Application of mist to fingermark detection: Misting with high‐boiling‐point liquid containing p‐dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde and cyanoacrylate.

In order to detect latent fingerprints that could be damaged by liquid or powder reagents, non‐destructive processes such as gaseous reagents have been developed. In this report, we propose the use of fine mist generated when hot vapor of high‐boiling‐point liquids is rapidly cooled by surrounding air for fingermark detection. Octyl acetate (OA), 2‐phenoxyethanol (2PE), and methyl decanoate (MD) were found to efficiently produce mist when heated to 230°C. By combining these liquids with p‐dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMAC) and cyanoacrylate (CN), our team demonstrated effective fluorescence staining of cyano‐treated fingermarks using DMAC/OA misting or DMAC/2PE misting, and one‐step fluorescence detection of latent fingermarks without cyanoacrylate treatment using DMAC/OA/CN misting or DMAC/MD/CN misting. Fingermark fluorescence was efficiently observed by excitation with a blue LED light (max. wavelength 470 nm) equipped with an interference filter and passing through a 520 nm long‐pass filter. We successfully obtained fluorescent images from fingermarks on several substrate materials using the developed misting method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]