Effect of Humidity on Long-Term Storage of Evidence Prior to Using Cyanoacrylate Fuming for the Detection of Latent Fingerprints

• NCJ Number: 238785
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 62 Issue: 3 Dated: May - June 2012 Pages: 227-234
• Author(s): Lothar Schwarz; Mona-Lena Hermanowski
• Date Published: June 2012
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the effects of humidity on the quality of developed prints.

Abstract

In Germany, cyanoacrylate fuming is the most popular method used for detecting latent fingerprints on nonporous surfaces. Many articles have been written about cyanoacrylate and fingerprint detection, but it is difficult to find information about the influence of relative humidity on the quality of developed prints while storing items until fuming. The influence of humidity (30 percent, 54 percent, and 80 percent) while storing items at room temperature for a period of up to 6 months before fuming was tested. The results indicate that the influence measured is negligible. (Published Abstract)