2016 Volume 21 Issue 1 Pages 25-33
The influences of typical methods for visualization and sampling of fingerprints on drug detection in latent fingerprints were examined and the feasibility of drug detection in a practical crime scene was evaluated. After fexofenadine, chlorpheniramine, and acetaminophen were spotted on drug-free latent fingerprints formed on various materials such as stainless steel, plastic, and glass, the drugs were extracted from the fingerprints using various methods. In all the drugs, the extraction by pipetting on a latent fingerprint (direct extraction method) yielded higher recovery rates than the extraction by pipetting on an adhesive tape with a latent fingerprint (transfer and extraction method). There were little influences of powder for fingerprint visualization for the recovery of drugs in the direct extraction method. Some of the combination between drugs and materials with fingerprints reduced the recovery rates in the transfer and extraction method. The drug analysis in latent fingerprints on paper was not practical in terms of the handling of drug extraction and the recovery of drugs. Based on a supposition of a practical crime scene, latent fingerprints after drug administration were taken using typical methods for visualization and sampling of fingerprints. Some drugs were detected from latent fingerprints even in case of drug administration at their single doses and even after the fingerprints and the adhesive tapes were stored for one week. Moreover, the detection of nicotine and its metabolite, cotinine, in latent fingerprints was effective to judge whether the person with the fingerprint was a smoker or not. Drug detection in latent fingerprints would be useful to elucidate the relationship between a specific person and drugs in criminal investigation.
