Use of liquid nitrogen to remove duct tape from a homicide victim.
Removal of duct tape or similar adhesive products from a homicide victim may be facilitated by rapidly chilling the tape surface with liquid nitrogen. Physical separation of tape layers can be performed using the same technique. Cyanoacrylate glue (i.e., "super-glue") may be used to preserve fingerprints on the outer surface of the tape for recovery, or other techniques may be used to recover fingerprints from the outer surface prior to tape removal.
Stephens
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Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, City and County of San Francisco, California 94103-4603, USA.
Nazareno
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G
Block
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M
Hnatow
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P
D000269:Adhesives; D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D009584:Nitrogen
D000269:Adhesives; D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D005404:Fixatives; D009584:Nitrogen