Latent fingerprint recovery on submerged non-porous surfaces using phloxine B-based small particle reagent

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a small particle reagent (SPR) formulation based on Phloxine B dye for developing latent fingerprints on submerged non-porous surfaces. The primary objectives were to assess the formulation's ability to produce fingerprints over time and determine its shelf life. The reagent was tested on three non-porous surfaces-glass, aluminium foil, and plastic transparency sheets-submerged in tap water for a duration of 30 days. Additionally, the study extended to evaluate the reagent's performance on surfaces submerged in sewage water. The results demonstrated that the formulation successfully developed high quality identifiable fingerprints over a period of 27 days on glass, 29 days on transparency sheets, and 24 days on aluminium foil, after submersion in tap water. In the case of surfaces submerged in sewage water for 84 h, metal produced higher-quality and more durable prints compared to glass and plastic. On average, the Phloxine B-based SPR formulation demonstrated a shelf life of about 60 days. This Phloxine B-based SPR composition offers a non-toxic, cost-effective, and highly efficient approach, in the recovery of latent fingerprints from submerged non-porous surfaces.