A pilot study for the use of coumarin-480 to enhance the fingermarks

Abstract

A new alternative super glue post-treatment method for the enhancement of fingermarks over two different non-porous surfaces including glass slides and high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets have been investigated. This is the first documented application of 2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-9- methyl-1H,5H-quinolizino(9,1-gh)coumarin or coumarin-480 for the enhancement of cyanoacrylate fumed fingermarks. Coumarin-480 in ethanol was used as cyanoacrylate post-treatment dye. Fingermarks of seven different donors were aged for three different time periods (1 day, 1 week and 4 weeks) over non-fluorescent glass slides and HDPE sheets and developed with cyanoacrylate fumes. Upon staining with coumarin-480, fingermarks of varying qualities were observed under long UV radiations. Rhodamine 6G was used to assess the relative sensitivity of the coumarin-480 for the enhancement cyanoacrylate developed fingermarks. Pseudo-operational trials were conducted on glass bottles and high density polyethylene shopping bags. Coumarin-480 produced superior enhancement on HDPE shopping bags and glass bottles than the rhodamine 6G.