Gold Nanoparticles and Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Double Imaging of Latent Fingerprints

摘要

Latent fingerprint (LFP) detection is a top-priority tasknin forensic science. It is a simple and effective means fornthe identification of individuals. Development of nanomaterialsnwhich maximize the surface interaction withnendogenous substances on the ridges to enhance thencontrast of the fingerprints is an important application ofnnanotechnology in LFP detection. However, most developmentsnin this area have mainly focused on the visualizationnof the physical pattern of the fingerprints and failednto explore the molecular information embedded in LFPs.nHere, we have integrated certain distinctive properties ofngold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with imaging mass spectrometrynfor both the visualization and molecular imaging ofnLFPs. Two contrasting colors (blue and pink), arising fromndifferent surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of thenAuNPs, reveal the optical images of LFPs. The laserndesorption/ionization property of the AuNPs allows thendirect analysis of endogenous and exogenous compoundsnembedded in LFPs and imaging their distributions withoutndisturbing the fingerprint patterns. The simultaneousnvisualization of LFP and the recording of its molecularnimages not only provide evidence on individual identitynbut also resolve overlapping fingerprints and detectnhazardous substances.