What Is Superglue Fuming?

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Fingerprint detection has improved greatly over the last 20 years despite advances in DNA profiling as it is considered to be the most effective method of personal identification for criminal investigation purposes which was later on used as court evidence (1,5,8). The ridge patterns that make up fingerprints allows scientists to distinguish between individuals as the patterns of the fingerprint are unique from each other (1). Latent fingerprints are commonly found in crime scenes appeared to be unclear, distorted, smudged or overlapped on complex substrates causing difficulties in identifying their pattern of friction ridges. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to select suitable physical and chemical processes to visualise and enhance the latent fingerprints (2,3). …show more content…

(1,4,9). Superglue fuming involves the exposure of a latent fingerprint to ECA vapour in an enclosed chamber (4,5,9). ECA are low viscosity liquid and have the ability to polymerise rapidly in ambient temperatures not needing a catalyst. These adhesives produce high strength bonds between surfaces especially with non-porous substrates (5,10). Upon in contact with the latent fingerprint, the cyanoacrylate monomer initiates the polymerisation with the help of nucleophile such as sodium lactate, amino acids and small amount of water molecules found in the latent fingerprint residue thus forming white deposits on the ridges pattern which may be enhanced by a range of dyes

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