GURU GHASIDAS VISHWAVIDYALAYA

KONI, BILASPUR (C.G)

SESSION- 2022-23
CORE 9- Questioned Document
DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCE
TOPIC – Spectroscopic Technique For Document and Ink examination
GUIDED BY- Ms. Blessi Uikey Mam

MADE BY:-Khushboo Tekchandani

Enrollment no.- GGV/21/10315
Roll no.- 21045115
B.Sc 4th Semester
 *INTRODUCTION
* Spectroscopy is the study of the absorption and emission of light
and other radiation by matter. It involves the splitting of light (or
more precisely electromagnetic radiation) into its constituent
wavelengths (a spectrum), which is done in much the same way as a
prism splits light into a rainbow of colors.
*  The electromagnetic spectra that result from
the interaction between electromagnetic  radiation and matter as a
function of the wavelength or frequency of the radiation.
*Spectroscopy is the interaction between EMR and
matter. Here, matter can even be any biological or
chemical molecules such a proteins, DNA and
chemicals as well.

*EMR are the waves that shows electromagnetic

interactions and are made from both electric and
magnetic vectors and hence, they show electric as
well as magnetic properties.
 *SPECTROSCOPY IN QD
*Documents are an integral part of our everyday life. They
accompany us in various forms from the moment we are born
until the day we die − from letters, diaries or identity
documents to prescriptions, insurance agreements and
testimonies.
*It can be used for various purposes, such as identifying the
source, age of a document, detecting alterations or forgeries,
or comparing different ink samples which is the most
important. There are many spectroscopic techniques that can
be used to analyze inks, such as ultraviolet (UV), visible (Vis),
infrared (IR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS),
and Raman spectroscopy.
 *ANALYSIS METHODS
Prior to any chemical analysis, preliminary examinations are
conducted, which include, e.g. an evaluation of the optical properties
of the ink entry by examining its UV, VIS or IR responses.
Unfortunately, preliminary examinations are usually insufficient to
answer the questions posed by the judiciary and, therefore, the
second part of the procedure is required i.e. far more detailed
chemical analysis which may include application of destructive and
non-destructive methods. Obviously, from the forensic point of view,
non-destructive methods are often preferred as they will leave the
entry intact and allow further characterization of the given piece of
evidence.
 * COMPOSITION OF INKS
Despite the vast diversity of ink products available on current markets
(ballpoint pen inks, printing inks, stamp inks, etc.) the main categories
of their ingredients are basically the same. The majority of these
constituents are organic compounds. All inks are composed of
colorants (dyes or pigments) that are dissolved or suspended in a
vehicle (solvent or resin). There are also a number of organic and
inorganic compounds that act as additives, providing the writing
instrument with desired characteristics.
Thin layer chromatography and other separation
techniques are undoubtedly the most widely
used methodologies to characterize ink
formulations, mainly because of the simple
analytical procedures and minimal equipment
requirements (TLC). However, in some cases,
classical methods do not permit a satisfactory
comparison, and then the application of
additional instrumental techniques is required.

*SPECTROSCOPIC
TECHNIQUES
The choice of the spectroscopic technique depends on several factors,
such as the type and amount of ink available, the sensitivity and
specificity of the method, the cost and availability of the equipment,
and the degree of damage to the document. Some techniques are non-
destructive, meaning that they do not alter or consume the ink
sample, while others are destructive, meaning that they require a
small amount of ink to be removed or dissolved for analysis. Some
techniques are qualitative, meaning that they can only identify the
presence or absence of certain features, while others are
quantitative, meaning that they can measure the amount or
concentration of certain components. Some techniques are simple and
fast, while others are complex and time-consuming.

*Choice of technique
 *UV-VISIBLE SPECTROSCOPY
* UV visible spectroscopy is a technique that uses ultraviolet and
visible light to measure the absorption or emission of a sample. The
wavelength range lies between 200nm to 800nm. It can provide
information about the color, composition, and origin of the ink. It
basically tells about the concentration analysis.
* The Basic Principle on which this UV VISIBLE SPECTROSCOPY works id
the BEER-LAMBERT’S LAW.
 *BEER-LAMBERT’S LAW
The Beer-Lambert law states that:

for a given material sample path length and concentration of the sample are
directly proportional to the absorbance of the light.

* The Beer-Lambert law is expressed as:

A = εLc
where,

* A is the amount of light absorbed for a particular wavelength by the sample

* ε is the molar extinction coefficient
* L is the distance covered by the light through the solution
* c is the concentration of the absorbing species
INSTRUMENTATION OF UV VISIBLE
SPECTROPHOTOMETER
* Different types of inks have different spectral characteristics, which
can be used to distinguish them from each other or from the
substrate. For example, some inks fluorescence, or emit light, on
exposure to UV light, while others disappear. Some inks have
characteristic absorption bands in the visible region, which can be
used to identify their color components.

* UV visible spectroscopy is that it is a destructive technique, meaning

that it does alter or consume the ink sample. One of the advantages
of UV visible spectroscopy is that it can also be applied to small or
irregular samples, such as ink stains or writings. However, some of
the challenges of UV visible spectroscopy are that it may not be able
to differentiate between inks with similar spectra, that it may be
affected by the background or interference from other substances.
* IR and Raman spectroscopy are two complementary techniques that can
help in ink analysis by providing information about the molecular structure,
composition, and origin of the ink. IR spectroscopy measures the
absorption of infrared radiation by the sample, while Raman spectroscopy
measures the scattering of laser light by the sample. Both techniques can
identify the functional groups and chemical bonds present in the ink, as
well as the presence of any additives, impurities, or degradation products.
* Some of the advantages of IR spectroscopy are that it is a well-established
and widely available technique, that it can provide quantitative
information about the concentration of certain components in the ink, and
that it can be combined with other techniques such as GC-MS or SEM for
further analysis. Some of the disadvantages of IR spectroscopy are that it
requires a direct contact with the sample, which may damage or alter the
ink, that it may not be able to detect some low-concentration or low-
polarity components in the ink, and that it may be affected by interference
from water or other substances in the sample or the environment.

*IR AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

* Some of the advantages of Raman spectroscopy are that
it is a non-destructive and non-contact technique,
meaning that it does not alter or consume the ink
sample, that it can be applied to small or irregular
samples, such as ink stains or writings, and that it can
provide information about the crystalline structure and
orientation of the ink components. Some of the
disadvantages of Raman spectroscopy are that it may not
be able to differentiate between inks with similar
spectra, that it may be affected by fluorescence of the
ink, and that it may require calibration and
standardization of the instrument and the method.
 IR INSTRUMENTATION

RAMAN
SPECTROMETER
INSTRUMENTATION
 *OTHER LEAST COMMON
TECHNIQUES FOR EXAMINATION
* Some inks contain magnetic particles that can be detected by NMR.
*  Some inks have unique elemental compositions that can be analyzed
by SEM. 
* Some inks can be separated into their components by GC-MS and
identified by their mass spectra.

These techniques are less used due their very high costs and no
guarantee of results. Mass spectroscopy gives good results but is
extremely lengthy process because it is combined with gas
chromatography.
 *References
* https://locardslab.com/2014/12/17/raman-spectroscopy-ink-
analysis/
* https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Spectroscopic-techniq
ues-applied-in-the-analysis-of-ink_tbl1_312497982
* www.sciencedirect.com/journal/talanta-open
* Journal’s URL:http://www.bepls.com
* https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijac/2019/5980967/
* Raman Spectroscopy of Documents (spectroscopyonline.com)
* https://www.atascientific.com.au/spectrometry/#:~:text=Sp
ectroscopy%20is%20the%20study%20of,into%20a%20rainbow%2
0of%20colours
.
* Methods for Ink Analysis & Paper Analysis - Forensic Yard
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