A Novel Solvent‐based Method to Separate Duct Tape from Porous Surface for Fingerprint Development

Abstract

In this study, we have proposed a novel solvent‐based method using a specific concentration of 3M™ Novec™ HFE‐72DE and 7200 solvents to untangle duct tape from porous article with minimal impact to the quality of latent fingerprint deposited on the sticky‐side surface of duct tape. A series of experiments determined that a mixture of 30% HFE‐72DE:7200 (v/v) was found to be the most effective to separate various brands of duct tape from different types of porous surface, including office copy paper, newspaper, cardboard, and tissue wipe, which had been stored for up to 30 days before untangling. Further studies also revealed that 30% HFE‐72DE:7200 was compatible with three common fingerprint development methods for porous articles, namely ninhydrin, indanedione‐zinc, and physical developer. The nonflammability and low toxicity nature of this novel solvent mixture also make it ideal for separating duct tape from porous surface in laboratory or at crime scene.

Tissue block staining and domestic adhesive tape yield qualified integral sections of adult mouse orbits and eyeballs

“…Contacts of the section-tape with these oil-soluble reagents such as ethanol or xylol during staining, dehydrating, clearing, and mounting was supposed to contribute to weakened bonding forces between section and adhesive tape [ 46 ], which will lead to distorting the intact sections as seen in TSO in Figs 4 & 5 . Staining secondary to tape-aided sectioning as in TSO means that the tape—sections are contacted with oil-soluble solutions.…”

Interpol review of fingermarks and other body impressions (2019 – 2022)

“…Adhesive removal – A 30% HFE-72DE:HFE-7200 (v/v) solution is proposed to remove duct tapes from porous substrates, with minimal impact on fingermarks and higher performance compared to Un-Du [ 404 ].…”

Interpol review of paint, tape, and glass evidence 2019–2022

“…Tape lifting has also been proposed as a forensic approach to recovering particulates and traces that offers the benefits of being cost-effective and creating a secure environment for the residues of interest [ [135] , [136] , [137] , [138] , [139] ]. Gwinnett et al reported using tape (Easylift) for lifting and monitoring micro polymers [ 140 ].…”