What characterizes the results from the use of Iodine vapour in fingerprint processing?

The use of Iodine vapour for fingerprint processing is characterized by the fact that the images produced often fade unless they are fixed properly. Iodine is a dynamic chemical that reacts with the fatty components of the sweat residues left behind in fingerprints, creating a temporary color change that makes the print visible. However, the iodine molecules are volatile and can dissipate over time, leading to the fading of the print if steps are not taken to stabilize or fix the image.

Fixing the print, typically done with a starch solution or other fixing agents, helps to preserve the visualization of the print for longer periods. This temporary nature of iodine prints is critical to understand for forensic situations, as investigators must take appropriate measures to ensure the prints can be adequately documented for analysis and comparison.