ASTM_E_1789_-_96.pdf

Designation:E 1789 96Standard Guide forWriting Ink Identification1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1789;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThis guide is intended as a general outline for use in forensic ink examinations,where the intentionis to identify an ink formula or type.It is designed both for the experienced document examiner(seeGuide E 444)and for those unfamiliar with previously reported procedures.The aim is to describethose techniques that will provide the most information about an ink with the least damage to thedocument.This guide refers to well-reported and thoroughly tested techniques currently in use byforensic document examiners,chemists,and other scientists.Following the procedures as outlined,an examiner can accurately discriminate between inkformulas;as well as significantly reducing the possibility of reporting false matches of ink samplesfrom different sources or incorrectly differentiating ink samples from a common source.Identifications of ink formulas may be accomplished through the use of an adequate collection ofstandards.The necessary completeness of a comparison collection and limitations of conclusions willbe addressed in the guide.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers assisting forensic examiners in iden-tifying writing inks.Included in this analysis scheme are thenecessary tools and techniques which have been successfullyutilized to reach conclusions as to the common or differentorigin of two samples of ink.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:D 1535 Test Method of Specifying Color by the MunsellSystem2E 131 Terminology Relating to Molecular Spectroscopy3E 284 Terminology of Appearance2E 444 Guide to Descriptions of Scopes of Work Relating toForensic Sciences for Questioned Document Area4E 1422 Guide for Test Methods for Forensic Writing InkComparison42.2NIST Standards:NBS Standard Sample No.2106 ISCC-NBS Centroid ColorCharts5NBS Special Pub.440 Color:Universal Language andDictionary of Names53.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsTerminology has been defined in GuideE 1422,with the following addition:3.1.1 ink libraryan organized collection of referencesamples of inks and related materials.3.1.1.1 DiscussionFor maximum effectiveness in identi-fication of questioned ink,an ink library should at minimuminclude the following elements:reference samples of ink inunused form,either in bulk samples from the manufacturer orin distribution form such as bottles,pens,or cartridges;driedink specimens of each reference sample of ink placed on paper(scribble sheets);analysis results of each reference sample ofink,for example,TLC sheets/plates;and an ink information filefor each reference sample of ink containing available relevantdata.All elements of the collection should be as complete,comprehensive,and up-to-date as possible,although this willvary between ink libraries.4.Significance and Use4.1 The reasons for identifying writing inks are to obtaininformation about:the origin;relative availability;distribution;and first and last(if applicable)production dates.It is this1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-30 on ForensicSciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.02 on QuestionedDocuments.Current edition approved March 10,1996.Published May 1996.2Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 06.01.3Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 03.06.4Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 14.02.5Available from U.S.Department of Commerce,National Bureau of Standards,Office of Standard Reference Materials,R.B311,Chemistry Building,Gaithersburg,MD 20899.1AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS100 Barr Harbor Dr.,West Conshohocken,PA 19428Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards.Copyright ASTMvaluable information available from the manufacturer andthrough the use of a collection of standards that differentiatesthis guide from Guide E 1422.4.1.1 The procedure set forth in this guide are applicable indetermining the significance of a match obtained by perform-ing the examinations set out in Guide E 1422(by showing howrare or common an ink formula may be),or in determining thesource of an ink.The identification of a specific ink formulacan facilitate the determination of the first date of productionand the discontinuance date of that ink.64.1.2 In addition to proficiency in the use of the necessaryanalytical procedures,specialized knowledge and experienceon the part of the examiner are required.7Also required is acomprehensive