BASE-ACTIVATED LATENT FINGERPRINTS FUMED WITH A CYANOACRYLATE MONOMER- A QUANTITATIVE STUDY USING FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY

It is shown for the first time that a Fourier-transform infra-red spec troscopic study of cyanoacrylate fumed fingerprints provides a non-sub jective confirmation of visual estimates of polymer deposition as made by fingerprint experts. The greatest degree of polymer deposition on latent prints within the parameters of the experiment were produced by prior exposure to ammonia followed by fuming with methyl cyanoacrylat e monomer. The method with base activation also permits further qualit y enhancement of prints previously developed by the current method. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.