Alternate Light Sources

Sirchie has developed a variety of Alternate Light Sources (ALS) that are used to identify many types of evidence that would otherwise go undetected under standard lighting or daylight. Utilizing a wide variety of available light generation technologies such as krypton, halogen, fluorescent, and light emitting diodes (LED), along with highly specialized filter materials, Sirchie provides another valuable set of tools for the Crime Scene Investigator. 

ALS are typically used in crime scene investigation to identify many forms of evidence. Physiological fluids (semen, urine, and saliva) can be identified through their natural fluorescent properties utilizing UV light. Items such as bone fragments and teeth can be exposed with blue light (455nm) through the use of an orange barrier filter, and can be separated from the background for easy recovery.  Other lights can be used for latent print development. Whether using chemical development such as DFO, cyanoacrylcate with Basic Yellow, or dusting with fluorescent powders, blue (450nm-470nm) light with the appropriate barrier filter allows the investigator to capture the true evidence with little interference from lighting, background, or other masking factors.