The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 15 No 2 (2011): 191 – 201

 

 

 

The Effectiveness of Soot Removal Techniques For the recovery of Fingerprints on Glass Fire debris in Petrol Bomb Cases

 

(Keberkesanan Kaedah Penyingkiran Jelaga Bagi Memperoleh Kembali Cap Jari Pada Sisa Kebakaran Kaca Dalam Kes Bom Petrol)

 

Umi Kalthom Ahmad¹, Yew Su Mei¹, Mohd Shahru Bahari¹, Ng Song Huat² and Vijaya Kumar Paramasivam³

 

¹Department of Chemistry,

Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,

81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Darul Ta’zim

²PDRM Forensic Laboratory,

8 1/2 mile, Jalan Cheras/Kajang,

43200 Cheras, Selangor.

³Makmal Penyiasatan Kebakaran,

Balai Bomba & Penyelamat, Senawang,

70450 Senawang, Negeri Sembilan.

 

 

Abstract

The increased use of petrol bombs as an act of vengence in Malaysia has heightened awareness for the need of research relating physical evidence found at the crime scene to the perpetrator of the crime. A study was therefore carried out to assess the effectiveness of soot removal techniques on glass fire debris without affecting the fingerprints found on the evidence. Soot was removed using three methods which were brushing, 2% NaOH solution and tape lifting. Depending on the visibility of prints recovered, prints which were visible after soot removal were lifted directly while prints that were not visible were subjected to enhancement. Glass microscope slides were used in laboratory experiment and subjected to control burn for the formation of soot. Soot was later removed following enhancement of the prints over time (within 1 day, within 2 days and after 2 days). While in simulated petrol bomb ground experiment, petrol bombs were hurled in glass bottles and the fragments were collected. Favorable results were obtained in varying degrees using each soot removal methods. In laboratory testing, brushing and 2 % NaOH solution revealed fingerprints that were visible after removal of excess soot and were lifted directly. As for tape lifting technique, some prints were visible and were successfully lifted while those that were not visible were subjected to superglue fuming for effective fingerprint identification.

 

Keywords: Soot removal, Glass, Petrol bomb, Brushing, NaOH wash solution (2%), Tape lifting

 

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