Chromatographic Analysis of Inks for Forensic Science Applications.

This article reviews the use of chromatography for the separation and comparison of ink components. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is the standard chromatographic procedure presently employed for the comparison of inks. Thin layer chromatography systems are described for the separation of different types of ink. The greater sensitivity and resolution offered by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) make it an attractive alternative to TLC for ink analysis, and recent work in this field is also outlined. Both techniques have been used for the measurement of changes occurring in the composition of inks with time, as a means of determining the age of an ink. Related analytical techniques, recent research, and future trends in ink analysis are also described.