| Ink identifications have typically been performed by utilizing normal phase thin layer chromatography in both the initial screening step and the final identification step. This research focused on substituting high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as the final technique used in ink identifications. Forty-four ballpoint ink samples were analyzed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Using Waters Empower software, a processing method was developed with which to objectively analyze the ink chromatograms. Within each sample set of thirteen to seventeen known ink samples, a library was created of the resulting processed chromatograms. By processing an unknown sample of ink and comparing it to the processed chromatograms in the library for its respective sample set, a quantitative measure of the degree of correspondence of a sample to the library was obtained. Utilizing this quantitative measure, as well as visually inspecting the three-dimensional photo diode array printouts generated for each ink sample, it was shown that this method of HPLC ballpoint ink identification is quite effective. |
