A research team in Poland has developed a new forensic method that allows more information to be obtained from a single sample by taking an interdisciplinary approach.
Research lead Aneta Lewkowicz from the University of Gdansk says the new method combines fingerprint analysis with DNA analysis as well as analysis of biomolecules present in sweat and sebum. This allows a single procedure to obtain more information from a single trace.
“Combining these two approaches into a single coherent protocol can significantly increase the evidential value of the material obtained. It can also streamline the work of the investigating authorities and those working directly with the traces,” said Lewkowicz.
Currently, two basic identification methods dominate forensic analysis: fingerprint analysis and genetic material testing. However, these procedures have their limitations—they often allow only one type of trace to be assessed and can be partially destructive.
“The use of fingerprint powders applied with special brushes can lead to the transfer of genetic material from one trace to another,” said Lewkowicz. “The use of a solution to visualize prints greatly reduces this risk.”
The development of the new method is the result of an interdisciplinary approach combining biology (genetic material), physics (spectroscopic characteristics of the dyes used in the analysis) and chemistry (the reaction environment and interactions occurring in the solution).
“Only by combining these perspectives is it possible to create a complete, methodologically and interpretatively consistent protocol for handling research material, said Lewkowicz.
The new method also offers additional possibilities for analyzing biological material. In addition to identifying the person who left the trace, in the case of material from a deceased person, it can provide information about, among other things, the time of death. The solution developed by the team does not destroy genetic material or other biomolecules, which increases the effectiveness and reliability of the analyses.
“We are striving to combine all elements of the procedure in such a way that, despite the difficult conditions at the scene, it is possible to obtain reliable and repeatable results,” said Lewkowicz.
Although the work is basic research, scientists are already thinking about its practical application. They say the method can be used routinely in forensic laboratories, both in Poland and in a broader international context.
A paper on the study has been published in Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy.
Data courtesy of University of Gdansk