Posted on 08/03/2007 11:03:38 AM PDT by blam
Fingerprints can reveal race and sex
By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 7:37am BST 03/08/2007
A new fingerprinting technique that can identify the race and sex, and possibly the diet of suspects has been developed.
Scientists have shown that using a gelatine-based gel and high-tech chemical analysis can provide significant clues to a person’s identity even if police do not hold existing fingerprint records.
The new method can pick up tiny traces of substances such as gunpowder, drugs, or biological or chemical weapons. Preliminary tests, highlighted in this month’s edition of the journal Analytical Chemistry, also suggest it could be used to provide crucial court evidence by pinpointing the precise time - accurate to the nearest hour - that prints were left at crime scenes.
Prof Sergei Kazarian, from Imperial College London’s Department of Chemical Engineering, who led the team that developed the technique, said: “Our trials show that this technique could play a significant role in the fight against crime.
“The combined operational advantages and benefits for forensic scientists of tape lifting prints and spectroscopic imaging really maximises the amount of information one can obtain from fingerprints.
“By focussing on what is left in a fingerprint after periods of time, scientists could potentially gauge how old a crime scene is.
“Studying what happens to prints, when they are exposed to high temperatures, could also be particularly significant, especially in arson cases where lifting prints has been notoriously hard.”
Chemical residues containing a few millionths of a gram of fluid can be found on all fingerprints, however they are often distorted or destroyed by conventional techniques.
Prof Kazarian found that using commercial gelatine based tape, already used by police to collect footprint, can provide a simple method for collection and transportation of prints.
He analysed prints left by volunteers under spectroscopic microscope – providing a detailed picture of its chemical make-up.
Particular chemical compositions were found to provide specific clues to the identity of the volunteer who left the fingerprint.
Strong traces of urea, a chemical found in urine, suggested a man left the print.
Lower levels of the chemical made it more likely to be from a women.
Specific amino acids indicated whether the “suspect” was a vegetarian or meat-eater, and different fatty acid profiles suggested provided clues to their racial origins.
Prof Kazarian added: “In the courtroom of the near future, chemical images could feature as key evidence.
"I hope our work assists law enforcement authorities to bring dangerous criminals to justice.”
Forensics experts both from the Home Office and the US government are known to be studying the results of the initial tests with interest.
DNA testing has opened up a whole new door.
In other news: all episodes of CSI are now only ten minutes long.
Uh, ick!
Interesting.
A man who doesn't wash his hands.............
The article is referring not to the ridge pattern of the print, but to all the chemical gunk attached to the oils being transferred. These are 2 different forms of information. The pattern can identify the person directly, while the chemical gunk contributes additional information that is less spoecific. However, the gunk can be identified even if ridge patterns are illegible.
Now let me theorize how this REALLY goes down in a court of “law” in this country:
Police use these techniques to lift partial prints at the scene of a grisly murder. Using clues found on the prints, the police track down a suspect and obtain a search warrant. Upon entering his house, they find a room filled with evidence that connects him to a hundred murders.
Fast forward to the trial. John Edwards representing the defendant...
The defense calls in witnesses to show that the new techniques are not 100% reliable. In fact, several of the clues left on the fingerprint only have a 60% accuracy rate. That’s good, but not good enough to allow the print evidence to be entered into the record. Furthermore, since the print evidence is faulty, the defense makes a motion that the search warrant was not issued with appropriate cause, thus causing the remainder of the evidence found at the suspect’s house to be thrown out.
Case closed.
Hah - ok, that’s a ridiculous worse case scenario, but stranger things have been known to happen.
By the way how is your garden doing..... last I heard you were needing rain?
Law enforcement’s early Christmas gift.
You can find other clues elsewhere on the body...
Happy Weekend!
I swear - it wasn't me!!!
Did well. The only thing left are the jalapeno and bell peppers. BTW, do you want some jalapeno peppers...
lol... thanks but right now I am dealing with more than I can of cucumbers and zucchini, green beans, and my corn should be ready in a few days.... am finally getting more than enough of tomatoes... I am happy to hear you got rain...
Post 4 and post 6 are too close for comfort, feeling nauseous now.
It's too late. Like a baby duck (and as the lying media know) I've been imprinted with my first impression.
I may never shake hands again, LOL.
Yeah, every time Bender and I have sex... 
I have to wash really good to get all his fingerprints off me.
What... 
can I say?
Stand clear, R2... 
I am about to hurl!
Urea is also a commonly manufactured chemical used to make plastics, detergents, and health care products. It also makes great fertilizer.
ping
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