ASTM E1422-01
(Guide)Standard Guide for Test Methods for Forensic Writing Ink Comparison
Standard Guide for Test Methods for Forensic Writing Ink Comparison
SCOPE
1.1 This Guide is intended to assist forensic examiners comparing writing or marking inks. Included in this analysis scheme are the necessary tools and techniques available to reach conclusions as to the common or different origin of two samples of ink.
1.2 Identifying ink formulas as to their manufacturer or time of manufacture as well as performing ink dating examinations are beyond the scope of this guide.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation:E 1422–01
Standard Guide for
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Test Methods for Forensic Writing Ink Comparison
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1422; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Thisguideisintendedtobeageneralguideforforensicinkexaminations,bothfortheexperienced
document examiner (E 444) and for forensic ink comparison specialists. The aim is to include those
techniquesthatwillprovidethemostinformationaboutaninkwiththeleastdamagetothedocument.
Therefore, this guide refers to well-reported and thoroughly tested techniques currently in use by
document examiners in general practice and dedicated forensic ink comparison facilities.
By following the procedures outlined here, an examiner can accurately discriminate ink formulas
and reduce the possibility of false matches of ink samples from different sources or incorrect
differentiation of ink samples with a common origin.
1. Scope NBS Standard Sample No. 2106 ISCC-NBS Centroid Color
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Charts
1.1 This Guide is intended to assist forensic examiners
NBS Special Pub. 440 Color: Universal Language and
comparing writing or marking inks. Included in this analysis
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Dictionary of Names
scheme are the necessary tools and techniques available to
reach conclusions as to the common or different origin of two
3. Terminology
samples of ink.
3.1 Definitions:
1.2 Identifyinginkformulasastotheirmanufacturerortime
3.1.1 chromatography—a method of separating substances
of manufacture as well as performing ink dating examinations
that is widely used in analytical and preparative chemistry. It
are beyond the scope of this guide.
involves the flow of a liquid or gas mobile phase over a solid
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
or liquid stationary phase. As the mobile phase flows past the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
stationaryphase,asolutewillundergorepeatedadsorptionand
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
desorption and move along at a rate depending, among other
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
factors, on its ratio of distribution between two phases. If their
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
distribution ratios are sufficiently different, components of a
2. Referenced Documents mixture will migrate at different rates and produce a charac-
teristic pattern (chromatogram).
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.2 fluorescence—a process by which radiant flux of
D1535 Test Method of Specifying Color by the Munsell
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certainwavelengthsisabsorbedandreradiatednonthermallyat
System
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other, usually longer, wavelengths. (E 284)
E131 Terminology Relating to Molecular Spectroscopy
4 3.1.3 infrared (IR)—referring to radiant flux having wave-
E284 Terminology of Appearance
lengths longer than the wavelengths of light, usually wave-
E444 Guide for Descriptions of Scope ofWork Relating to
4 lengths from about 760 nm to about 3 mm. (E 284)
Forensic Document Examiners
3.1.4 light—electromagnetic radiant energy that is visually
2.2 NIST Standards:
detectable by the normal human observer, radiant energy
having wavelengths from about 380 nm to about 780 nm.
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This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic (E 284)
Sciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.02 on Questioned
3.1.5 luminescence—the emission of radiant energy during
Documents.
a transition from an excited electronic state of an atom,
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2001. Published April 2001. Originally
published as E1422–91. Last previous edition E1422–98.
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01.
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.06. Available from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standard
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. Reference Materials, R. B311, Chemistry Building, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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E 1422
molecule or ion to a lower electronic state. (E 131) 4. Significance and Use
3.1.6 metamers—specimensdifferinginspectralreflectance
4.1 Ink comparisons are usually performed to answer four
but having colors that match in light of one spectral composi-
basic categories of question: (1) whether an ink is the same (in
tion, when viewed by one observer, but may not match in light
formula) as that on other parts of the same document or on
of other spectral compositions, or when viewed by another
other documents; (2) whether two writings with similar in
...
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