Fingerprints and Mass spectrometry

A Chemist's Paradise

Matrix-AssistedLaser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI-MSI) has become acritical tool for biometric and lifestyle analysis through fingermarks,significantly aiding police investigations. Pioneered by Sheffield HallamUniversity and the Francese group, this technique revolutionizes chemicalfingerprint analysis by providing detailed molecular information and visualisingmultiple fingermark images.

Our researchexplores the applications of MALDI-MSI using the state-of-the-art SELECT SERIESMALDI-MRT (Multi-Reflecting Time-of-Flight) mass spectrometer, which featuresexceptional mass measurement accuracy (sub-ppm) and spatial resolution (15 µm)in detecting and visualising various antipsychotics, date rape drugs, and otherforensic markers within latent fingermarks. The complexity of this state-of-the art mass spectrometerand it being the ever first installed instrument of this type in the UK,required very careful and non-trivial setting optimisation to maximise thesystem’s performance.

Podcast created using Google NotebookLMResearch paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.343998