Fingerprint recovery from wet transparent foil

A short continuation study was done to investigate whether three fingerprint methods can recover latent fingerprints on transparent foil submerged in water. Donors intentionally placed fingerprints on transparent foil surfaces. The surfaces to be examined were exposed to the influences of stagnant water during different time intervals. Latent fingerprints were recovered with Swedish soot mixture powder, small particle reagent (SPR) and cyanoacrylate (CA). Although good results were achieved with all methods, SPR technique proved to be the best. The experiment established and confirmed that finger marks on transparent foil surfaces can be developed even after having been exposed to water for at least one week.