NCJ Number
186094
Journal
International Journal of Forensic Document Examiners Volume: 5 Dated: December/January 1999 Pages: 303-305
Date Published
1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Toner analysis may involve both raw toner and questioned samples on documents; removal of sample toner may include paper substrate that can interfere with the spectra developed; this paper discusses a sampling technique that eliminates the paper contribution and results in cleaner spectra.
Abstract
In reported studies of the comparison of photocopy toners by pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC), the toner material has either been pyrolyzed together with the attached paper, or it has been scraped or dissolved from the paper. Each of these methods presents the examiner with considerable difficulties in sample handling and data interpretation. This report describes a simple means for removing a sample of toner from paper in such a way that, in most cases, the sample is entirely free from paper fibers and can easily be inserted into the sample holder for pyrolysis. The key to this sampling method is to transfer the toner material from the photocopy page onto a "sample lifter" made from a glass microscope slide coverslip. The idea for transferring the toner to a glass sampler came from a method used to obtain toner for infrared analysis by pressing a hot microscope slide to a photocopy and then scraping the transferred toner from the glass. 2 figures and 6 references