Pen Ink
- Page ID
- 66556
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Spectroscopic and Chromatographic Analysis of Pen Ink
Objective
To determine the color and composition of pen inks and inked writing found on documents pertinent to the case.
Sample
Collect a variety of ballpoint and felt tip pens and prepare documents with those pens. Assign pens and documents to the suspects and to the crime scene.
Reagents
Extraction fluid and mobile phase: aqueous 0.005 M heptanesulfonic acid and acetonitrile mixed in 45:55 ratio.
Standard Reference Material
None
Methods
Visible spectrophotometry; liquid chromatography
Special equipment
UV-Vis spectrophotometer; pair of small-volume, 1-cm cuvettes; liquid chromatograph with C18 column and diode array detector; 2-mL chromatography vials with screw caps
Procedure
For instructor (detailed); For student (brief)