ABSTRACT
Since the initial reporting of the cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) fuming method (CFM) in the United States in 1982, the method has become the prominent means of detecting latent €ngerprints on nonporous surfaces. Over the years, the technique has performed well; however, under various conditions, latent €ngerprints could not be detected on items that were known to contain €ngerprints. Speci€cally, nonporous items such as ammunition, guns, knives, and other metallic weapons were known to be more dif€cult to develop latent €ngerprints using the CFM. Additionally, items aged under various conditions, such as solar-exposed or arid environments, proved dif€cult to yield latent €ngerprints with this method. The speci€cs associated with protocols for developing latent €ngerprints by CFM have been thoroughly detailed in Advances in Fingerprint Technology, 2nd edition [1]. Since the publication of this edition, several studies have been conducted with the aim of understanding the chemical polymerization mechanism, developing methods for improving €ngerprint quality, and understanding shortfalls associated with the cyanoacrylate fuming method [2-5]. In this chapter, the current understanding of the chemistry associated with CFM, as well as the chemical nature of €ngerprints in relation to the fuming technique, will be emphasized. The overall goal is to convey the technique from a chemical perspective with the aspiration of inspiring future research aimed at further understanding and optimizing the method with respect to high detection ef€ciency and print quality.
