ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 14 September 2005
Page Count: 5

Genipin, a Novel Fingerprint Reagent With Colorimetric and Fluorogenic Activity, Part II: Optimization, Scope and Limitations
Chaikovsky, A
Israel Police, National H.Q.,

Levinton-Shamuilov, G
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,

Almog, J
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,

Azoury, M
Israel Police, National H.Q.,

Cohen, Y
Israel Police, National H.Q.,

(Received 6 February 2005; accepted 13 June 2005)

Abstract

Genipin, a hydrolytic product of geniposide extracted from gardenia fruit, was thoroughly studied as a potential fingerprint reagent, and optimal conditions for fingerprint development have been determined. Latent fingerprints on paper items that have been treated with a non-ink running formulation containing 0.17% of the reagent, showed up as both colored and fluorescent images. On brown wrapping paper and on papers with highly luminescent backgrounds, genipin developed more visible and clearer prints than did classical reagents such as ninhydrin or DFO. Another potential advantage of genipin is that it is totally harmless and an environmentally friendly reagent.

Keywords:
forensic science, fingerprint reagent, genipin, amino acid reagent, ninhydrin, DFO, 1,2-indanedione, fluorogenic, colorimetric

Paper ID: JFS2005055
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2005055
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