CHESAPEAKE BAY DIVISION - IAI
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Conferences
  • Seminars
  • Webinars
  • Students
  • Resources
  • Vendors
  • Job Opportunities/Training
  • Interactive Chemical Reagent Program
  • ACE-V Methodology

5-MTN

Back to Start

Development Color:
Picture
Vertical Divider
Method to Record:
Picture
Vertical Divider
Hazard:
Picture
Picture
Vertical Divider
Protective Clothing: 
Picture
Vertical Divider
 Fume Hood Use:
Picture

Formula
Procedure of Application
Development Complete When
Source of Error
Incompatibilities
Precautions
Storage Container
Safety
Recommendations
Similar Reagent
Sequential Reagent
Formula
  1. 3 g of 5-MTN crystals
  2. 1000 ml petroleum ether








​



​
Procedure of Application
1.
a) Submerge item in reagent - 5 seconds.
b) Brush solution onto item - until coated.
c) Spray solution onto item - until coated.
2. Heat up to 80 degrees C & humidity exposure @ 60% - 70% relative humidity. Monitor for development, or use a steam iron.
3. Photograph the developed detail using a green-colored (Wratten #58) filter.
4. View non-Zinc chloride latent prints under a Forensic Light Source at 530 nm using no barrier filter.
5. Item may be treated with Zinc chloride (see Zinc chloride pg.) View under a Forensic Light Source at 530 nm using orange barrier filter.

Development Complete When
The ridge detail becomes visible as a purple color, and the item's background begins to stain a purple color.

When treated with Zinc chloride, the ridge detail turns a reddish-purple color.


​






​
Source of Error
Expired working solutions may be inadequate for proper ridge detail development.








​


​
​
Incompatibilities
Not suited for non-porous surfaces, or, for items which have been water-soaked.

Surfaces that have high animal or plant protein content such as leather and currency will produce extensive background development.






​

​
Precautions
The developed ridge detail dissipates slowly, so photograph any developed ridge detail deemed suitable.

Some solvents (acetone) will cause the ink on documents to run. 

​


​




​
Storage Container
Dark stoppered glass bottles.


​










​
Safety
Fume hood use is required for reagent preparation and application. 
​






​​

​


​
Recommendations
The fluorescence of 5-MTN / Zinc chloride ridge detail is reportedly stronger than for DFO treated items.







​
​



​
Similar Reagent
  • D.F.O.
  • 1,2-Indanedione
  • Ninhydrin

​








​
Sequential Reagent
Not Necessarily in this Order:
  • Physical Developer
  • Silver Nitrate
  • Sodium Hydrochlorite
  • Zinc Chloride








​
Vertical Divider
Chemical Name
5-MTN
​Surface Used On
Porous surfaces, especially paper and cardboard
​
Sensitive To
Amino Acids Components
​
Abridged Reagent Sequence
  1. Visual Examination
  2. Forensic Light
  3. D.F.O.
  4. 5-MTN
  5. Zinc chloride
  6. Forensic Light
Vertical Divider
Ridge Detail Visualized by:
Visible chemical/stain reaction​

​Reagent Applicabilities:

Porous Surfaces

Other Chemical Name(s):

5-Methylthioninhydrin

Working Solution Shelf-life:

Twelve (12) months

Process Summary:
A reagent for processing paper evidence that is similar to ninhydrin, also developing purple colored ridge detail. Reportedly, this reagent's purple color is stronger than is ninhydrin's Ruhemann's purple. 5-MTN latent prints post-treated with Zinc chloride become more fluorescent than DFO's luminescence. ​

Accepted Deviations:
Ohter alcohol solvents can be used. ​

Address
Chesapeake Bay Division - International Association for Identification   

P.O. Box 71804, 
Henrico, VA 23255
Email
cbdiaisec@gmail.com
Technical Problems
Problem with website?

Please contact:
Da-il Kim, Webmaster
cbdiaiwebm@gmail.com
Social
Copyright © Company. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Conferences
  • Seminars
  • Webinars
  • Students
  • Resources
  • Vendors
  • Job Opportunities/Training
  • Interactive Chemical Reagent Program
  • ACE-V Methodology