TY - JOUR
T1 - A review on rehydrating solutions for fingertips in dried decomposed bodies
AU - Prabhakaran, Praveena
AU - Bakkannavar, Shankar M.
AU - Nayak, Vinod C.
AU - Bhat, Vinutha R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2025/7
Y1 - 2025/7
N2 - In forensic science, fingerprint analysis remains one of the most reliable methods for identifying individuals. However, this becomes challenging when dealing with decomposed bodies. Although various techniques are available, there is still a lack of a methodology that yields results quickly, particularly for retrieving and rehydrating mummified fingertips. Mummified tissue presents unique challenges for fingerprinting due to its rigidity, shrinkage, and other features that obscure epidermal ridge detail. This article overviews the rehydration solutions currently used to restore fingerprint details. These solutions include sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, ethanol, and recent advancements such as citric acid and specialized tissue conditioners. The efficacy of each solution is discussed in terms of effectiveness and the time required for rehydration. By summarizing these approaches, this article aims to inform forensic practitioners of the available techniques for rehydration and explore future prospects in this field.
AB - In forensic science, fingerprint analysis remains one of the most reliable methods for identifying individuals. However, this becomes challenging when dealing with decomposed bodies. Although various techniques are available, there is still a lack of a methodology that yields results quickly, particularly for retrieving and rehydrating mummified fingertips. Mummified tissue presents unique challenges for fingerprinting due to its rigidity, shrinkage, and other features that obscure epidermal ridge detail. This article overviews the rehydration solutions currently used to restore fingerprint details. These solutions include sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, ethanol, and recent advancements such as citric acid and specialized tissue conditioners. The efficacy of each solution is discussed in terms of effectiveness and the time required for rehydration. By summarizing these approaches, this article aims to inform forensic practitioners of the available techniques for rehydration and explore future prospects in this field.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100399
DO - 10.1016/j.fsir.2024.100399
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85212553131
SN - 2665-9107
VL - 11
JO - Forensic Science International: Reports
JF - Forensic Science International: Reports
M1 - 100399
ER -