An alternative carrier solvent for fingermark enhancement reagents

Izabela Olszowska; Paul Deacon; Maurice Lindsay; Adam Leśniewski; Joanna Niedziółka-Jönsson; Kevin Farrugia

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.12.012

An alternative carrier solvent for fingermark enhancement reagents

Forensic Sci Int. 2018 Mar:284:53-64. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.12.012. Epub 2017 Dec 11.

Authors

Izabela Olszowska¹, Paul Deacon², Maurice Lindsay³, Adam Leśniewski¹, Joanna Niedziółka-Jönsson¹, Kevin Farrugia⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland.
² c/o School of Science, Engineering & Technology, Division of Science, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG, UK.
³ School of Science, Engineering & Technology, Division of Science, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG, UK.
⁴ School of Science, Engineering & Technology, Division of Science, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG, UK. Electronic address: kevin.farrugia@abertay.ac.uk.

PMID: 29334623
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.12.012

Abstract

Solstice^® Performance Fluid (PF), trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, is presented as an alternative to HFE7100, methoxy-nonafluorobutane, as a carrier solvent in a number of chemical formulations used for the visualisation of latent fingermarks. The supply of HFE7100 may be at risk due to a recent European Union regulation to control global warming. Laboratory trials using split depletions and a pseudo-operational trial of 1000 porous samples have shown that Solstice^® PF is a viable alternative to HFE7100 for the chemical formulations of ninhydrin and 1,2-indanedione. Other preliminary trials have also indicated that Solstice^® PF can be used as a carrier solvent for the zinc toning of marks found using ninhydrin as well as the α-naphtholflavone fixative solution for iodine developed marks. Results from the pseudo-operational trial demonstrate that the number of marks detected by ninhydrin and 1,2-indanedione formulations for each carrier solvent is comparable. When compared to HFE7100, advantages of Solstice^® PF include a very low global warming potential and atmospheric lifetime in addition to a higher wetting index and lower costs. This study also provides a validation study that supports the potential replacement of DFO with 1,2-indanedione.

Keywords: 1,2-indanedione; DFO; HFE7100; Ninhydrin; Pseudo-operational trial; Solstice(®) PF.