Name: Date Performed: June 3, 2022

Subject: Forensic Chemistry Date Submitted: June 10, 2022

Course & Section: BSCRIM 3-C Rating:
Instructor: Dr. Luz Ricardo

Experiment 8
Microscopic Examination of Textile Fibers

Fibers are fine filaments that are twisted together to form yarns. These yarns are also twisted to
form thread. The threads are woven to produce a fabric. People around the world wear all kinds
of clothes that are made from different fabrics. Various carpets and ropes which are found in
most houses are likewise produced from textiles.
During the commission of a crime, it is always possible that fibers from clothes are
transferred between two individuals and between an object and an individual. Thus, fibers can be
encountered from the clothes of a homicide victim or can be found adhering on the bumper of a
motor vehicle which was used to hit and kill a victim. There can also be a transfer of fibers from
a car seat to a passenger's clothes or vice versa when a person happens to be riding in a car.
Because of their being minute in size, criminals fail to destroy this particular piece of evidence.
It is a fact that criminal investigators have now become more aware of the importance of
fibers, just like hair, in various crimes of violence. This is because their value as trace evidences
has been recognized by various courts of law worldwide.
Fibers are classified as vegetable, animal, synthetic, and mineral fibers. Vegetable and
animal fibers are considered as natural fibers and they are usually combined with man-made
fibers from which different fabrics are produced.
Identification of fibers is accomplished by means of microscopic examination, burning
test, dissolution test, staining test, among others. Microscopic test will determine the composition
of the fiber including the method of construction into a fabric. Burning test determines whether
the fiber is classified as vegetable, animal, or mineral fiber. Fibers can also be identified from
each other by means of dissolution and staining tests. All the tests that are employed will
ascertain the origin of the fiber including its properties in relation to a reference standard.

I. Objective
1. Determine the microscopic characteristic of fibers.
2. Understand and apply the proper techniques used in the identification of fibers.

II. Apparatus/Materials Compound microscope, glass slide, coverslip, standard natural fibers
(cotton fibers, silk, and wool), standard man-made fibers (nylon)
III. Procedure
1. Microscopic Test
a. Place a cotton fiber on a glass slide.
b. Study under the low power magnification of the compound microscope its
important physical characteristics.
c. Follow the same procedure for the other natural and man-made fibers.
d. Record your observations.
2. Burning Test
a. Ignite one end of a cotton fiber.
b. Follow the same procedure for the other natural and man-made fibers.
c. Record your observations.
3. Staining Test
a. Add a drop of each of the following reagents to each of the natural and
manmade fibers:
 i. Million's Reagent
ii. lodine solution
iii.Zinc Chloride
b. Record your observations.
4. Dissolution Test
a. Add a sample of each of the natural and man-made fibers in each of the three
test tubes containing three ml of the following solutions:
i. 10% Sodium Hydroxide
ii. Concentrated Nitric Acid
iii.Glacial Acetic Acid Record your observations.

IV. Observation
Data Sheet
1. Microscopic Test
Textile Samples Color Microscopic Characteristics
Cotton  Curly
Black  Round

Silk Black Clear

Wool  Light
Silver  Shiny

Nylon Transparent  Bold

 Thick

2. Burning Test
Textile Odor of Color Manner of Appearance of Classification
Samples Fume of Ash Burning Burnt End of Fibers
Cotton Odor of Black Continuous Ash Natural
Burnt
paper

Silk Odor of Black Extinguished Melted Synthetic

Burned
hair

Wool Strong Black Extinguished  Black Natural

odor of  Hollow
burning irregular
hair bead

Nylon Smells Black Extinguished Irregular- Synthethic

like shaped bead
burning
celery

3. Staining Test
 Textile Samples Million’s Iodine Solution Zinc Chloride
Reagent
Cotton Color Remains Becomes yellow Color Remains

Silk Color remains Becomes thicker Color Remains

Wool Color Remains Becomes yellow Color Remains

Nylon Color Remains Becomes yellow Color Remains

4. Dissolution Test
Textile Samples 10& NaOH Concentreated Glacial Acetic
HCL Acid
Cotton Does not dissolve Does not dissolve Does not
dissolve

Silk Dissolves Does not dissolve Does not

dissolve

Wool Dissolves Does not dissolve Does not

dissolve

Nylon Does not dissolve Dissolves Does not

dissolve

V. Post laboratory Discussion

1. Describe each of the following:
a. Fiber
Textile fiber is a material mainly made from natural or synthetic sources. This material will be
converts into the making of textile yarns and fabrics; woven, knitted, nonwoven, and carpets. It
may be in a form of a pliable hair like strand or as the smallest visible unit of textile production.
b. Yarn
Yarn- is a long, continuous length of fibers that have been spun or felted together. Yarn is used
to make cloth by knitting, crocheting or weaving. Yarn is sold in the shape called a skein to
prevent the yarn from becoming tangled or knotted and comes in a variety of color and
thicknesses.
c. Thread
Thread- are used to form the stitches that hold the fabric parts together. They can be described by
fiber type, constriction, and size. Threads can be made from a single fiber type such as cotton,
linen, silk, rayon, nylon, polyester, or rubber or from a combination of fibers such as
cotton/polyester.

2. How are fibers classified?

Fibres can be classified as natural fibres and synthetic fibres. Natural fibres are obtained from
plants and animals. The examples of such fibres include cotton, jute, silk and wool. Synthetic
fibres are made from chemical substances, which are not obtained from plant or animal sources.
Examples include polyester, nylon and acrylic.

3. Differentiate natural fibers to man-made fibers in terms of their:

a. Microscopic characteristics
The test identifies the natural fibres more easily as compared to man-made ones. Synthetic fibres
are very similar in appearance and the increase in the number of varieties makes it a little tough
to distinguish the fibres even under a microscope.

b. Burning characteristics
If the ash is soft and the odor is of burning hair or paper, the fabric is a natural fiber. Cellulosic
fibers (cotton, linen and rayon) burn rapidly with a yellow flame.

c. Dissolution test
NATURAL FIBERS faster in dissolving or decompose/ while the MANMADE is slower.
4. Give examples of synthetic fibers.
* Acetate: Derived from cellulose. ...
* Acrylic: Made from a petrochemical called acrylontrile. ...
* Lyocell: A type of rayon made from cellulose. ...
* Microfibre: Made from extremely finely woven acrylic, nylon, polyester or rayon filaments. ...
* Nylon: Made of polyamide.

5. Give at least three kinds of test that can be conducted on fibers.

There are different tests which could be used for the identification of the textile fibers such as
burning test, microscopic test, and solubility test.

6. What is the value of fiber evidence in criminal investigation?

Matching dyed synthetic fibers or dyed natural fibers can be very meaningful, whereas, the
matching of common fibers such as white cotton or blue denim cotton would be less significant

7. How will you avoid contamination of fiber evidence?

To avoid contamination of evidence that may contain DNA, always take the following
precautions:
8. What are the similarities and differences between hair and fiber samples in terms of their
microscopic characteristics?
Wear gloves. Change them often.
• Use disposable instruments or clean them thoroughly before and after handling each
sample.
• Avoid touching the area where you believe DNA may exist.
• Avoid talking, sneezing, and coughing over evidence.
• Avoid touching your face, nose, and mouth when collecting and packaging evidence.
• Air-dry evidence thoroughly before packaging.
• Put evidence into new paper bags or envelopes, not into plastic bags. Do not use staples

V. Conclusion

As to the conclusion we were able to examined different kind of fibers that mostly appear to the
crime scene or criminal case, there characteristic and their changes that adding liquid substances
as to be determine, documentation below of the appearance of every fibers, the answers above
was base on the understanding and perception as to our groups which lead us to this answers. All
in conducting of handling of evidence we must have the proper way in order for us not to
mislead an information, which determines in the future if we will going to solve a case.

VII. Documentation

Microscopic Test

Burning Test
Staining Test

Dissolution
Test