Fingernail fragments collected from a crime scene, together with Raman spectroscopy, could be used to predict the sex of the suspect, say scientists in Singapore. The clippings could also be used in diagnostics, they claim.

Effendi Widjaja and colleagues at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Jurong Island, have shown that Raman spectroscopy reveals tiny structural differences that exist between male and female fingernails. As these differences in the Raman spectra are usually too small to see by eye the researchers used a special pattern recognition tool to enhance them.

Gender distinction is normally carried out by DNA analysis. According to Widjaja the advantages of using Raman spectroscopy instead is that it is simple, quick, non-invasive, and does not require much sample preparation. It could therefore be used as a quick evaluation tool to determine the sex of the donor of fingernail fragments collected in forensic studies, said Widjaja.

Fingernails can provide information about a person's health

Fingernail clippings can also provide scientists with information about a person's diet, race or even health, said Widjaja. 'We are planning to explore the use of Raman spectroscopy of human fingernails as a rapid and non-invasive diagnostic tool for early detection of diseases, such as renal failure,' he said. Levels of the metabolic waste product creatinine are raised in the nail clippings of renal failure patients, Widjaja explained. 'Potentially we could exploit the relationship between the nail composition and the degree of renal failure.'

Sarah Corcoran