Laboratory Experiments in Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology

Prof. Mary Ann Q. Deogracias © 2022. Reproduction prohibited without permission from the author

NAME: __________________________________________ GROUP NUMBER: __________

YEAR AND SECTION: _______________________________ DATE PERFORMED: ________
PROFESSOR: _____________________________________ DATE CORRECTED: _________

EXPERIMENT 22
METALLURGY (MACRO ETCHING)

I. OBJECTIVE: To study the technique of macro etching or restoring tampered serial numbers.

II. MATERIALS/REAGENTS:
metallic object with serial numbers
Etching fluid: Solution 1 - 80 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid, 12.9 g cupric chloride
dissolved in 60 mL water
Solution 2 - 15% nitric acid
sand paper
cotton
forceps
petrol or turpentine

III. DISCUSSION
During manufacturing process, serial numbers are placed on important materials such as
firearms using numbers and letters. These serial numbers provide law enforcement a means by
which they are being traced. For this reason, they are often obliterated by perpetrators by
means of filing, grinding, or over-stamping. But there are a number of techniques used by
forensic firearms examiners to restore obliterated markings. One is with the use of chemical
acid etching. This techniques can also be applied to chassis and or engine blocks of vehicles.

IV. PROCEDURE
1. Clean well the surface of the metal with petrol or turpentine and carefully examine for

evidence of filing or grinding.

Laboratory Experiments in Forensic Chemistry & Toxicology
Prof. Mary Ann Q. Deogracias © 2022. Reproduction prohibited without permission from the author

2. Photograph and stencil the tampered serial number with pencil.

3. Polish the tampered serial number with sandpaper.

4. With the aid of cotton, apply solution 1 with swabbing. Dry with cotton and apply solution 2.

5. Alternate the swabbings until the numbers appear.

6. Photograph and stencil the restored numbers.

V. OBSERVATION

1. Stencil the numbers below.

Tampered numbers tampered numbers

Before restoration after restoration

2. Were you able to restore the tampered numbers? What are the original numbers

VI. CONCLUSION

1. Why is the surface of the metal cleaned with petrol or turpentine before etching?
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2. Is it always possible to restore the original number of a tampered serial number?

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3. What is the principle involved in the restoration of the tampered serial number?