Analytical Sciences

Development of Micromarkers with Various Photoluminescence Colors as Tracers for Shadowing Pursuits

Shoji KURATA,* Haruo HIRANO,* and Masatoshi NAGAI**

*Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Metropolitan Police Department, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-8929, Japan
**Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan

Micromarkers with five photoluminescence colors were developed as tracers for shadowing pursuits. The markers are colorless powders with particle diameters of several tens to several hundreds of micrometers, prepared using a cryogenic sample crusher. They were visualized using red, green, yellow, magenta or cyan photoluminescence under ultraviolet light at approximately 365 nm. The markers were composed of photoluminescent compounds dispersed in polyvinyl butyral. The photoluminescent compounds in the polyvinyl butyral were stable under ambient conditions for more than one year after application. The compounds with the red, green, yellow, magenta and cyan photoluminescence contained a europium (Eu³⁺) complex, a terbium (Tb³⁺) complex, a mixture of Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ complexes, a mixture of Eu³⁺ complex and o-coumaric acid, and a mixture of Tb³⁺ complex and 7-hydroxycoumarin along with a few drops of a sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution, respectively. Neodymium (Nd³⁺) and ytterbium (Yb³⁺) complexes with photoluminescence in the near-IR wavelength region can also be added to these visible photoluminescent compounds as secret markers for discrimination. The markers were non-destructively identified using a microscopic FT-IR spectrometer and a microscopic spectrometer equipped with a fluorescence detector.

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