Developing Latent Fingerprints from Surface of Eggshell using Physical Methods

Abstract

The development of latent fingerprints on unconventional surfaces, such as eggshells, presents unique challenges due totheir fragile and porous nature. This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of two physical methods—black powderand fluorescent powder—in developing latent fingerprints on eggshell surfaces under both normal conditions and whencovered with plastic bubble wrap. A total of ten samples were tested for each condition. Results indicate that black powderconsistently produced better fingerprint contrast, with five samples showing excellent visibility under normal conditionsand moderate success even under plastic wrap. In contrast, fluorescent powder demonstrated poor performance overall,with no samples displaying excellent contrast and a significant number yielding weak or no visibility, especially whensurface conditions were altered by plastic covering. The findings suggest that black powder is more suitable for fingerprintdevelopment on eggshell surfaces, while fluorescent powder is limited in its effectiveness, particularly under texturedor wrapped conditions. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate physical methods for latent printdevelopment on delicate biological surfaces.