Abstract: Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) technology and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technology were used to qualitatively analyze the major components in water based stamp pad inks including major colorants and volatile components. After the samples were supersonically extracted and then centrifuged, UHPLC-MS was used to separate and identify the major colorants. A ZORBAX Eclipse Plus Phenyl-Hexyl (50 mm×4.6 mm, 1.8 μm) column and 15 mmol/L ammonium acetate-acetonitrile were utilized for the separation and negative selected ion monitoring mode (SIM) was set for the MS analysis. An HP-INNOWAX (30 m×0.25 mm, 0.25 μm) column was employed in the GC-MS analysis with the full-scan mode to determine the volatiles. This study demonstrated that the major colorants in the inks and their imprints were Acid Red R, Eosin Y and Pigment Red 112| and the major volatiles were glycerol, 1,2-propanediol, etc. The method is rapid and accurate. It also demonstrates that the method can meet the requirements for imprint determination in material evidence identification. The work provides a reliable tool for the categorization research in the forensic sciences.

Key words: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）, imprints, water based stamp pad inks, ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （UHPLC-MS）