Ninhydrin is used on a latent print to detect what type of material?

Ninhydrin is specifically utilized in forensic science to detect amino acids, which are fundamental components of proteins. When ninhydrin comes into contact with amino acids present in latent fingerprints, it undergoes a chemical reaction that results in a color change, leading to the visualization of the print. This property makes ninhydrin particularly effective for revealing latent prints on porous surfaces where proteins and amino acids may be deposited from human skin.

While other materials like oils and fatty acids might be present on a fingerprint, ninhydrin does not react with these substances. Similarly, glycol is not related to the protein content found in fingerprints and is not a target for ninhydrin. Understanding the chemical specificity of ninhydrin is crucial for forensic analysis and helps in the effective detection of latent prints in various investigative contexts.