The 'Fast Chamber' is proving invaluable in forensic science laboratories throughout the world for the rapid identification of fingerprints, and was used to help identify victims of the Bali bombing
Known by users across the world as The Fast Chamber, the Weiss Gallenkamp Fingerprint Development Chamber was developed specifically to meet requirements of the UK Home Office Fingerprint Research Group.
It is proving invaluable in forensic science laboratories throughout the UK and many overseas laboratories including the American FBI and state crime detection offices, says the company.
Using the Weiss Gallenkamp Fingerprint Development Chamber, fingerprints can be detected with greater speed and higher throughput with astonishing clarity, it says.
The chamber works by optimising and accurately controlling the conditions under which exhibits are developed.
The precisely controlled conditions of high temperature combined with high relative humidity, accelerates the ninhydrin (triketohydrinden hydrate) process yielding excellent clarity in three minutes, compared with traditional methods of detection, which can take up to four days.
The ninhydrin and DFO (1.8 diazafluoren-9-one) procedures are recognised as the most effective way of detecting prints on paper and similar porous surfaces.
The Weiss Gallenkamp Fingerprint Development Chamber can cope with all procedures requiring elevated humidity such as the ninhydrin process and DFO, which requires dry processing and is achieved simply by the press of a switch.
The chamber's generous working area and flexible shelving system enables large batches of forensic material to be processed quickly and easily, thereby improving both productivity and efficiency.
For high accuracy and low maintenance a combined solid-state temperature and humidity sensor is fitted, eliminating the need for frequent checking.
The multi-glazed observation window, strip light, and integrated internal wiper allow clear visual inspection of the developing images.
The chamber is also capable of maintaining the optimum development conditions even if the chamber door is momentarily opened.
Available in both bench top and floor standing models.
Detection processes: ninhydrin (triketohydrinden hydrate) reacts with the amino acids commonly found in human sweat.
When the compound is applied to an area where fingerprints are expected to be found, it forms a purple residue to yield latent prints.
DFO (1.8 diazafluoren-9-one) reacts with amino acids that are present in latent fingerprints and is often used prior to ninhydrin.
DFO is capable of revealing greater ridge detail than ninhydrin when fluoresced with an appropriate light source, and it is more sensitive for amino acid detection.
DFO is not suitable for samples that are wet or where surface coatings such as paint or ink may interfere with the fluorescent imaging.
The Weiss Gallenkamp Fingerprint Development Chamber helped with identification of victims of the Bali bombings.
The remarkable response by Australians to requests for assistance in the aftermath of the Bali bombings in October 2002 was a significant humanitarian aspect of a grim and heart-breaking time.
Many of the victims were so badly mutilated that identification by normal methods was extremely difficult or impossible.
The Weiss Gallenkamp Fingerprint Development Chamber, lent to the Victoria Police by Gallenkamp's Australian agent, Rowe Scientific, was used extensively in the identification of victims of the bombings.
Australian forensic scientists were able to develop fingerprints on personal papers submitted from the homes and families of people believed to have been in Bali at the time of the bombing.
Hundreds of exhibits including diaries, organisers, and other personal papers were examined.
This dramatically reduced the time anxious relatives had to wait to learn the fate of their loved ones in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Weiss Gallenkamp was formed by the merger of Weiss Technik and the environmental business of Sanyo Gallenkamp in January 2005.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Weiss Technik, it claims the broadest product range portfolio of any company operating in the environmental test market.
It supplies the Weiss Technik, Votsch, and Gallenkamp brands from its base in Loughborough, UK.
