THE ENHANCEMENT

OF
FOOTWEAR IMPRESSIONS
Dr. F.I. Shaikh
• The enhancement of footwear impressions:
– Specialized lighting and photographic methods,
– Chemical enhancement,
– Other enhancement techniques.
 INTRODUCTION
• Not all footwear impressions at CS are clearly visible &
distinct.
– Poor contrast: Many footwear impressions contrast so poorly
with the surface they are on that very little detail in them can be
observed.
– Latent: Some impressions are totally latent and may go
undetected.
• Enhancement procedures:
– Develop latent impressions or improve the contrast of footwear
impressions which are already visible.
– Increases the amount of information available in the impression,
which in turn enables a more thorough and often more
conclusive examination.
METHODS OF ENHANCING 2D IMPRESSIONS

• The methods of enhancing 2D impressions can be

divided into three categories:
1. Those that enhance through specialized lighting and
forensic photographic methods,
2. Those that enhance by physical methods, and
3. Those that enhance through the application of chemicals.
 THE CHOICE OF CORRECT TECHNIQUE(S)
Factors affecting on the choice of technique(s) to use.
– The composition and consequent limitations of the surface the
impression is on (paper, cloth, tile, wood, carpet, etc.),
– The texture and porosity of the surface,
– The condition of the surface (dry, wet, damp, clean, dirty),
– The color of the surface,
– The composition of the impression itself,
– Whether the impression was of wet or dry origin,
– Humidity,
– Whether the technique must be applied at the crime scene or
can be applied to the original evidence once taken to the
laboratory, and
– The logistics involved in and the availability of the technique.
• Specialized lighting and forensic photographic
methods
– It is a non-destructive method and therefore,
whenever possible, should be attempted first.
– Forensic photography includes the choice of
numerous specialized photographic methods.
• These methods include high contrast photography, often
conducted in combination with the use of oblique or
other controlled lighting, the use of ultraviolet and
infrared light, and the use of filters.
– Forensic photography not only affords the
opportunity for non-destructive enhancement of
the impression, but also provides an examination
quality recording of the impression.
This kind of photography is accomplished by utilizing a high contrast black-and-
white along with an appropriate developing process.

A dry residue impression on paper

photographed with a regular film and
processing (A), and then
photographed with Kodak Tech Pan
film and D-11 processing (B).
The impression was then
electrostatically lifted. The lift is
photographed using oblique light and
the photograph is reverse printed (C).
• USING FILTERS
– Filters placed over the lens of a camera can be used with
B/W films.
– The filters can be used to alter the contrast between objects
of different colors, thereby accenting certain items.
• For instance, a gray residue footwear impression on a red tile floor
may be better revealed if a red filter is used. The red filter will
lighten the red floor allowing the gray footwear impression to
become relatively darker, thus providing better contrast between the
floor and the impression.
– Filters are also used in conjunction with specialized
lighting in a variety of spectra in the IR and UV range of
light.
– Excitation filters (or an ALS tuned to a specific
wavelength) can control the wavelength of light striking the
impression.
– Viewing filters, normally in the form of goggles or shields,
allow the viewing of the impression, whereas barrier filters
can control the light entering the camera.
• OBLIQUE LIGHT
– Oblique light is light that is positioned at a lower
angle of incidence, providing increased visibility
and contrast to the impression.
– It is frequently used in combination with high-
contrast photography or filters to enhance footwear
impressions on all surfaces.
• For example, if the footwear impression on the red tile
floor could also be enhanced with oblique light, the
photographer could simultaneously photograph the
impression with high-contrast photography, oblique
light, and a red filter.
• CROSS POLARIZATION
– Some impressions will not show up well or even at all
when they are viewed from directly over top, but can be
seen from an angle.
– The use of two polarizing filters will sometimes enable
these impressions to be photographed with the film plane
parallel to the impression.
– One filter is held in front of the oblique light source while
the other is held in front of the camera lens.
– The filters are rotated until maximum visibility of the
impression can be viewed through the camera’s lens.
– The impression can then be photographed.
• Ultraviolet Light Ultraviolet light (UV)
– It ranges from 10 to 400 nm on the light spectrum.
• Longwave UV extends from about 320 to 400 nm, middle range UV from
about 280 to 320 nm and short wave UV from about 200 to 280 nm.
Portions below 200 are of no practical use in photography.
– Although the UV portion of the light is not visible to the
naked eye, most films are sensitive to UV light.
– When a filter is used that absorbs all visible light but allows
only UV light to pass through it, evidence can be
photographed using just the UV portion of the spectrum.
– An impression can be photographically enhanced when
either the impression or its background emit a
fluorescence under UV light.
• Ultraviolet Light Ultraviolet light (UV)
– To photograph an impression with reflected
long-wave UV light, a UV light source
should be used to provide illumination of
the impression.
– An 18A filter should be placed over the
camera lens. It will filter out all visible light
but no UV light.
– Either black-and-white/color film can be
used.
• INFRARED LIGHT
– IR portion of the light spectrum is above the visible range of 700 nm. The
portion that is normally used when observing and photographing evidence
ranges from 700 to 900 nm.
– Although IR light is not visible to the naked eye, certain films are sensitive to
IR light.
• The same films are also sensitive to the visible portion of the spectrum, so it is necessary to
place an appropriate filter over the camera lens which will only pass the desired wavelength
of light.
– For photographing reflected IR light, an IR-sensitive film should be used
along with a tungsten light, which produces a strong source of IR light.
– A #87 filter should be placed over the camera lens so that all portions of
visible light will be blocked out.
– Alternate Light Sources Alternate light sources provide a controlled high
intensity light source at various wavelengths of light.
– These light sources, used in combination with special goggles or filters,
enable impressions to be viewed and photographed in both the visible,
infrared, and ultraviolet spectrum.
 PHYSICAL METHODS
• Physical methods of enhancement include:
1. Methods of physically transferring the
impression from one surface to another, such as
electrostatic lifting, gelatin lifting, and adhesive
lifting;
2. Powdering an impression with fingerprint
powders, and
3. Detecting physical indentations with the
Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) or an
Indentation Materializer (IM).
 ELECTROSTATIC LIFTING
• Electrostatic lifting will often be the second method of
enhancement used, after forensic photography.
• Impressions that are known to be of wet origin will not
successfully lift.
– If it is not known whether the impressions were made by wet or
dry shoes, electrostatic lifting can be used. If it is not successful,
it will not alter or destroy any subsequent enhancement method.
• Occasionally, if the impression contains a considerable
amount of residue, the remaining impression, after the first
lift, may reveal sharper detail than it originally did.
• Rephotographing the impression or taking a second
electrostatic lift may occasionally reveal further detail.
ELECTROSTATIC LIFTING

Electrostatically lifted impression alongside the high-

contrast photograph of that impression
 DEVELOPMENT OF INDENTED
IMPRESSIONS
• The Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) is an
instrument used primarily for the development of
indented writing on paper surfaces.
• The Vacuum Box (VB) is a similar device
• Both allow for the development of the indentations of
footwear impressions on paper and thin card stock.
• The VB is particularly versatile and successful at this.
• In cases where footwear impressions are present on
such items, VB treatment should be attempted after
photography and electrostatic lifting but prior to any
other enhancement efforts.
DEVELOPMENT OF INDENTED
IMPRESSIONS
 POWDERING WITH CONVENTIONAL FINGERPRINT POWDERS

• Conventional fingerprint powders are routinely used to enhance footwear

impressions of wet origin that are on non-porous surfaces.
• Shoes can also make a mark on a smooth waxed or polished surface that
can be enhanced with fingerprint powder.
• The fingerprint powders used should be very fine and are best applied with
a fine brush or feather brush.
• The color of the powder should provide sufficient contrast with the color of
the surface.
• Often latent footwear impressions are developed while routinely powdering
for fingerprint impressions on surfaces such as bank counters.
– In these cases, obviously, the impressions have already been powdered when discovered.
• However, in those cases where footwear impressions are detected prior to
powdering, attempts should be made first to electrostatically lift the
impressions.
– If successful, this procedure will only remove footwear impressions made by dry residue.
It will also remove any unwanted excess loose dust. The remaining impression may then
be powdered.
 POWDERING WITH CONVENTIONAL
FINGERPRINT POWDERS
• A small portion of the impression, about the size of a coin, should be
powdered first, to determine if the technique is successful with that
particular impression/substrate combination.
– If successful, then the remainder of the impression can be powdered,
rephotographed, and lifted with adhesive or gelatin lifters.
• Powdering should usually not be attempted on porous or textured
surfaces that will attract and hold the powder over the entire surface.
• Powdering is also unlikely to be successful on impressions on dirty
surfaces.
• If there is any doubt regarding whether a particular surface will
retain the powder or interfere with the development or enhancement
of an impression.
– A non-impression area of the same surface, well away from the
footwear impression, can be powdered to determine any adverse effects
of the powder.
 FLUORESCENT POWDER
• Fluorescent powders contain a substance that fluoresces under
ultraviolet (UV) light. Available in different colors and in both
magnetic and non-magnetic forms, they are used on very smooth
non-porous surfaces in subdued lighting accompanied with a
strong UV or alternate light source (ALS). The powder is very
fine and only extremely small amounts need be used.
• Flourescent powders are extremely successful in enhancing faint
impressions that might not otherwise have been detected with the
use of more coarse conventional powders.
• Prints developed in this manner may be lifted from the non-
porous surface with either transparent or white adhesive lifters.
• Since the lifted prints will not be visible in regular lighting, the
lifts should be labeled as fluorescent prints which must be viewed
under UV light.
 CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENT
• Whether a footwear impression is of dry or wet
origin, that impression may include dust, mud,
grease, blood, oil, and other trace materials. Very
often, those materials cannot be successfully or fully
enhanced through photographic or physical means.
• Chemicals provide additional methods of
enhancement, and an additional means of
recovering a more detailed impression.
• Several formulations exist for the chemical
enhancement of impressions.
– Depending on the method, the impression may either
absorb or react with those chemicals, resulting in an
increase in the contrast and visibility between the
impression and the surface.
 CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENT
• Many of the materials used in these procedures are
either flammable, are acids or corrosives, or have
toxic vapors.
– Therefore, as a matter of safety and general procedure,
all of these methods should be conducted under a
ventilated hood in the laboratory, or, if at the scene, with
other appropriate ventilation precautions, in order to
avoid the inhalation of vapors.
– Gloves, goggles, and a laboratory coat should be worn to
prevent contact of the chemicals with the skin, eyes, and
clothing.
– Similar precautions should be taken if applying any of
these chemicals at the scene of the crime.
 CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENT
• In addition, whenever using any chemical enhancement
method, the chemical reagent should be tested and be
determined to work properly each time it is mixed or used.
– Without utilizing this procedure, it would not be possible to
determine if a lack of enhancement was due to the absence of
an impression or the failure of the enhancement chemical.
• In some instances, the success of using certain
enhancement methods on a particular impression may be
unpredictable.
– It may then be desirable to test a small corner of the
impression, and/or the substrate, using the tip of a cotton swab
soaked with the enhancement chemical.
• In this way, it can be determined, in advance, whether that
particular method will have some success, or whether
another method may be a better choice.
 CHEMICAL METHODS
ENHANCEMENT OF RESIDUE IMPRESSIONS
• POTASSIUM THIOCYANATE
– One of the components commonly found in soil is trace amounts of iron.
– The technique of using potassium thiocyanate to provide a color reaction with
the iron in residue impressions.
– Reaction.
• Iron will react with thiocyanate ions in an acid solution. If iron is present in the residue of
footwear impressions, a positive reaction will result in a reddish-brown color.
• Iron is found in many residues in various concentrations, particularly in soil or mud. The
procedure works well for wet residue impressions and muddy impressions on all surfaces.
– Formulation for potassium thiocyanate.
» To 120 mL of acetone add 15 mL of water and 15 g of potassium thiocyanate.
» Mix thoroughly.
» Then slowly add 8.5 mL of dilute sulfuric acid.
» Note: Always add the sulfuric acid to the acetone/water mixture. Never add the
acetone/water mixture to the acid or it may explode!
» A milky mixture will result, which, if left standing for several minutes, will separate into
two layers.
» When the layers have separated, pour the top layer, which is clear, into a dark glass
bottle.
» This is the solution to be sprayed on the impressions.
» The reagent can be stored for months.
 CHEMICAL METHODS
ENHANCEMENT OF RESIDUE IMPRESSIONS
• POTASSIUM THIOCYANATE
An impression made by
wet muddy footwear on
cardboard [A].

The same impression as in

(A) after treatment with
potassium thiocyanate (B).

The residue or soil in the

impression contained iron,
which turned a reddish
color when treated.
 CHEMICAL METHODS
ENHANCEMENT OF RESIDUE IMPRESSIONS
• AMMONIUM THIOCYANATE
– Formulation
• Dissolve 2 g of ammonium thiocyanate in 90 mL of acetone.
• Add 10 mL of dilute nitric acid to the ammonium thiocyanate.
– No precipitation will result and, therefore, no separation is required as
with the potassium thiocyanate method.
• The entire mixture can be sprayed onto the impression.
– Procedure:
• The potassium thiocyanate or ammonium thiocyanate reagent is
lightly sprayed over the impression.
– The amount of spraying should be controlled to get the maximum
reaction without causing the impression to run or bleed. A fine mist or
spray procedure produces better detail than a heavy spray.
• The impression should then be photographed.
– Using a #58 or #61 green filter, combined with high contrast black-
and-white film, will sometimes help to further darken and enhance the
reddish-brown impression.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPER REACTION
• Physical developer, contains silver ions which are preferentially deposited on
fingerprints and footwear impressions containing certain components.
• Those components, although not specifically identified, are believed to be
waxy, oily, or fatty materials since they are not removed from the item in an
aqueous solution.
• Since it is possible to make impressions with new shoes rinsed with distilled
water, which subsequently can be developed with physical developer, the
physical contact could also be the cause of the reaction.
• Wet origin impressions seem to develop better than dry origin impressions.
– The distinct advantage of physical developer is that it works well after the
impressioned item has been wet or has been subjected to high humidity.
– Impressions may be developed on items that have been outside during
heavy rains, or have been submerged in water.
– It also works well on aged impressions.
– Another advantage is that physical developer is not effected by prior
treatment with iodine, ninhydrin, or potassium thiocyanate, thus allowing it
to be used after those methods.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPER
• Disadvantages of physical developer:
– Involves the meticulous preparation of several chemicals and the
fact that it must be mixed fresh.
– It requires large quantities of distilled or deionized water.
– It is extremely sensitive to contamination in the water.
– The glassware used for mixing and holding the physical
developer must be exceptionally clean and should be dedicated
for use in this process only. Any slight contamination of the
glassware or the chemicals, or any minerals in the water, could
ruin the reagent or interfere with the reaction.
– Prior to processing the paper items for impression evidence, they
should first be photographed. In particular, impressions that have
been developed with ninhydrin, iodine, or other chemicals
should also be photographed, since those impressions will be
washed away and lost in the physical developer processing.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER FORMULATION
• Four solutions are needed in the developing process.
– The maleic acid pre-wash solution is an important
separate step, and removes undesirable trace elements from
the paper.
• The physical developer comprises the remaining three
solutions:
– a redox solution,
– a stock detergent solution, and
– a silver nitrate solution.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER FORMULATION
• Maleic acid pre-wash solution.
– Make a 2.5% solution of maleic acid by adding 25 g to 1 I of distilled
water.
• Redox solution: part A.
– The redox solution is made by dissolving 30 g of ferric nitrate, 80 g of
ferrous ammonium sulfate, and 20 g of citric acid, one at a time in the
order given, in a clean beaker containing 900 mL of distilled water.
• Stock Detergent Solution: part B.
– To make the stock detergent solution, mix 4 g of N-dodecylamine
acetate with 1 I of distilled water. Stir thoroughly in solution. Add 4 g
of liquid Symperonic-N8 and stir thoroughly.
• Silver Nitrate solution: part C.
– To prepare the silver nitrate solution, mix 20 g of silver nitrate in a
clean beaker containing 100 mL of distilled water. Stir for 1 min with a
clean magnetic stirrer. If any solid material remains, continue stirring
until it dissolves.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPER PROCEDURE
• Add 40 mL of the stock detergent solution (part B) to the
beaker containing the 900 mL of the redox solution (part A)
and stir for 2 min.
• Add 50 mL of silver nitrate solution (part C) to the above
mixture, and stir for 2 min.
• After all have been dissolved, mix for another 5 min.
• Let stand 5 min before use.
– It is necessary to make up the physical developer solution fresh on the
day it is to be used.
– The solution may be used to process a certain quantity of items after
which it will become increasingly ineffective.
– Used solution should be thrown away and never reused.
– If the new solution turns dark in color, it is contaminated and should be
discarded.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPER
• Place the item to be processed in the maleic acid prewash
solution in tray 1 for 5 min.
– More than one item can be placed in the prewash at one time.
• Then transfer one item at a time to the physical developer
solution in tray 2.
– Gently agitate or rock the tray occasionally. Impressions will develop
slowly, appearing as gray images. After a while, the background will
also begin to turn gray. It is important to closely monitor the
development of each item so that it can be removed from the physical
developer solution when it reaches the maximum contrast with the
background.
• All of the solutions will have to be changed occasionally,
particularly if they become cloudy.
• If running distilled water is not available, the distilled water
trays will also have to be changed frequently.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER
A latent heel impression
was made on a piece of
white paper. The paper
was cut in half. The left
side remains untreated.
The right side was
treated with physical
developer which
developed a visible
impression (B).
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPER
Reprocessing Instructions

• Occasionally, reprocessing an item may result in further

enhancement with PD.
– Prior to reprocessing, all impressions must be photographed.
– The specimen should be washed in distilled or deionized
water to remove any residual chlorine from the tap water or
prior rinsing.
– The specimen is then placed in the PD working solution to
attempt to develop any weak prints. Rinse and dry as before,
and re-examine the prints.
– Frequently, PD prints can be enhanced by immersing the
specimen for several minutes in a solution of 25% household
laundry bleach and 75% distilled water. The bleach solution
may lighten the surface background without damaging the PD
prints.
 1,8-DIAZAFLUOREN-9-ONE (DFO)
• The treatment of wet or muddy footwear impressions with 1,8-
diazafluoren-9-one (DFO) after the impressions are lifted and
activated with a gelatin lifter can result in considerable enhancement
of those impressions.
• DFO, applied directly to a wet or muddy impression, has little or no
success in directly enhancing that impression.
• Procedure:
– Allow the impression to air dry, if it is not already.
– Lift the muddy or dirty print from the paper with a black gelatin lifter.
– A black gelatin lifter is used in the event the impression is of dry origin.
– The black color will then provide good contrast with the prints.
– As usual, if any portion of the impression lifts, it should be
photographed.
– During the contact of the gelatin lifter with the impression, the
impression will be activated, allowing for subsequent treatment with
DFO.
 1,8-DIAZAFLUOREN-9-ONE (DFO)
• The treatment with DFO must be performed
quickly after lifting the print with the black
gelatin lifter.
– Treat the paper with DFO, 15 min at 95°C, with
some humidity.
• Photograph the fluorescing DFO treated
impression.
– use 535-nm light from an ALS, with a barrier filter
of around 600 nm in front of the camera lens.
– Black-and-white or colour film can be used.
1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one (DFO)
• SAFRANIN -O
– Special photographic methods have been the traditional
method of recovering and enhancing impressions on pieces
of glass and plastic.
– Placing impressions on glass in front of a black background
and using an oblique light, allows, in most cases, for
excellent photographic enhancement and recovery of the
impression.
– If special photographic methods are not available or if
scratches or surface qualities of the glass should interfere
with the photography, a method, set forth below, using a
dye named Safranin-O may be used.
– The method can be used for wet and dirty or muddy
outsoles on glass, plastic, flooring, or other smooth, non-
absorbing surfaces.
• SAFRANIN O
– Preparation of Safranin O
• Dissolve 1 g of Safranin O in 1 l of distilled water.
– Procedure (Velders, 1997)
• First photograph the shoeprint on the material bearing
the mark.
• Lift the print with a black gelatin lifter and photograph
any impression which was successfully lifted.
• Pour the Safranin 0 solution over the original
impression, and allow the solution to stay in contact
with the impression for 2 min.
• Rinse the impression under distilled water.
• Allow the water to drain from the object, removing any
remaining water droplets with pressurized air.
• SAFRANIN-O
– Procedure:
• Apply a black gelatin lifter on the impression
and leave on for several minutes.
• Remove the lifter and photograph the
fluorescent print which remains on the lifter.
• Photography must be finished within 30 min
since the impression will be dispersed quickly
in the gelatin, resulting in loss of detail.
• Use a light source of 535 nm and a barrier filter
of 600 nm in front of the camera.
 SAFRANIN O

Muddy print on glass is A photograph of the fluorescing

photographed prior to print, after being Lifted with a black
treatment with Safranin 0 gelatin lifter and treated with
Safranin 0
• BROMPHENOL BLUE
– Bromphenol blue is a pH indicator which is
yellow at around pH 3.0 and blue at around
pH 4.6 and above.
– In some parts of the world, one of the trace
components of dust, and therefore the
residue on shoes, is calcium carbonate
(CaCO3).
– In the presence of small amounts of water
vapor, calcium carbonate appears to act as a
buffer on the bromphenol blue causing a
dust impression to turn blue.
 BROMPHENOL BLUE

• Formula:
– Prepare a 1% solution of bromphenol blue in
methylene-chloride.
• by adding 1 g of bromphenol blue to 100 ml of
methylene chloride.
– The formulation can also be purchased in a
pre-mixed aerosol spray can and is known
as “Blue”.
 BROMPHENOL BLUE PROCEDURE
• Adhesive lift method.
– When faint dry origin shoe prints are located on
smooth non-porous surfaces, those impressions may be
lifted with adhesive lifters.
– Lightly spray the lifted impression with the
bromphenol blue formula.
– Lifted prints containing calcium carbonate will react
by turning a blue color.
– This should be photographed immediately, since the
color reaction may extend from the print to the
background.
– It may be necessary to add humidity to the impression,
if a blue reaction is too weak or does not occur.
 BROMPHENOL BLUE PROCEDURE
• Spray method.
– It is also possible to spray dust impressions which may
react, but which cannot be lifted.
– A small area of the surface to be treated should be
tested first with the bromphenol blue solution.
– If the background turns blue, you should not proceed.
• it will obscure the impression you are attempting to enhance
and you should not proceed.
– If the background does not react,
• lightly spray the impression with a fine aerosol mist of the
bromphenol blue.
– A blue color will develop on a yellow background.
– If the environment be dry, add humidity to the
impression.
– The impression should then be photographed.
8-HYDROXYQUINOLINE REACTION
• 8-Hydroxyquinoline reacts with metal ions [calcium,
magnesium, iron, aluminum, and other metal ions] that may be
present in small amounts in the residue of the footwear
impression.
– A positive reaction causes fluorescence, which is detectable in the
ultraviolet light range.
– If either the surface or the impression, but not both, contains these ions
and fluoresces, the procedure may provide enhancement of the
impression.
– However, if both have a chemical composition that fluoresces, this may
interfere with any enhancement results.
• This procedure works well for the enhancement of footwear
impressions made by either wet or dry residue impressions
providing the residue contains metal ions.
8-HYDROXYQUINOLINE REACTION
• Formula
– Prepare a 0.5% solution of 8-
hydroxyquinoline.
• dissolve 0.5 g of 8-hydroxyquinoline into a 100-
ml solution consisting of 90 ml acetone and 10
ml distilled water.
8-HYDROXYQUINOLINE REACTION
• Procedure
– First test the impression and the substrate by lightly spraying a very
localized area of it or by touching a small part of the impression
with a cotton tipped stick which contains the 8-hydroxyquinoline
reagent.
– If the area touched fluoresces under ultraviolet light, continue the
procedure.
– Lightly mist the footwear impression with the 8-hydroxyquinoline
solution.
– Then view the impression under both shortwave and longwave
ultraviolet light.
– The fluorescing impression can be photographed with color or
black-and-white film using an ultraviolet light source, an
appropriate filter, and a long exposure.
 8-HYDROXYQUINOLINE REACTION

• Note:
– The 8-hydroxyquinoline should be fresh.
– This technique is best utilized for impressions on
raw wood, where photographic and lifting
techniques are not as successful or even possible.
– An application of 8-hydroxyquinoline with the tip
of a cotton swab to a small corner of the
impression, followed by viewing that area under
UV light, should first be made before treating the
entire impression.
 8-HYDROXYQUINOLINE REACTION

Residue impression of wet After a light spraying of 8-

origin on a piece of hydroxyquinoline, as viewed
unfinished wood. with ultraviolet light.
 CYANOACRYLATE FUMING
(SUPERGLUE)
• Cyanoacrylate fuming (CA), also known as superglue.
– It is well known for the purpose of enhancing latent
fingerprints.
• CA fuming, in itself, is actually a physical process,
– where the CA fumes physically adhere to the footwear
impressions or the substrate surrounding them.
• It has most success with wet origin impressions.
• Although the CA fuming process is normally followed
with an application of fingerprint powder, or
Rhodamine 6G and similar dyes.
• The powder or dyes adhere to the cyanoacrylates and
provide a much greater level of enhancement.
• CYANOACRYLATE FUMING (SUPERGLUE)
– Excellent results on impressions of wet origin on most non-
porous surfaces, particularly glass, ceramic tile, vinyl tile, and
plastic.
– The impressions were placed into a glass fuming cabinet. A heat
accelerated CA fuming method was used.
• by attaching an electric soldering iron to a small metal cup to which
several drops of CA liquid are added.
– Footwear impressions take longer to develop than fingerprints,
often requiring CA fuming in excess of 30 min.
– The best results were obtained when the impression was first
refrigerated for 15 min, followed by CA fuming, followed by
application of fingerprint powder.
– Similar results were also obtained on most surfaces when
refrigerated, followed by CA fuming, followed by treatment with
Rhodamine 6G dye, then viewed and photographed using an
alternate light source.
• Success with the Rhodamine 6G dye method was not good on vinyl
flooring, painted wood, and some metal sheeting, as the background of
those particular surfaces retained the dye and interfered with the overall
enhancement.
CYANOACRYLATE FUMING
(SUPERGLUE)
(B) wet origin impression on ceramic
tile, refrigerated for 15 min, then CA
fumed and followed by treatment with
white fingerprint powder.

(C) Impression on ceramic tile,

refrigerated for 15 min, CA fumed,
then treated with Rhodamine 6G and
photographed through a 550-to 600-
nm barrier filter with excitation from a
forensic light source in the 450 to 550
nm range.
• IODINE
– Iodine has long been used to develop fingerprints by reacting
with the grease or fat content of the prints.
– Footwear impressions can also contain materials that react
similarly with iodine.
• Small amounts of wax or oily substances are often accumulated on shoe
soles after walking over surfaces containing those substances.
– Iodine is also sometimes successful in enhancing footwear
impressions of wet origin.
– Iodine is not destructive and will eventually evaporate from the
stained impression.
– It is a good procedure to use on wet marks, prior to trying PD.
– Iodine vapour is absorbed by many fatty, oily, and other organic
materials.
– If those materials are present in a footwear impression, iodine
vapour will be absorbed and will enhance its visibility.
• Where the iodine is absorbed by these materials, the impression will
appear yellow to brown.
• IODINE
– This method is best suited for some impressions of wet
origin, as well as grease impressions and impressions of
wet origin on plastics.
– Re-moisturizing theses prints will improve the results.
– In the case of some materials, especially fabrics, a
strong background reaction may occur due to starches
or fillers.
• therefore, it may be desirable to test a small portion of the
background material prior to fuming.
– Dust or dry residue impressions and muddy impressions
are not successfully enhanced using this method.
• IODINE
– Procedure
• Fume the impression with iodine by placing it in an iodine
chamber.
• The iodine chamber can be an enclosed glass chamber
provided with a tight-fitting lid.
• The impression should be suspended in the chamber.
• A saucer or small tray of steaming water can be placed in the
chamber and a smaller saucer or tray containing iodine
crystals can be floated in the tray of steaming water.
• This will provide high humidity which will moisturize the
impression, and will also provide the necessary heat needed
to cause the iodine crystals to fume.
• A reaction should occur in a couple of minutes.
• Since the iodine reaction will weaken in time, immediately
follow the procedure by photography of any enhanced
impressions.
• ANTIMONY TRICHLORIDE
– Antimony trichloride has been a possible means of
enhancing footwear impressions on raw metal surfaces
that have a wet origin.
– The procedure involves placing a few grams of
antimony trichloride in a small dish in a fuming cabinet.
– The metal containing the impression is also placed in
the fuming cabinet.
– A negative impression will develop slowly as the
corrosive action of the antimony trichloride occurs at a
faster rate on the metal surfaces of the non impressioned
areas.
– Development can take from several hours to a day and
must be monitored.
• CHEMICAL METHODS FOR ENHANCEMENT OF
FOOTWEAR IMPRESSIONS IN BLOOD
– When blood is present at the crime scene, whether in large or
small quantities, the perpetrator often steps in that blood and
then leaves a succession of tracks ranging from heavy to light to
invisible.
– Chemical enhancement can be performed on bloody footwear
impressions on both porous and non-porous surfaces.
– Both visible impressions as well as latent bloody impressions
can benefit from the enhancement.
– All visible impressions should be photographed first, followed
by the enhancement procedure.
– Additional photographs of all successfully enhanced
impressions should then be taken.
– Many methods and materials will successfully develop and/or
enhance bloody footwear impressions.
– The selection of which particular method to use is important and
depends on the nature of the blood impression, the background
color(s) of the surface the impression is on, and the texture and
porosity of that surface.
• FIXING BLOODY IMPRESSIONS
[5-SULFOSALICYLIC ACID]
– Chemical fixing is a treatment to ensure that the bloody
impressions are not dissolved or washed away during the
enhancement process.
– Bloody impressions are naturally fixed through aging, but that
process can be quickened with either heat or chemical
treatment.
– Bloody impressions must be fixed to the substrate prior to any
chemical enhancement of those impressions unless the fixative
is included in the enhancement chemical formulation.
– Fresh bloody impressions can be damaged considerably and
totally destroyed if not fixed.
– Treatment with 5-sulfosalicylic acid is an effective, convenient,
and safe way to fix bloody impressions.
• FIXING BLOODY IMPRESSIONS
– To fix the impression, the impressioned item should be
immersed in a 2% aqueous solution of 5-sulfosalicylic acid
(20g/l water) for 10 min and then immersed in distilled water for
5 min.
– If the impressions are on a large surface, such as a tile floor, they
may be sprayed with the fixative solution.
– Most of the chemical reagents discussed hereafter have the 5-
sulfosalicylic acid fixative incorporated in their formulation.
– This allows for fixing of the impressions at the same time they
are being enhanced, and eliminates the need for a separate
treatment with the fixative.
– However, some methods, such as diaminobenzidine, do not have
the fixative in the formulation, and therefore must be fixed prior
to treatment.
• LEUCO CRYSTAL VIOLET
– Leuco crystal violet (LCV) is a clear solution that is
easy to apply to large surfaces via spraying.
– On contact with LCV, even in faint traces, blood turns
a dark violet color.
• When LCV and hydrogen peroxide come into contact with
hemoglobin or its derivatives, a violet colored dye (crystal
violet) is formed.
• This occurs through the catalyzed oxidation by peroxide.
– Since crystal violet has an affinity for proteinaceous
substrates,
– It will bind to the protein that has been fixed by the 5-
sulfosalicylic acid.
• LEUCO CRYSTAL VIOLET
– Formula
• A. Combine 10 g of 5-sulfosalicylic acid with 500 ml 3%
hydrogen peroxide and place into a 500-mL bottle.
• B. Place 1.1 g of leucocrystal violet in an amber 60 mL bottle.
• C. Place 4.4 g of sodium acetate in an amber 60 mL bottle.
• Working solution:
• Add approximately 30 ml of A to bottle B and shake for 3
min.
• Pour back into bottle A.
• Then add approximately 30 ml of A to bottle C and shake for
3 min.
• Pour contents back into bottle A.
• Shake bottle A thoroughly.
• The mixture is ready for application.
•LEUCO CRYSTAL VIOLET
 Items A, B, and C have a long shelf life.
 The working solution will last approximately 3 months, if
refrigerated.
 The same proportions can be mixed in larger quantities and
stored for applications in the laboratory.
 The LCV working solution must be stored in amber glassware
and refrigerated.
• Note: Once LCV crystals have turned yellow, they should not be used.
• Procedure:
– The solution may be applied by spraying with an aerosol or
pump sprayer, or by soaking the impression in LCV, or by
cascading the LCV over the impression’s surface with a squeeze
bottle.
– On non-porous surfaces, such as tile, and on porous surfaces,
when possible, the impression should be rinsed with water
approximately 2 to 3 min after the reagent has been applied.
– If spraying large carpeted surfaces, rinsing is not necessary.
Once enhanced, the impressions should be photographed.
LEUCO CRYSTAL VIOLET

• A piece of carpet with

bloody footwear
impressions (A) and

• The same carpet after

treatment with LCV (B).
 DIAMINOBENZIDINE (DAB)
• Diaminobenzidine (DAB) (3,3’-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride)
is converted to a dark brown insoluble product in the
presence of hydrogen peroxide as a result of the peroxidase
activity of the hemoglobin derivatives in blood.
• DAB cannot be mixed with a fixative, so the fixative must be
used on the impressions first, then followed by DAB
treatment.
 DIAMINOBENZIDINE (DAB) FORMULA
• Solution A
– (fixer) 2% 5-Sulfosalicylic acid (20 g of 5-sulfosalicylic acid
thoroughly dissolved in 1 l of distilled water).
• Solution B
– (buffer) Mix 100 ml of 1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) with 800 ml of
distilled water.
• Solution C
– (DAB) Dissolve 1 g of 3,3’-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride in
100 ml of distilled water.
• Solutions A and B can be stored in a dark bottle at room temperature indefinitely.
• Solution C can be stored in the freezer for 6 months.

• Working Solution
– Mix 180 ml of Solution B with 20 ml of Solution C and add 1 ml of
30% hydrogen peroxide.
• Note: The working solution should be mixed just prior to use. It is reusable for up to
3 days if refrigerated.
• DIAMINOBENZIDINE (DAB)
PROCEDURE
– SOAKING TECHNIQUE
• When the impression is on an item that is small enough
to be placed in the DAB solution:
– Immerse the item containing the bloody impression
in fixer (solution A) for approximately 4 min.
– Remove and rinse well with distilled water.
– Immerse the item in working solution for
approximately 4 min or until print is fully
developed.
» This should be monitored so the developed print can be
removed at the best time.
– Remove and rinse in distilled water.
 • DIAMINOBENZIDINE (DAB)
• PROCEDURE
– TOWEL OR BOTTLE
• Application For impressions that cannot be placed into a
tray or bath of DAB,
– Place a towel or tissue paper over the impression and
apply the fixer solution with a squirt or spray bottle.
– Remove air pockets from beneath the tissue to assure
all areas of impression are treated.
– Re-apply fixer by this method to keep the tissue wet
for 2 min.
– Remove tissue and rinse with distilled water.
– Apply DAB working solution using the towel
technique used to apply the fixer solution.
– Remove tissue and rinse in distilled water.
 DIAMINOBENZIDINE (DAB) PROCEDURE
• COMMENTS
– Cyanoacrylate fuming is detrimental to DAB processing.
– Ninhydrin has no effect on subsequent DAB processing.
– DAB does not react on items previously treated with LCV
or luminol.
– DAB is a clear, non-staining, non-destructive water-based
solution.
– DAB is particularly good on porous items such as sheets,
blankets, and other fabrics.
– No de-staining is necessary since there is minimal or no
background staining.
 AMIDO BLACK

• Methanol Based Reaction.

– Amido black (also known as amido 10B or naphthalene black) is
a protein stain that produces a dark blue-black color in
areas where blood is present.
– It is sensitive enough to provide development of blood
impressions where small trace amounts of blood are
present.
• Formula
– To make the staining solution, dissolve 2 g of amido black
in a solution consisting of 100 mL of glacial acetic acid and
900 mL of methanol.
– The rinsing solution consists of a mixture of 900 mL of
methanol and 100 mL glacial acetic acid.
 AMIDO BLACK
PROCEDURE

• Fix the impression with 5-sulfosalicylic acid and rinse.

• Stain a small area of the item containing the impression, but
which is separate from the impression, to check for
background staining.
– If background staining occurs and cannot be rinsed away, use a
different enhancement method.
• To proceed, treat the impression by saturating it with staining
solution.
– This can be done by immersing the item in a tray filled with the
solution or by passing the solution over the impressioned item.
 AMIDO BLACK
PROCEDURE

– The development time depends on the surface and the

impression. Sufficient staining normally occurs in less than
2 min.
– After staining, rinse the impression with the rinsing
solution.
– This helps to remove the stain from the nonimpressioned
background areas.
– Repeat the rinsing with water.
– Allow the impression to air dry.
– The impression can be re-stained to make darker, if
necessary.
 AMIDO BLACK
PROCEDURE

(A) (B) A piece of tile

that contained
left and right
footwear
impressions in
blood.

The same tile as

in treated with
an amido black
stain
 AMIDO BLACK — AQUEOUS BASED
Formula (with fixer)
• Mix by stirring and combining the listed ingredients in
the following order:
• Dilute this mixture to 1 l with distilled water. The shelf
life is very long.

500 mL Distilled water

20 g 5-sulfosalicylic acid
3g Amido 10B black
3g Sodium carbonate
50 mL Formic acid
50 mL Glacial acetic acid
12.5 mL Kodak photo flo 600 solution
 AMIDO BLACK — AQUEOUS BASED
• Procedure
– Stain a small corner of the evidence that is separate from the
impression to check for background staining.
• If background staining occurs and will not rinse away with water, use a
different enhancement method.
– If no significant background staining occurs, proceed to stain the
impression by immersing or soaking with staining solution for
approximately 3 to 4 min.
– Rinse the stained impression by immersing or soaking with tap
water for approximately 1 min.
• Comments
– The new aqueous-based amido black provides a safer means of
application at the crime scene than does the methanol-based
amido mixture.
– In addition, the aqueous-based amido black will not adversely
affect painted or varnished surfaces, which occasionally will be
destroyed with the methanol.
 USING WATER SOLUBLE PROTEIN DYES
• The water soluble dyes, react with the protein present in
blood to produce a colored product.
• They may prove to be useful if they stain the bloody
impression a color that is opposite the color of the
substrate.
– For instance, a bloody impression on a red surface stained with
Patent Blue will result in a green impression on a red surface.
– This could then be photographed with black-and-white film,
using a red filter.
– The red filter would darken the green impression while
lightening the red background.
• A small area of the object or surface being stained should
first be tested with the staining solution.
• If the background also stains, particularly in the case of
carpeting, it may obscure the impression you are trying to
enhance.
 USING WATER SOLUBLE PROTEIN DYES

• Patent Blue
– Dissolve 20 g of sulfosalicylic acid and 2 g of
Patent Blue V (VF) in 1 1 of distilled water.
– Bloody impressions will be stained a deep blue-
green.
 FUCHSIN ACID
• Dissolve 20 g of sulfosalicylic acid and 2 g of Fuchsin Acid in 1 1
distilled water.
• Bloody impressions will be stained a deep magenta color.
– Note: Impressions on both non-porous and porous surfaces
successfully stained with Fuchsin Acid may be transferred with a
gelatin lifter and then further enhanced with photography in the
ultraviolet light range .
• This is one possible method to consider if the background colors are
varied and prevent visual separation of the impression, such as in
the case of black and white tile or multicolored carpet.
• After application of the Fuchsin Acid, the print should be lifted with
a white gelatin lifter.
• The lifter should be allowed to remain on the print for 15 to 30 min.
• The lifted impression will fluoresce under UV light and can be
photographed with an appropriate filter.
• The lifter should be photographed within 30 min, since the lifted
impression will diffuse into the gelatin.
 TARTRAZINE

• Dissolve 20 g of sulfosalicylic acid and 2 g of

Tartrazine in 1 1 of distilled water.
• Bloody impressions will be stained a deep yellow.
• Procedure for All Three Dyes:
– Stain a small corner of the item to be treated and
rinse to check for any problem with background
staining.
– Stain the impression by spraying or immersing the
item in the dye solution, allowing it to remain in
contact for approximately 2 min.
– Rinse well with tap water and air dry.
 NINHYDRIN
• Reaction
– Ninhydrin reacts with the amino acids found in fingerprints.
– A positive reaction produces a dark color called Ruhemann’s
Purple.
– Although other methods are more commonly used, ninhydrin,
used in the laboratory, is used by some to enhance footwear
impressions in blood.
– Ninhydrin is commercially available in aerosol spray units.
• Procedure.
– The impressioned item is sprayed with ninhydrin.
– Allow the ninhydrin to evaporate and spray a second time if
necessary.
– Heat and steam can then be applied with a steam iron to speed
the development of the reaction.
– Because the ninhydrin spray is flammable, the heat should not
be applied until the ninhydrin has thoroughly dried.
 LUMINOL
• Luminol is a presumptive test for blood, dependent on the
peroxidase activity of hemoglobin derivitives found in blood.
• The luminol reaction is unique because it results in the production
of light (chemiluminescence) rather than color.
• It must be applied in total darkness.
• In crime scene applications, it enables the application over large
areas to search for blood.
• It should be noted that luminol is a water-based solution and blood
is water-soluble. Therefore, if a fixative is not used, this treatment is
destructive and subsequent processing with any remaining
impression will be affected.
• Short-lived reaction; and so it must be photographed in total
darkness,
• Luminol is used only to enhance footwear impressions when other
methods would not work as well.
 LUMINOL
• Formula
– Mix in a glass beaker until dissolved 0.1 g luminol
with 5 g sodium carbonate in 100 mL water.
– Just prior to using the mixture, add 0.7 g sodium
perborate and mix thoroughly.
– Once the luminol has been mixed, it has a very
limited life; therefore, it should be mixed just prior
to use.
– Luminol can also be obtained, pre-mixed, in a
small vial, to which only water must be added to
create a working solution.
 LUMINOL
• Procedure
– After mixing the luminol, ensure that the luminol formulation is
working properly by first spraying it on a known blood sample.
– Because the reaction is short lived and can only be seen in total
darkness, a special method of photography should be employed to
record the reaction.
– Most impressions that require this procedure are those with limited
quantities of blood, and they will only react once with the luminol
before being consumed or before the luminol dissolves the blood and
adversely affects the detail of the impression.
– If impressions located at the crime scene are totally saturated with
luminol, they may not react a second time for photographic recording.
• Therefore, when using luminol to initially screen general crime scene areas for
bloody impressions, spraying to locate footwear impressions should be done
with a very fine mist and as lightly as possible and should be discontinued as
soon as the impressions are first detected.
• Night vision goggles are of great assistance during this procedure because they
allow optimal detection and viewing of the luminol reaction with minimal
spraying.
– Areas found to contain footwear impressions should be marked.
– Re-processing of that area should then be accompanied by
photography.
 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE
• This procedure requires two persons to perform. Due to the
experience required to perform this successfully, it is recommended
that persons attempting this procedure practice it prior to working
on actual evidence. To photograph a footwear impression that is
being enhanced with luminol, the procedure, set forth below
should be followed:
– 1. Identify the specific area where the impression is located. Be aware
of the fact that the actual impression may occupy a larger area than its
visible portion. In other words, if only the heel area is visible, consider
the possibility that there may be an entire impression of the shoe that
will luminesce when treated.
– 2. Prepare a scale by taping two copper pennies on a piece of thin
card stock or on a ruler, with their edges a pre-measured distance
apart. Place the scale next to the impression. Do not place the scale
over an area that may potentially contain additional latent portions of
the impression. The copper in the pennies will luminesce when
treated with luminol. The distance between their edges can be used to
enlarge the photographic prints to a natural size. A scale that
fluoresces in the dark may also be used.
 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE
– 3. Select the camera and film. A larger format camera is
preferable; however, a 35-mm camera capable of manual focus
and equipped with a lens that can be focused from 2 to 4 ft is
suitable. The 35-mm format allows for a wider variety of film
choices. The camera must have the capability to keep the lens in
the open position for long exposures. The camera must be
equipped with a shutter cable release that can be locked to hold
the shutter open. Load the camera with black-and-white film
having an ISO of 400 or greater. If the impression is very faint or
has been previously treated, ISO 3200 film can be used.
– 4. Place the camera on a stable tripod over the area that is to
be photographed. Adjust the height of the camera so that the
impressioned area and the scale fill the frame. The camera
should be placed as close as possible to the impression, since
the amount of light being emitted is very small. This is
important since each time the camera distance from the
impression is doubled, four times the amount of light will be
required to give the same exposure.
 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCEDURE
– 5. The luminol mixture should be fresh and should
always be tested first on a non-evidentiary blood stain
to ensure that it is working.
– 6. Seal off all ambient light in the room so that the
photograph can be made in total darkness. Open the
shutter of the camera. Spray the impressioned area
lightly with a fine mist, but enough to get a strong
luminescence. If the impression’s luminescence begins
to weaken before the exposure time is over, re-spray
the impression. Avoid over-spraying the impression if
it continues to luminesce well. Experience will dictate
the proper amount of spraying and the time of
exposure necessary. Most exposure times run
between 30 sec to 2 min. Close the shutter before
turning the lights on.
 USE OF COMPUTERS COMPUTERS AND SCANNERS
• Use of Computers Computers and scanners can assist the footwear
impression examiner, particularly if specialized photographic
resources are not available.
• Image processors can both store and enhance images, can increase
contrast, and can be used to increase visualization of color images.
• The stored images on a computer can also be transferred to notes
or reports.
• Computers will play an increasingly important role in the analysis of
footwear impression evidence in the future.
• To provide greater contrast between the impression and its
background, the computer can scan a black-and-white photograph,
or a scanned image of an original impression, and recalculate the
gray level of each picture point on the computer screen.
• Computers are also used to increase the visualization of color
photographs of impressions, allowing for easier examination and
demonstration.
 USE OF COMPUTERS COMPUTERS AND SCANNERS
• Computers have also been used to correct the perspective in
photographs in which the film plane was not parallel to the
footwear impression
• In addition, the photograph has poor contrast and there is no scale
in the photograph. By improving the contrast and rotating the
impression, a better use of the image in the photograph can be
used for comparison. In this case, only limited design features are
partially recovered. The lack of a scale in the photograph precludes
any consideration of size. Computer enhancement procedures work
differently from case to case and do not always provide the desired
results. The use of computers and special rectifying photographic
enlargers to improve the information in otherwise limited
photographs may allow better utilization of that information. It will,
however, never provide the same information that would be
present had the photograph been properly taken from directly over
the top of the impression with a scale next to it. The proper
procedures for taking examination quality photographs, as set forth
in this book, should always be followed.
USE OF COMPUTERS COMPUTERS AND SCANNERS
 Reference
• Footwear Impressions Evidence Detection,
Recovery, and Examination Second Edition by
William J. Bodziak CRC Press.