Effectiveness and potential of SEM-EDX for analysis & differentiation of overlapped black pen inks

Abstract

Digitalization and advancement in technology has made documents acquire new values and serve new purposes, it is plausible that they are turning into the medium of fraudulent manipulation or mere instruments of camouflaging the truth. This advancement has made ink analysis extremely challenging. Determination and utilization of best possible non-destructive technique for analysis of ink has become the need of the hour. In the past, Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) have been used successfully for analysis of various types of evidence in the field of forensic science but its use for pen ink examination is very limited. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness and potential of SEM-EDX for analysis and differentiation of black ball point, gel and fountain pen inks in handwritten documents. It proved to be highly effective and comprehensive partially destructive technique for analysis of handwritten documents having overlapping with two or more black inks. However, it did not prove its efficacy in deciphering obliteration. Nevertheless, it can efficaciously complement with the present workflow of questioned document examination to provide qualitative as well as quantitative data toforensic document examiners.