Dating The Ballpoint Pen Inks Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Technique

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University

2 Former Quality Control Director of Pachin Co.

3 Pesticides Residues and Environmental Pollution, Central Agricultural Pesticides Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

4 Forensic Medicine Authority

Abstract

The study of aging of valuable documents is asked by the Forensic Medicine in Egypt. Eight ballpoint pens; commonly used in Egypt were chosen for this study. The aging was studied kinetically by measuring the solvent concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol overtime by the GC-MS. The ink aging curves were plotted, using the solvent volatility ratio was an effective means of determining the chronological age of the ballpoint pen inks. Our technique was demonstrated by examining tow printed forms of the trust receipts. It was found that determining the ink date is valid and can be trusted. A simple equation is proposed that can be applied for the prediction of ink dating.

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