Chemical enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on fabric — Part 3: Amino acid staining

Farrugia, Kevin J.; Bandey, Helen; Savage, Katy; NicDaéid, Niamh

doi:10.1016/j.scijus.2012.08.003

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(15 reference statements)

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“…Blood-contaminated fingermarks are a key evidence for forensic investigators in high-profile cases providing a direct link between the suspect and the crime [1]. Although these marks are often visible, further enhancement techniques are commonly required to recover maximal ridge detail [2][3][4]. Usually, blood-contaminated fingermarks are enhanced by the application of protein staining reagents and require, as a first step, a blood-fixing process [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat and let dye: Fixing blood‐contaminated fingermarks using heat

Grimberg¹,

Re'em

Levin‐Elad³

2022

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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Blood-contaminated fingermarks are significant evidence for forensic investigators in high-profile cases providing a direct link between the suspect and the crime. Although these marks are often visible, blood enhancement techniques are operationally used to recover maximal ridge detail. The standard protein dye-staining procedure includes a chemical blood-fixing step, which requires an initial, prolonged drying period, for natural coagulation to occur. However, in special cases, when it is crucial to detect forensic traces quickly, there is a need to speed up the enhancement process. This study explored, both theoretically and empirically, the use of heat as an alternative method to the standard chemical fixing. Three consecutive experiments were conducted in which blood-contaminated fingerprints were deposited on different types of surfaces (car parts, glass, and flooring tiles), and heated for different periods, prior to development by amido black solution. The results showed that heat was successful in fixing blood, while the required temperature and heating durations, were inversely proportional. This observation was in correlation with theoretical heat-transfer data, calculated by the Lumped Heat Capacity model, also demonstrating the impact of the thermal time constant of each surface, on the conditions required for the full fixing of blood. The experimental findings led to a design of a portable, and tailor-made heating device, examined for the use in crime scenes, allowing to shorten the necessary fixing process from hours to minutes. For future crime-scene work, this novel approach may be utilized for a rapid blood-fixing, especially in cases when the scene cannot be preserved. K E Y W O R D Sblood enhancement techniques, blood fixing, blood-contaminated fingermarks, crime scenes, heat, lumped heat capacity, radiation, thermal time constant Highlights• Blood-contaminated fingermarks require blood fixing as a first step in development procedures.• Fixing blood using heat was investigated as an alternative to chemical solutions.• Temperature and time are inversely related corresponding to the Lumped Heat Capacity model.• A novel approach of fixing blood using light radiation, as a source of heat, was designed.• Heat can successfully fix blood-contaminated fingermarks in crime scenes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat and let dye: Fixing blood‐contaminated fingermarks using heat

Grimberg¹,

Re'em

Levin‐Elad³

2022

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…The use of DFO did not provide any positive enhancements and in most cases there was a deterioration of the original mark. Previous studies have suggested that the use of DFO for the enhancement of marks made in blood may be hindered by the surface of the substrate and associated fluorescence quenching where the enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on fabric with DFO was found to be ineffective [12]. This appears to be contrary to other studies where DFO was found to be extremely sensitive for the development of fingermarks in blood on porous surfaces and also produced highly fluorescent marks with the lightest marks [10].…”

Section: Evaluation Of Enhancement Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 85%

An investigation into the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on fruit and vegetables

2013

Self Cite

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A number of studies have reported the successful enhancement of latent fingermarks on fruit and vegetables. A study was set up to identify the most effective technique for the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on various fruit and vegetables. The enhancement techniques targeted different components in blood and consisted of protein stains (e.g. acid black 1), peroxidase reagents (e.g. leuco crystal violet) and amino acid stains (e.g. ninhydrin). Different variables such as the ageing periods of the marks and a diminishing series were employed to assess the suitability and sensitivity of the enhancement techniques. Overall, the use of different protein stains appeared to be the most effective techniques for the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on fruit and vegetables. In addition, the aubergine and cucumber skins appeared to be the most responsive surface to the different chemical techniques during enhancement. On the contrary, little or no enhancement was achieved for fingermarks in blood on the nectarine fruit.

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“…A study [6] of the enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on various surfaces demonstrated that ninhydrin can yield good quality marks displaying clear pattern details. Ninhydrin was also successful in enhancing footwear impressions in blood on paper that had been exposed to rain for over three weeks [7] as well as footwear marks in blood on different types of fabric [8]. The successful use of ninhydrin and DFO for the treatment of stains in blood followed by successful subsequent DNA typing has also been demonstrated [9][10].…”

Section: Ninhydrin and Dfomentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on paper with genipin and lawsone

Thomas

Farrugia

2013

Science & Justice

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The abilities of two natural products, genipin and lawsone, to enhance blood contaminated fingermarks on papers of various porosities and colour were investigated and compared to the routinely used amino acid reagents, ninhydrin and 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one (DFO). Fingermarks in blood were deposited as a split depletion series on various paper types and colours for ageing periods of 6 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 week before enhancement. The developed marks were observed under different lighting conditions, recorded and graded by way of attributing quantitative data to each series. Results indicated that while genipin showed some potential as a reagent for the enhancement of latent fingermarks, it displayed no suitability for the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on paper. Lawsone also failed to successfully enhance either type of fingermark. Upon comparison of the results with those of ninhydrin and DFO it was found that ninhydrin displayed the highest success rate of development of these marks.

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Chemical enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on fabric — Part 3: Amino acid staining

Cited by 10 publications

References 14 publications

Heat and let dye: Fixing blood‐contaminated fingermarks using heat

Heat and let dye: Fixing blood‐contaminated fingermarks using heat

An investigation into the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on fruit and vegetables

An investigation into the enhancement of fingermarks in blood on paper with genipin and lawsone

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