Despite the common use of fingerprints as a trusted means of identification, no method currently exists to reliably establish the time since deposition of latent fingerprints. A reproducible method of establishing latent fingerprint age would allow forensic personnel to determine if a latent fingerprint was relevant to a crime. This work investigates the ambient aging of triacylglycerols (TGs) and other lipids in latent fingerprint residue utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging. Unsaturated TGs were found to undergo ambient ozonolysis resulting in a decrease over time. At the same time, two series of compounds related to the degradation of unsaturated TGs due to ambient ozonolysis emerged with time and were detectable within a single day of aging. Tracking the degradation of unsaturated TGs over time proved to be relatively reproducible in multiple individuals and is suggested as a means of establishing latent fingerprint age.

中文翻译：

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通过三酰基甘油的臭氧分解，通过质谱成像确定指纹年龄。

尽管普遍使用指纹作为一种可靠的识别手段，但目前尚无方法可靠地确定自潜在指纹沉积以来的时间。建立潜在指纹年龄的可复制方法将使法医人员可以确定潜在指纹是否与犯罪有关。这项工作利用基质辅助激光解吸/电离质谱成像技术研究了潜在指纹残留物中的三酰基甘油（TGs）和其他脂质的环境老化。发现不饱和TG经历环境臭氧分解，导致随时间减少。同时，随着时间的推移，出现了与环境臭氧分解引起的不饱和TG降解有关的两个系列化合物，并且在老化的一天内就可以检测到。