Research into prints analysis will aid crime fight

The technique, under development by academics at the Biomedical Research Centre, allows investigators to identify key details about suspects such their medications and the time at which they accidentally left the fingerprints.

It is hoped that the technique will complement current detection techniques and assist the police in criminal investigations.

Researcher Simona Francese said: "Based on the results produced so far and the research currently undertaken, we can say this technology can help gain much more information from a fingermark than is currently available.

"Using it, we could link the suspect to criminal activity and potentially even gain details of their lifestyle by detecting the use of drugs, medication and even diet."

She added: "This is valuable information to a criminal investigation, particularly if the suspect's print is not on the criminal database."

A fingerprint is made up of material from the surface of the skin and from gland secretions, which can be detected and analysed.

Conventionally, fingerprints found at the scene of a crime are lifted, often using a powder, and are compared with prints on a police database to identify a suspect.

For the study, academics from Sheffield Hallam University used matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionisation mass spectrometry imaging which is normally used to map different molecules within tissues.

This was the first time that the technology was used on fingerprints.

Rosalind Wolstenholme, who co-authored the academics' report, said: "Not only does the technique allow a greater range of information to be obtained from a fingermark, it also does not affect the fingermark so it can still be analysed by classic forensic approaches afterwards.

"We hope to further develop this technique and integrate it with another portable spectroscopic technique, Raman spectroscopy, making this technological approach complementary to current forensic technology."