation of reagent followed by development in an oven), whereas using supercritical CO² development of fingerprints can be carried out in one stage.

Keywords:
forensic science, ninhydrin, fingerprints, latent fingerprints, supercritical carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide

Paper ID: JFS13940J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13940J
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