Caught Before the Ink Dries

by blogger aaa

Researchers at the Midwest Forensic Resource Center at Iowa State University are building a library of ink mass spectras to help identify ink of question documents. The new technique used is called Direct Analysis in the Real Time (DART). This process eliminates the extraction step, which saves time for forensic scientists. The new technique does not require the sample to be cut and it produces results of richer data. Another phase of this project is to develop computer software for the library. Overall, this project will yield better results and save time which will beneficial to all,criminals excluded.

Researchers at the Midwest Forensics Resource Center at Iowa State University are building a library of ink profiles to help forensic scientists identify inks on fraudulent documents and other evidence. MFRC scientists will pair mass spectrometry with a new sampling technique called Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) to reveal the chemical makeup of ink faster and in greater detail than ever before... ...But, on top of saving time and preserving evidence, the DART method also yields richer data about ink samples than previous sampling methods. Initial tests of the DART system indicate that the mass spectra reveal more components of the ink than conventional mass spectra. Using DART, forensic scientists may be able to differentiate between inks like never before.