EXPERIMENT 1: FORENSIC FIBER ANALYSIS

OBJECTIVE

- To analyze and experience fiber analysis methods in forensic

investigations.
- To examine tears and damages in the clothes and to relate them
with the type of weapon that has caused them.

INTRODUCTION

A fiber is the smallest unit of textile material that has a length many times
greater that its diameter. Fiber can occur naturally as plant and animal
fiber, but they can also be man-made. It can be spun with other fibers to
form a yarn that can be woven or knitted to form a fabric. The type and
length of fiber used, the type of spinning method and the type of fabric
construction all affect the transfer of fibers and the significance of fiber
associations.

Natural fibers and manmade fibers are the two types of fibers. Natural
fibers are occurs in both plants and animals. More than half of the fibers
produced are natural fibers. Cotton, hair, fur, silk and wool are the type of
natural fibers. Meanwhile, manmade fiber can be categorized in two types;
regenerated or natural-polymer fiber and synthetic-polymer fiber.
Regenerated or natural fibers are made from natural materials by
processing these materials to form a fiber structure. The most common
regenerated fibers were rayon and acetate. Synthetic-polymer fiber is
made entirely from chemicals and usually stronger that either natural or
regenerated fibers. Besides that, synthetic fiber will melt if touched with
too hot iron. The most widely used kinds of synthetic fibers are nylon
(polyamide), polyester, acrylic and olefin.

Fibers may become important evidence in incidents that involve personal

contact such as homicide, assault or sexual offenses in which cross-
transfers may occur between the clothing of suspect and victim. Similarly,
the force of impact between a hit and run victim and a vehicle often leaves
fibers, threads or even whole pieces of clothing adhering to parts of the
vehicles. Fibers may also become fixed in screens or glass broken in the
course of a breaking and entering attempt. Regardless of where and under
different conditions fibers are recovered, their ultimate value as forensic
evidence depends on the criminalists ability to narrow their origin to a
limited number of sources or even to a single source.

PROCEDURE

PART A

1. The known fiber samples were studied under 50x and 100x low
power microscopes bright fields and fluorescence field.
2. Any pits or striations on the fibers were noted.
3. The visual differences between the manmade (polyester) fibers and
natural (cotton) fibers. The color of each as part of this investigation
was noted down.
4. The unknown fibers samples were studied under both objectives and
any pits or striations on the fibers were noted.
5. The known samples were matched to the unknown samples based
on the comparisons.

PART B

1. The Bunsen burner was lighted up.

2. The burning characteristics of each of the known fibers as well as
the unknown fibers were noted down. The observations were
recorded in the data table.
i. The fiber was held in the forceps, brought closed to Bunsen
burner but not touched the flame. The fibers behavior was
described as it approached the flame.
ii. The fiber was held in the forceps, touched the fiber to the
flame.
iii. The fiber was removed from the flame and described the
behaviors.
iv. Any odor associated with the fiber in a flame was recorded.
 v. The kind of residue that left after the fiber was removed from
the flame was observed.

PART C

1. A piece of cloth was stretched onto a wooden block and chopped

with a chopper knife.
2. A piece of cloth was stretched on a sand bag or sand filled container
and created a tear by stabbing with a knife.
3. A piece of cloth was stretched on a sand bag or sand filled container
and created a tear by stabbing with a knife having sharp edges on
both sides.
4. A piece of cloth was placed on the tip of a sharp nail projecting from
a wooden plank and stretched the cloth until the tear was created.
5. A piece of cloth was stretched leaving its lower side unsupported.
The slashed movement was made with a razor blade and the tear
was created.
6. A piece of cloth was stretched onto a smooth wooden plank and the
cloth was smashed using a rough granite stone until a ragged, a
tattered tear was created.
7. The two ends of a sufficiently long piece of cloth were held by two
individuals and the cloth was forcibly stretched until a tear was
produced.

Data Table Part A Examination of Known Fibers Under a Microscope

Type of fiber Visual description Sketch

under fluorescence
field
Known 1 -the fiber not shinny
( 100% cotton ) -0% fluorescence

Known 2 -the fiber become

(80% cotton & 20% shinny
polyester) -85% fluorescence

-the fiber become a

Unknown 1 little bit shinny
- 40% fluorescence

the fiber become a

Unknown 2 little bit shinny
- 35% fluorescence

Type of fiber Visual description Sketch

under bright field
4x magnification (whole
 -the fiber showed a fiber)
knit weave pattern.
Unlike a weave where
Known 1 one set of threads
( 100% cotton ) crosses a second set of
threads, a single
thread is looped over
and over.
10x magnification
(single
fiber)

10x magnification
-The fiber showed a (whole fiber)
loose plain weave
pattern. It is because it
Known 2 has the same over
(80% cotton & 20% under pattern as the
polyester) tight plain weave
pattern but there is
space between the
parallel.

40x magnification
(single fiber)
 4x magnification (whole
-The fiber showed a fiber)
tight plain weave
pattern. It is because
Unknown 1 each thread going over
then under each
crossing thread. A
"tight" pattern means
that parallel threads
are tight to each other
(no space between
them). 10x magnification
(single fiber)

-The single fiber was

brown in color.

10x magnification
-The fiber showed a (whole fiber)
loose plain weave
pattern. It is because it
Unknown 2 has the same over
under pattern as the
tight plain weave
pattern but there is
space between the
parallel.
40x magnification
(single fiber)
Data Table Part B Behavior of Fibers in a Flame

Type of fiber Known 1 Known 2 Unknown 1 Unknown 2

Approaching Curl shape A bit late to Not curl, not Not curl, not
Flame forming a ignite even ignite even
curl shape not melt not melt
(no effect) (no effect)
In The Flame Ignite slowly Ignite quickly Ignite slowly Ignite slowly
Not sputter, Sputter and Not sputter, Not sputter,
melt even melt melt even melt even
drip drip drip
Removed Continue to Continue to Continue to Continue to
from The burn burn burn burn
Flame
Odor Smell like Smell like Smell like Smell like
plastic vinegar paper paper
Residue Fluffy ash A hard bead Grey ash Grey ash

DISCUSSION

In this experiment, known fiber 1 from 100% cotton, known fiber 2 from
80% cotton and 20% polyester, unknown fiber 1 and unknown fiber 2 were
used for the further analysis. The objective of this experiment was to
analyze and experience fiber analysis methods in forensic investigation.
The fibers were examined under compound light microscope and
fluorescence, by looking at their behavior in a flame and also by cut and
damage using different object such as chopper knife, single edged knife,
double edged knife, sharp nail, razor blade and damage by tear.

Known fiber 1 which is 100% cotton showed the knit pattern under the
compound light microscope. Knit is a loop passing through a loop pattern.
Unlike a weave where one set of threads crosses a second set of threads, a
single thread is looped over and over. Since this fiber was not shinny under
the fluorescence microscope, its mean that the fiber was not fluorescence.
Meanwhile, known fiber 2 which is 80% cotton and 20% fluorescence
showed a loose plain weave pattern. This pattern has the same under
pattern with tight plain weave pattern but there was space between the
parallel. As a general rule of thumb, if the space between the threads was
at least as large as the width of the thread then it considered as a loose
pattern. Under the fluorescence this kown fiber become shinny and and
shown about 85% fluorescence.

From the burning test, both unknown fiber 1 and unknown fiber 2 have
less similarity either with known fiber 1 or known fiber 2. The odorand the
shape when approaching flame of these unknown fibers showed the
highest different with the known fibers. But the result based on residue in
which produced ash after the burning the fiber showed that unknown fiber
2 have a bit similarities with known fiber 1. It means that unknown fiber 2
maybe from some of cotton.

An investigator might identify the unknown fibers from a crime scene

because fibers are one of the several pieces of forensic evidence known as
trace evidence. Besides that he or she needs to compare the evidence at
the crime scene with the evidence from the victim or suspects. If the
unknown fibers were matched with a specific source (fabric from victim,
suspect and scene) a value was placed on that association.

Furthermore, criminal investigator should become more aware of the

potential contribution of trace physical evidence to the success of their
investigation and have placed greater emphasis on conducting through
crime scene searches for evidence of forensic value. Fiber evidence can be
associated with virtually any type of crime. It cannot usually be seen with
naked eye. Besides that, fibers also tend not to cling to other fabric
tenaciously. Thus the investigator must handle the founded fibers at crime
scene with care in which to minimize fiber loss. The relevant articles of
clothing should be packages carefully and separately for each in paper bag
to avoid cross-contamination of evidence.
Other than that, the forensic examiners should remove or collect some
fibers with a clean forceps or hand picking. Fibers also can be collected
using adhesive tape lifting method. Vacuuming can be done for fiber
collection for a large scale crime scene or item. But this technique usually
being avoided as most other traces will also be collected by the vacuum.
Fiber collected were placed in a small sheet of paper, folded and labeled.
Therefore, scrupulous care must be taken to prevent contact between
fibers collected from different objects of different locations.

Natural fiber, any hair like materials directly derived from animal or plant
sources. More than half of the fibers produced were natural fibers. Animal
fibers constitute most of the natural fibers encountered in crime laboratory
examinations. Animals provide fibers from three sources in which from
hair, fur and webbing. All animal fibers are made of proteins and used in
clothing, carpets, curtains and bedding. The most common animal hair
used in textiles was wool from sheep, cashmere and mohair from goats,
angora from rabbits, as well as hair from members of the camel family like
alpacas, llamas and camels. Animal hair fibers usually loosely spun to feel
more comfortable, making textiles that shed fibers easily.

Plants fibers were specialized plant cells in which grouped by the part of
the plant like seeds, fruits, stems and leaves. Some of plant fibers were
very thick and stiff, whereas others were very smooth, fine and flexible.
Besides that plant fibers also amorphous, a loose arrangement of fibers
that are soft, elastic and absorbent. Cotton was the most common plant
fiber used in textiles. Plant fibers were often short, two to five centimeters
and become brittle over time. However, all plant fibers shared the
common polymer cellulose. Protein and cellulose have very different
chemical and physical properties that allowed a scientist determined that
animal and plant fibers were apart.

However, some of the manmade fibers originated from natural material

and synthetic materials. The amount of production of a particular
manmade fiber and its end use influence the degree of rarity of a given
fiber. The cross section of a manmade fiber can be manufacturer specific
and can add increased significance to a fiber association. Other name of
manmade fibers, synthetic fibers, was stronger than natural fiber and
cannot be damaged by microorganism compared to natural fiber. Synthetic
fibers also have surface treatment that appears as spots, stains or pits.
There was no dust or impurities contains in synthetic fiber unlike the
natural fibers.

Each mode of cut and damage to fabrics produces its own pattern,
resulting from the manner in which the damage was inflicted and the
properties of the fabric involve. It is important to understand how
laundering affects the behavior of fabrics and any damage produced in
the commission of a crime like tearing , stabbing etc. These types of cut
and damages in fabrics will show the type of weapon that had been used
at the crime scene by suspect based on its perimeter in the fabric.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the pattern of each known fiber 1 (100% cotton), known

fiber 2 (80% cotton and 20% polyester), unknown fiber 1 and also
unknown fiber 2 were defined very well under compound light microscope.
They pattern were knit pattern for known 1, loose weave pattern for known
2 and unknown 2 and last but not least tight weave pattern for unknown 1.
Unknown fiber 2 show a less similarity with known fiber 1 especially based
on their residue that produce ash after the burning.

REFERENCES
1. ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA ( April 22,2016). Natural Fiber.
Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
https://global.britannica.com/topic/natural-fiber.
2. TEXTILE FASHION STUDY (September 3, 2012). Different Between
Natural Fiber and Synthetic Fiber. Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
http://textilefashionstudy.com/difference-between-natural-fiber-and-
synthetic-fiber/.
3. Saferstain.R (2015). Criminalistics-An Introduction to Forensic
Science. Evidentiary value of hair and fiber (11th ed., pp. 259-270).