A Pilot Study on Latent Fingerprint Development Using Cow Dung-Derived Biochar

Title

A Pilot Study on Latent Fingerprint Development Using Cow Dung-Derived Biochar

Creator

Pooja, Honnegundi Nagaraj; Bahuleyan, Arun Karthika

Description

In forensic investigations, human latent fingerprints (LFPs), due to their unique characteristics, serve as crucial tangible evidence for the identification of criminals. The widely used procedure for the development of LFPs is the powder dusting approach. Several chemical powders have already been utilised for the same. However, the production processes, expenses, and toxicity-related factors limit their utilization. To address these constraints, the present work attempted to analyse the efficacy of a biowaste-derived Biochar (BC) for the development of LFPs on various surfaces. Commonly available biowaste, Cow dung (CD), was utilized as a precursor to synthesize BC in an easy, economical, environmentally friendly, and sustainable approach. The synthesis of BC was carried out by pyrolysis at 350C for 4h in a limited oxygen environment. The physical and chemical properties of BC were indicated by the SEM, FTIR, XRD, and Raman characterisation techniques. Further, the BC was tested for the development of LFPs on the selected non-porous, porous, and frequently stolen materials using the powder dusting method. Additionally, aging studies were also carried out to determine the efficiency of the material over time to ensure its relevance in a real-time forensic scenario. CD-derived BC was found to be a promising powder for the development of LFPs on different surfaces, revealing the characteristic fingerprint patterns. Results revealed that the BC material produced good contrast fingerprints on frequently stolen materials even after nine days of deposition. This pilot study presents the first report on the utilisation of CD-derived BC in forensic applications. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2025.

Source

Waste and Biomass Valorization;

Date

01-01-2025

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media B.V.

Subject

Biochar; Cow dung; Fingerprints on stolen materials; Latent fingerprints; Porous and nonporous surfaces; Sustainable material

Coverage

Pooja H.N., Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Bahuleyan A.K., Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, 560029, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISSN: 18772641;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-025-03425-7

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024010580?origin=resultslist