CHAPTER 6

CHEMICAL ASPECT OF DUCUMENT

EXAMINATION
 At first impression it seems that the examination of questioned documents is
hardly within the province of a forensic chemist, but if we consider the fact that
the essential materials in a document examination of any kind are the paper and
ink or pencil, and the chemical examination of inks, erasure, alterations and
sequence or writing are often21 associated with such examination, it will be very
evident that there is a large amount of purely chemical work in document
examination.

DUCUMENT

An original or official written or printed-paper furnishing information or used

as a proof of something else. Is any object that contains have written or
typewriting markings whose source or authenticity is in doubt.
 PACKING PRESERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION OF
DOCUMENTS

Documents are precious things and therefore should be treated accordingly.

1. Documents should be handled, folded and marked as little as possible.
2. If folding is necessary to send to the laboratory, the full should be made
along old line. Placed it in Manila paper envelope or brown envelope since it
is sufficiently hard paper or it can be placed in a transparent plastic envelope.
3. On reset the document should be placed between two sheets of plain white
paper in a folder.
4. Document should not be touch with pencil, pen or anything that could be
possible marked hem.
 THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED DUCUMENTS

Examination and Comparison of Paper

The essential materials in a document examination of any kind are the paper and ink
or pencil or writings. The examination of paper may be necessary if we want to
know the age of the document, the presence of alterations, erasers and other forms of
forgery.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THR ANALYSIS OF PAPER

1. Determination of whether two piece of paper originated from the same source.
2. Determination of the probable age of paper.
3. Determination of the composition of the paper.
 THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED DUCUMENTS

1. Fiber Composition - Practically all papers may be classified from the

standpoint of their basic fiber composition in two sets of fiber mixture namely:
a. Mechanical pulp - ground wood sulfite mixture this is pulp from
coniferous and dicotyledonous wood in combination with sulfide chemical pulp
from conifers.
b. Soda- sulfite mixture - chemical pulp from dicotyledonous woods.
c. Rag sulfite - cotton rug linen rag.

2. Sizing Material-added to paper to improved its texture. Examples of sizing

materials are rosin, casein, gelatin and starch.
3. Loading Material -added to paper to give weight. It partially fills the pores
between the fibers of the papers. Examples of loading materials are calcium
sulfate and barium sulfate.
Substances Used for Writing
Egyptian papyrus- one of the earliest substances used for writing. It is from the
name papyrus that the word paper was derived. After papyrus came parchment and
velum then linen rag followed by mixture of linen and cotton or cotton only. Paper
made from a variety of fibrous materials that started about the middle of the 19th
century.
a. 1800 straw was first used.
b. Between 1845 and 1880 - from soda wood pulp
c. 1869-from mechanical wood pulp d. Between 1880 and 1890 - from sulfite
wood pulp
At present a thin sheet of matted or felted vegetable fiber (usually wood pulp) with
filler as clay and sizing material as rosin or starch.
 THE EXAMINATION OF PAPER

The examination and comparison of paper may determine the following:

1. The age of the paper as compared with the age of known document.
2. Whether a paper is identical with or different from another paper whose history
is known.
3. Whether two sheets of paper of the same manufacturer were made at the same
time. In this case we have to know when the form was printed or when the paper
was first made that bears a particular mark.
THE FOUR TESTS FOR PAPER
1. Preliminary examination
2. Physical test causing no perceptible change
3. Physical test causing a perceptible change
4. Chemical test
 Preliminary Examination- deals with the appearance of the document and the
following are observed:
1. Folds and creases
2. Odor
3. Impression caused by transmitted light-gives indication of color, translucency
where tampering is made, change in tint which indicates substitution of sheets
of paper, watermarks and wire marks.
4. Presence of discoloration in daylight and under the ultraviolet light.

Watermark - if present is one of the most important features in the comparison of

paper. It is distinctive mark or design placed in the paper at the time of its
manufacture, by a roll usually covered with wire cloth known as dandy roll which
serves as a means whereby the paper can be identified as the product of a particular
manufacturer.
Wiremark - Marks produced on paper by the flexible wire soldered to the surface of the dandly roll that carries
the watermark.

 Physical Test Causing No Perceptible Change - a test applied on paper without perceptible changing or
altering the original appearance of the document.

a. Measurement of length and width - to indicate that they originated from the same manufacturer if two
pieces are found to be exactly the same.
b. Measurement of thickness c. Measurement of weight/unit area
c. Measurement of weight/unit area
d. Color of the paper-it is closely related to its brightness. A side-by-side comparison maybe made in well-
diffused light. Observation of color is influenced by the texture, gloss, finish, type of illumination and the
element of human error.
e. Texture
f. Gloss-gloss and texture maybe determined by visual observation in good daylight or under different kinds of
illumination.
g. Opacity-the quality of paper that does not allow light to pass through or which prevents dark objects from
being seen through the paper.
h. Microscopic examination/inspection - for possible presence of dirt, foreign particles, imperfections,
wiremarks or certain unusual fibers. These maybe a deciding factors in determining whether or not the same
manufacturer made two pieces of paper.
 Physical Examination Causing a Perceptible Change - this is done only if sufficient
samples are available and if prior authorization from the court is required his can be
done.
a. Bursting strength or "Pop" test - the apparent pressure necessary to burst a hole in a
sheet when property inserted in a suitable instrument.
b. Folding endurance test- it is obtained on an instrument that registers the number of
alternate folds the paper will stand before breaking.
c. Accelerated aging test- there are some methods of aging a document artificially
namely:
1. soaking in coffee solution
2. soaking in tea solution
3. exposure to charcoal
4. ironing
5. heating in an oven
6. exposure to ultraviolet light
d. Absorption test- maybe made to determine either the rate of absorption or the total
absorption of the paper. A strip of paper is suspended in water or ink or other liquid.
 Chemical Test- this test determines the fiber composition, the loading material
and sizing material used in the paper.

A. Fiber composition-the examination is purely microscopic and it determines the

material used and nature of processing. This maybe determined by boiling a small
piece of the document in 5% sodium hydroxide. The liquid poured off and the
fragment of paper washed and teased out on a glass slide and stained with the
following and the color observed under the microscope.
Reagents:
a. 2 grams potassium iodide, 1.5 grams iodine, 2ml glycerine and 20 ml water
b. 1) 20 grams zine chloride and 10 ml water 2) 2 grams potassium iodide, I gram
iodine and 5 ml water Mix 1 and 2 allow the mixture to stand and decant clear
supernatant liquid for use, the solution is zine chloriodine)
c. 1 gram phloroglucine, 25 ml water and 5 ml cone HCL
d. 10% solution of aniline sulfate
 B. Sizing material - the sizing materials maybe tested by:

Procedure and Results:

1. Gelatine - is extracted be boiling the paper in water. The solution is tested with dilute
tannic acid solution. Positive result is yellow precipitated.
2. Rosin- this is extracted by heating the paper on a water bath with 95% alcohol. The
solution obtained is evaporated to dryness and the residue dissolved in acetic
anhydride, cooled, transferred to a porcelain dish and strong sulfuric acid is added.
Positive result is reddish-violet color that quickly changes to red brown.
Simple test for rosin-Place a few drops of ether on the paper and if rosin is present a
brown ring will be formed when ether evaporates.
3. Starch-add a dilute iodine solution on the paper. Blue color is produced if
starch is present.
4. Casein- it can be detected by addition of Millon's reagent on the paper. Pink
color appears if casein is present.
 THE ANALYSIS OF INK

Some of the most important questions that arise in the analysis of ink are:

1. Whether the ink is the same or like or different in kind from ink on other
parts of the same document or on other documents.
2. Whether two writings made with the same kind of ink were made with
identical ink, or inks of different qualities or in different conditions.
3. Whether an ink is as old as it purports to be. 4. Whether documents of
different dates or a succession of differently dated book entries show natural
variations in ink writing or whether the conditions point to one continuous
writing at one time under the same condition.
 TYPES OF INK

1. Gallotanic ink or iron-nutgall ink (blue) - today the most frequently used ink
for making entries in record books and for business purposes. Gallotonic ink is
made of a solution of iron salt (ferrous sulfate) and nutgall (iron gallotannate).
This ink can penetrate into the interstices of the fiber and not merely on the
surface thus making its removal more difficult to accomplish. The color changes
undergone by this ink in the process of oxidation provides a valuable means of
estimating the approximate age of the writing.

Blue-with the naked eye; very recent

Violet-less recent
Black-still less recent
 Changes Undergone by Gallotonic Ink:

a. First reaching a maximum degree of blackening within the first year or two.
b. Then fades gradually over a period of many years until only a rust colored deposit
remains.

This period of time can be stated only approximate since the oxidation processes are retarted
or accelerated according to the degree of atmospheric humidity, the light the quality of the
ink itself, the paper, the condition of blotting, condition of storage, etc.

2. Logwood ink (black) - the color is dependent on the inorganic salt added, but on drying
and standing they turn black. It is made of saturated solution of logwood to which very
small amount of potassium dichromate is added. Hydrochloric acid is added to prevent
formation of precipitate. Phenol is added as preservative. The ink is inexpensive, does
not corrode steel pen. Will not washed off the paper even fresh, flows freely.
3. Nigrosine ink or aniline ink (blue black or purple black) - made of coal tar product
called nigrosine dissolved in water. It easily smudge, affected by moisture, maybe washed
off from the paper with little difficulty.
4. Carbon ink or Chinese ink or India ink - the oldest ink material known. Today, finely divided carbon
is held in colloidal suspension and used to produce deep black drawing and writing ink. Made of carbon in
the form of lampblack. Does not penetrate deeply into the fibers of the paper so that it may easily be washed
off. Not affected by the usual ink testing reagents.
5. Colored writing ink - today most all colored inks are composed of synthetic aniline dyestuffs dissolved
in water. In certain colored inks ammonium vanadate is added to render the writing more permanent.
6. Ballpoint pen ink - made of light fast dues solution in glycol type solvents like carbital, glycol or eleic
acid. Paper Chromatography can best analyze this ink.

TEST FOR INK

The different classes of ink may be determined by many different methods such as the use of reagents on the
ink lines, the spectrographic method and the photographic method. For our purpose only the physical and
chemical methods will be discussed.

1. Physical Method/Test - applied to determine the color and presence of alterations, erasures,
destruction of sizes with the use of stereoscope, handlens and microscope.
Chemical Test or Spot Tests - simple test wherein different chemicals or reagents are applied on the ink
strokes and the chemical reactions or characteristics color reactions or other changes in the ink are observed.
THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INKS:
Reagent Gallotonic ink with Gallotonic ink without Logwood Nigrosine Carbon
provisional color provisional color

5%HCI Blue Disappear with slight yellow Red Maybe samuged No effect or smuged with
color blotter

10% oxalic acid Blue Disappear Violet-red Maybe samuged No effect or smuged with
blotter

Tartaric acid Blue Disappear Light brown Maybe samuged No effect or smuged with
blotter

2%NaOH Reddish-brown Reddish-brown Brown Runs, dark violet at edge No effect or smuged with
blotter

10% NaOH Disappear Disappear Disappear Brown No effect or smuged with

blotter

Chlorine water Disappear Disappear Disappear Brown No effect or smuged with

blotter

K Fe(CN) Blue Blue Red No effect No effect or smuged with

(a) blotter

KCNS Red Red No effect No effect or smuged with

(a) blotter
Note: (a) After iron has been dissolved by a drop of HCI

DETERMINATION OF APPROXIMATE AGE OF DOCUMENT

1. Age of ink-no definite procedure which can be given for this determination except
when the color is black, because on the observation that within a few hours the color of ink
writings becomes darker the dye contained therein is influenced by the light of the room,
oxygen of the air, acidity or alkalinity of the paper.

There are several methods of determining the degree of oxidation of the ink writing and
apparently these methods depend upon:
a. Physical phenomena such as matching the color of the ink writing with standard colors
or with itself over a period of time.
b. Chemical reaction that may reveal some information concerning the length of time the
ink has been on the paper.

2. Age of paper
c. Through watermarks
d. In certain cases from the composition of paper
 OTHER ASPECT OF DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

The detection and deciphering of illegible writing is one of the major problems in document
examination.

Illigible writing -is unnecessary writing which is not capable of being read usually made on
checks, birth certificate, passports and transcript of records.

Example of Illigible writing:

1. Ensures - the removal of writing from the paper. It can be made mechanically or chemically.
2. Obliteration - the obscuring of writing by superimposing ink, pencil or other marking
materials.
3. Sympathetic ink- substances used for invisible writing.
4. Indented writing - term applied to the partially visible depression appearing on a sheet of
paper underneath the one that the visible writing appears.
5. Writing on carbon paper remember that used sheets of carbon paper can be made readable.
6. Contact writing - blank paper may contain traces of ink because of previous contact with
some writings.
 GROUP MEMBERS

ALTHEA U PALTENG
CHERIE R MEDINA
DENVER SHANE D MABBAYAD
FREJERIX G LEANO
JOHN PAUL G LEANO
JONTHAN P NICOLAS
LEA B OBUNGEN
MELFORD JOHN M PAGUYO
MELODY B MALITING
RHODYDAVE MAXIMO