Forensic science - fingerprint analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forensic science - fingerprint analysis - Essay ExampleNinhydrin treatment involves dipping the items in a ninhydrin solution and allowing the prints to develop over 24 to 48 hours (Lennard, 2001).Physical developer is an aqueous solution, which contains a ferrous/ferric redox system along with smooth-spoken nitrate and citric acid, and stabilised by a surfactant. Placing a document in the reagent, leads to the deposition of silver from the solution onto any latent fingermarks. The reaction is catalysed by water-insoluble components of the deposit (Lennard, 2001).Small particle reagent is a suspension of molybdenum disulfide in a detergent solution. Small particle reagent suspension can be use with a spray and then rinsed with water to remove the excess powder (Lennard, 2001).Cyanoacrylate treatment is either with cyanoacrylate vapour or cyanoacrylate fuming, which results in the formation of a hard, white-hot polymer on any latent print. The reaction is catalysed by moisture and i onic material present in the deposit. Cyanoacrylate fuming can be done with home-made chambers, expensive commercialised units or portable fuming systems (Lennard, 2001).Basic Yellow 40 (BY40 Maxilon Flavine 10 GFF) is a non-toxic, highly fluorescent dye, which stains cyanoacrylate-developed latent prints. The stain has an excitation maximum at 440 nm with a luminescence emission peak at 490 nm. Basic Yellow 40 is very sensitive to ultraviolet light and can be utilize with a simple long-wavelength ultraviolet lamp (Security & Safety Supply.)When considering chemical treatments, the surface type is a major consideration. Latent fingermark deposits behave dissimilarly on different substrate types therefore, some techniques are effective on some surfaces, but not on others (Lennard, 2001).For porous surfaces, the choice of chemical treatment will count on on whether the item was wet or not. If the item has been wet, the method