Analytical Profiling of Processed Printer Inks on Papers for Inorganic Trace Elements by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis

Abstract

For the forensic examination of printed documents, an attempt has been made to determine the elemental composition of inks of ink jet printer taken from sample documents using nondestructive technique of Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry and in order to generate the analytical profiling of printed inks for inorganic trace elements leading to the differentiation of printers. All the four primary inks used in printers are the matrix of interest for analysis in this study. The coloured sample printouts were printed in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black colour ink from inkjet printers of the four leading manufacturers. The inorganic trace elemental profile (in weight percentage) of printer inks was obtained by using SEM-EDX Spectrometry. Whether the elemental composition of samples is similar or different, can be identified from the presence/absence of elements as well as different weight percentage. The presence of potassium in few samples differentiates those samples from others.

Keywords- Elemental profiling, Inkjet Printer, Printed Document, Printer inks, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, SEM-EDX