Using a vacuum chamber is perhaps the best technique for many surfaces when applying Cyanoacrylate vapors.

Cyanoacrylate (CA) Vacuum

Why Use a Vacuum Chamber

Processing evidence for latent fingerprint impressions by using cyanoacrylate in a vacuum environment reduces the atmospheric pressure and allows the glue to develop latent prints on items of different sizes and shapes, and penetrates inside plastic bags and small crevices. Processing in a vacuum will eliminate the background noise and allow the cyanoacrylate to attach to the latent print residue while eliminating over development of the evidence. 

      Testing + Validating CA Vacuum Chambers

      A way to test CA Vacuum Chambers is with a test print on tin foil, place it in a tape sealed plastic baggie, and place the baggie into a tape sealed paper envelope. The test print will develop within 30 minutes. For an example, take a stack of 100 CD's, place a print on both sides, leave them stacked and every print will develop on both sides within 30 minutes.

          Capabilities of the Vacuum Chamber

          There is no heat source and no need to separate, un stack, open, remove, or un bunch items prior to processing with superglue under vacuum. Superglue vapors pass through sealed plasticbags, paper bags, and sealed cardboard boxes.

           

          Superglue under vacuum is in a way the same concept as when Latent Print Examiners started using an oven instead of an iron when processing with DFO and Ninhydrin. 

           

          No need to separate items such as:

          • Latex gloves 
          • Bullets in ammo magazines
          • Bullets and casings in a cardboard box or a paper bag
          • Plastic packaging material 
          • Plastic drug baggies all together and inside other plastic bags
          • CD’s in plastic CD cases or CD organizers
          • Duct tape, packaging tape, and electrical tape bunched up
          • Plastic shopping and garbage bags 
          • Miscellaneous semi porous paper items
          • Loose tools in a tool bag or in the original case

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