C/A Dye staining solutions are applied to improve or enhance the contrast of fingerprints on various colored surfaces. These dyes are primarily used as a ‘wash’ over the surfaces with a rinse afterward to remove any excess staining. Most dye stains are rinsed with water with the exception of Rhodamine 6G that requires a methanol rinse. Once the surface has dried, an alternate light source or laser is used to excite the fluorescence of the dye and viewed with barrier filter glasses or goggles. The selection of the wave length and barrier filter depends upon the substrate being inspected.
All dye stains include a safety data sheet that describes the chemical structure of each solution.