Condom-detecting fingerprint test 'set for court use'

具有避孕套检测功能的指纹检测技术“将被用于法庭检测”

Fingerprint technology which can detect the brand of hair gel used by a suspect or whether they have handled a condom could soon be admissible in court.

一项指纹检测技术既可以检测出被检测嫌疑人使用的发胶，也可以检测出他/她是否接触过避孕套。这项技术即将被法庭认可，成为举证的一种技术支持。

The technique uses a form of mass spectrometry to detect traces of various substances within a fingerprint.

该技术应用质谱分析法检测指纹中的各项物质。

It can provide "diverse information" about a suspect, including any alcohol or drug use, researchers have said.

一项研究表明：这项技术能提供有关嫌疑人的多种信息，包括是否接触酒精和毒品。

The Home Office said it could be "only months" before it is used in casework.

英国内政部称，这项技术将在未来数月中被用于案件调查。

Teams from Sheffield Hallam University have been working with West Yorkshire Police to pilot the technique.

谢菲尔德哈莱姆大学的团队一直与西约克郡警方合作从事该技术的研究。

Project lead Dr Simona Francese said the technology had been used to detect blood in a 30-year-old print, meaning it could be used in cold case reviews.

项目领导者西蒙娜·弗朗西丝博士称该技术能在30年前的指纹中检测出血液，因而能被应用于悬案的调查中。

"I would want to see this technology in high-profile cases such as murder or rape. It's very sophisticated, it's expensive but it's worthwhile," she added.

“我希望能在更高级别的案件，如谋杀和强奸案中使用该技术。虽然它应用起来很复杂、检测成本昂贵，但是它的作用会让你觉得物有所值。”她说道。

How does mass spectrometry work?

质谱分析法是如何运作的？

Different particles from a fingerprint can be analysed to give more information about a perso

指纹的不同部位能提供关于被监测人的不同信息

The analytical technique is used to find traces of substances on or within the ridges of the fingerprint

这项分析技术被用于找寻指纹表面或内部的物质痕迹。

It works by vaporising the sample and then firing it through an electric and magnetic field inside a vacuum

它需要将样本汽化然后将之放置在导电的或具有磁场的真空物质内

Particles of different mass behave differently under these conditions, which means the team at Sheffield Hallam University can identify molecules found within the print

不同粒子在这些环境中有不同表现，这使得谢菲尔德哈莱姆大学的团队能在指纹中鉴定出这些分子。

The information available using this technique is diverse. For example, by looking at the proteins found in the print scientists can tell if the person is male or female

这项技术能提供的信息应用也是多种多样的。比如，科学家能从指纹中包含的蛋白质鉴别出被监测人的性别。

Researchers have been working with West Yorkshire Police to test the technology since 2012.

研究者自2012年就一直和西约克郡警方合作检测这项技术。

Dr Francese said: "When you think about what a fingerprint is, it's nothing else but sweat and sweat is a biological matrix.

弗朗西丝博士说：“人们一想到指纹，就总是想到它包含的汗液，但汗液其实就是很多化学元素的集合。”

"It contains molecules from within your body but also molecules that you have just contaminated your fingertips with, so the amount of information there potentially to retrieve is huge."

“它包含了你身体内部的分子，也包括了你手指曾接触过的物品分子，因此你能从中获取的信息也就很多。”

Neil Denison, acting director of Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Scientific Support at West Yorkshire Police, said: "We're very, very keen to keep up with criminals quite frankly, and this is one way that we can do that.”

尼尔·丹尼森是约克郡的行动执行长官，同时也是西约克郡警方亨伯河地区科学扶持机构的负责人，他说:“坦白讲，我们希望快点追踪到罪犯，而这项研究能够帮助实现这个愿景。”

"It confirms our hopes because that's what this work is about. It's about looking to the future, fingerprints have been pretty dormant for 80 or 90 years but in the future we are hopeful that we'll be able to get more useful intelligence from fingerprints that will help us in the prevention and detection of crime."

“这项技术实现了我们的愿望，毕竟我们要做的就是找到相关证据。这项技术让我们对未来有所期待。我们现在有尘封了80到90年的指纹，但在未来，我们希望能在指纹检测中开发更有应用性的技术，并以此辅助我们阻止和侦测犯罪案件。”

What can we tell about a person by using mass spectrometry?

质谱分析法能告诉我们那些信息？

Their sex

检测人性别

Whether the person has touched blood and whether it is from a human or animal

检测人是否接触血液、检测的血液来源于人类还是动物

Whether they have taken drugs. Cocaine, THC (the chemical in marijuana and cannabis), heroin, amphetamine and other drugs can be detected.

检测人是否服用药物。可卡因、四氢大麻酚（大麻化学成分）海洛因、苯丙胺和其它能被检测的药物

Whether a strand of hair is present on the fingerprint

指纹上是否留有毛发

If there are traces of cleaning products or cosmetic

是否有清洁用品或化妆品残留物

Whether the person has touched condom lubricants, even determining the brand

检测人是否接触避孕套、润滑油，甚至能检测出品牌

What food and drink has been consumed (such as garlic and caffeine)

检测人摄入过的食物（比如大蒜和咖啡因类）

安娜译