NCJ Number
200416
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 53 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2003 Pages: 297-303
Editor(s)
Alan L. McRoberts
Date Published
May 2003
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study monitored the inhalation exposure of fingerprint technicians to commercial fingerprint powders routinely used in the Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS) of the Israel National Police and compared the amount inhaled by the technicians to the threshold limit values.
Abstract
This study examined the potential health hazards faced by crime scene technicians with the Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel National Police through inhalation exposure to various powders used in the development of latent fingerprints. The composition of three fingerprint powders routinely used by the DIFS, silver gray, black, and black magnetic, were evaluated. Also, the inhalation exposure of the technicians was evaluated using the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLV). In monitoring the exposure, simulated crime scenes were prepared by the Israel National Police and processed for fingerprints by three DIFS technicians. Results show: (1) fingerprint powders measured demonstrated safe working environments and (2) the cumulative exposure of the technicians to the mixture of the three powders was 23 times lower than the threshold. Tests are intended to be extended to other chemicals used by DIFS technicians. References