ATR-FTIR Spectroscopic Studies of Polymer-Based Identification Cards

Counterfeit production of polymer identity cards poses a significant economic cost to society and a threat to national security. Identifying these counterfeits is a challenge for ‘frontline’ personnel who lack training in specialised document examination. This study investigates the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier Transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics as a potential approach to assessing polymer card authenticity. In situ analysis of several cards found that differentiation could be achieved based on the core polymer composition. A chemometric model was thus built for three driver’s licence series produced in Western Australia and tested using a separate set of seven licences. The majority of test samples were correctly matched to the series of issue, with atypical samples recognisable based on their discriminant values. Synchrotron FTIR imaging revealed that differentiation between each series was possibly related to the adhesive used between the core layers. The approach presented in this work has the potential to be developed as a rapid screening method to identify suspect polymer cards warranting further examination

Classification of polyethylene cling films by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was utilised to analyse nine differently branded cling films. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the intra-sample variability, i.e. the variation within individual cling film rolls; as well as the inter-sample variability, which explores the variability between different rolls of cling film. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was then employed to develop a predictive classification model which gave 100% correct differentiation between three brand groupings of cling film, and accurately classified all of the validation samples obtained from different rolls from the same manufacturers

Hungry for more: key stakeholders' support for more stringent school food policies

Objective: School food policies are an important component of comprehensive strategies to address child obesity and improve children's health. Evaluations have demonstrated that these policies can be initially well accepted and appropriately implemented, however little is known about how acceptance levels may change over time. The present study aimed to re-evaluate a school food policy 10 years after its introduction to assess key stakeholders' support for various policy extensions that would strengthen the scope of the policy. DESIGN: Online surveys administered 1 year after policy introduction (n 607, 2008) and 10 years after policy introduction (n 307, 2016). Setting: Western Australia.ParticipantsSchool principals, teachers, canteen managers and presidents of parents & citizens associations from Western Australian Government primary schools. Results: At both time points, and especially at time 2 (10 years post policy implementation), high levels of support were reported for the policy and possible policy extensions. Support was strongest for an additional requirement to integrate the canteen menu with the classroom health curriculum. Conclusions: The results suggest that once a policy has become embedded into school practices, stakeholders may be receptive to modifications that strengthen the policy to enhance its potential effects on children's diets

New Light on Old Fingermarks: The Detection of Historic Latent Fingermarks on Old Paper Documents Using 1,2-Indanedione/zinc

This study explores trends in the effectiveness of 1,2-indandione/zinc chloride (IND/Zn) for visualizing latent fingermarks on paper substrates of various ages. Preliminary investigation of contemporaneous documents showed that high quality fingermarks could be deposited through incidental handling, although smudging and overlapping were evident. IND/Zn was then applied to incidentally handled documents up to 80 years old and successfully developed potentially identifiable fingermarks, significantly increasing the established timescale for fingermark detection with amino acid sensitive reagents. The results indicate that IND/Zn remains effective over longer periods than has been previously demonstrated, although a comparison between documents of different ages suggest that progressive diffusion of the target amino acids occurs over time, affecting the proportion of potentially identifiable marks.The findings of this study reinforce the applicability of IND/Zn for the detection of historic latent fingermarks on old paper documents

Comparison of three active 1,2-indanedione-zinc formulations for fingermark detection in the context of limited resources and supply chain risks in Seychelles

This study compared the composition and effectiveness of three active 1,2-indanedione-zinc (IND-Zn) formulations for the detection of latent fingermarks on a variety of substrates commonly encountered in Seychelles. Fingermarks on five porous substrates were treated using IND-Zn formulations operationally used by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), UK Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), and German Bundeskriminalamt (BKA). Despite the variations in composition, primarily associated with the difference in the carrier solvents, all three formulations gave similar sensitivity. However, BKA was identified as the most effective formulation in consideration of cost and supply chain issues, which could be adopted for use in resource-limited micro-jurisdictions with minimum modification. Further experiments also found that using ethanol as a substitute co- solvent to methanol did not significantly reduce sensitivity, which could provide a safer modification of the CAST formulation used in other regions. The findings provide the basis for developing an effective but sustainable IND-Zn formulation for the Seychelles Police, resilient to the challenges of resource limitations and supply chain disruption, which may also be applicable to other micro-jurisdictions

Classification Of Polyethylene Cling Films By Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy And Chemometrics

Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was utilised to analyse nine differently branded cling films. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the intra-sample variability, i.e. the variation within individual cling film rolls; as well as the inter-sample variability, which explores the variability between different rolls of cling film. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was then employed to develop a predictive classification model which gave 100% correct differentiation between three brand groupings of cling film, and accurately classified all of the validation samples obtained from different rolls from the same manufacturers