New Method of Detecting Fingerprints

For those of you who enjoy a good police procedural, you know that there are many details to research to provide a realistic novel for readers of this sub-genre. I was interested to learn, for instance, that there is a new method of detecting fingerprints that is currently being tested.

French scientists have developed a new technique--a one-step process--that is considered a major breakthrough in forensic science. They have created a new substance called "Lumicyano" that makes it possible to highlight fingerprints more rapidly and at a lower cost. After exposure to this substance, the impression of a fingerprint appears fluorescent when scanned using a UV lamp. The resulting image is of much better quality than a comparable image produced under the current two-step process, which has its roots in the 19th century.

There are some limitations to the use of Lumicyano: it needs to be refrigerated and has a relatively short shelf-life. But preliminary tests are promising for its eventual use among police agencies.

If you'd like to read more about this new method, please see the following articles which have been used as a basis for information contained in this post:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/...

http://www.neurope.eu/article/new-met...

http://www.iowaiai.org/documents/Lumi...

http://www.scienceandjusticejournal.c...

And stay tuned for future posts on advances in crime detection methods.