Questioned document sections in forensic labs are now including ink sample analysis as part of there routine testing, but conventional methods require large sample sizes and toxic organic solvents like pyridine. We developed a novel method of analyzing ink samples using micro-UV-Vis spectrometer to distinguish between different inks in black pens. The method uses six 0.5 mm hole punches from the ink sample and extraction solutions are made with 25 µL of 1% by weight SDS, a surfactant that effectively remove a variety of ink from paper. Spectra of a 2 µL sample are obtained using the Implen NP80 nanophotometer. UV-Vis spectra from 26 different pens were compared and it was concluded that gel pens and ballpoint pens could be distinguished from one another by their different patterns. This method of miniaturized UV-Vis spectrometry could be used by question document sections to quickly and safely identify pen types using a realistic sample size with minimal document destruction.

Forensic ink analysis with miniaturized UV-Vis spectrometry

2019 Spring National Meeting

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