Issue 31, 2024, Issue in Progress

Dansyl fluorophore functionalized hierarchically structured mesoporous silica nanoparticles as novel latent fingerprint development agents

Abstract

A nanostructured hybrid material based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MCM-41) functionalized with chitosan and a fluorescent dye (dansylglycine), designated MCM-41@Ch@DnsGly, was synthesized and characterized with a view to its application for the visualization of latent fingerprints. These nanoparticles were applied as latent fingerprint developers for marks on surfaces of diverse chemical composition, topography, optical characteristics, and spatially variant nature, typical of forensically challenging evidence. For quality assessment of the enhanced fingermarks, the developed images were analyzed holistically using the UK Home Office scale, forensic protocols and, in terms of their constituent features (minutiae), using forensic software. Across a substantive collection of marks deposited on chemically diverse surfaces and subject to complex environmental and temporal histories, 94% of the enhanced images presented sufficient minutiae for comparison with model dactyloscopy images. This novel nanomaterial presents enhanced performance with significant promise for superior exploitation by forensic practitioners in the acquisition and analysis of crime scene evidence.

Graphical abstract: Dansyl fluorophore functionalized hierarchically structured mesoporous silica nanoparticles as novel latent fingerprint development agents

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 Apr 2024
Accepted
04 Jul 2024
First published
17 Jul 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2024,14, 22504-22512

Dansyl fluorophore functionalized hierarchically structured mesoporous silica nanoparticles as novel latent fingerprint development agents

L. F. A. M. Oliveira, L. V. A. T. da Silva, A. F. Sonsin, M. S. Alves, C. V. Costa, J. C. S. Melo, N. Ross, P. T. Wady, T. Zinn, T. G. do Nascimento, E. J. S. Fonseca, A. M. L. de Assis, A. R. Hillman and A. S. Ribeiro, RSC Adv., 2024, 14, 22504 DOI: 10.1039/D4RA03074E

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