1,2-Indanedione, an alternative to DFO, reacts with amino acid residues on porous surfaces like paper, producing weak visible prints but strong fluorescence that is visualized at 520nm with filtration between 570-590nm under green ALS light with orange or red filtration. It is not suitable for poor quality papers such as newsprint or cardboard.
1,2-Indanedione is the result of the search for a low cost substitute for DFO. Like DFO and ninhydrin, LV508 reacts to amino acid residues on porous surfaces, but it rarely produces visible prints. Developed prints do produce strong fluorescence when exposed to alternate light source illumination. Once mixed using the factory-supplied formulation, the substance has limited shelf life. 1,2-Indanedione is not recommended for use on poor quality papers such as newsprint, cardboard and recycled writing papers.