Fingerprint Discloses Smoking, Drinking Habits

[Bob Kennington]

"Images that show how fingerprints can be used to reveal whether you are a smoker, an avid coffee drinker or even a drug addict have been revealed by UK scientists.

"They were produced using a novel forensic technique that could in future be used on fingerprints collected at a crime scene. If the prints in question are not on file, this would still give police a powerful way to shrink their pool of suspects, by identifying their lifestyle habits.

"...It exploits the fact that the breakdown products - metabolites - of substances people consume are deposited in sweat found in pores in their fingerprint ridges. To detect these metabolites they use gold nanoparticles.

"...Besides extending the test to antibodies capable of detecting alcohol and illicit drugs, Russell thinks the technique could be used to detect performance-enhancing drug use..."

More:

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn11887-new-fingerprint-analysis-identifies-smokers.html