REVIEW PAPER

ON
PAPER AND
WATERMARK
EXAMINATION

Submitted by – Sartaj singh

Registration no.- 11917699
Submitted to – Amandeep kaur
 PAPER AND WATERMARK EXAMINATION
What is a paper?

Paper is a thin material produced by pressing together moist fibres of cellulose pulp derived from wood,
rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets. It is a versatile material with many uses, including
writing, printing, packaging, cleaning, decorating, and a number of industrial and construction processes.

What is a watermark?

Watermark is a logo, text, or pattern that is intentionally superimposed onto another image. Its purpose
is to make it more difficult for the original image to be copied or used without permission

INTRODUCTION
Paper examinations usually become necessary when there is some question as to whether one or more
pages have been added to a multi-page document, or if a document was created at the time that it
purports to have been created. As an example, a Last Will or contract may be such a document. There
may be suspicion that one or more pages have been added or replaced subsequent to the original
execution of the document.

Without going into great and unnecessary discussion of the paper manufacturing process, paper is
commonly made of wood and/or cotton materials. During the production, various sizings, fillers, and
coatings are added. Sizings, such as rosin, enable the paper to resist ink penetration. Fillers, such as clay,
calcium carbonate, and titanium dioxide improve the surface and color of the paper. Various coatings
are added to the paper to improve the appearance and printing properties. These additives will vary
from one paper type or paper manufacturer to another.

Chemical testing can determine which of these materials are present, and even the type of wood that
was used in the paper’s manufacture. A comparison of the results of such testing can associate or
dissociate a questioned page with the remainder of the document. Unfortunately, these chemical
processes are destructive in nature and require sampling of both the questioned page and the other
remaining pages. This is most often not convenient, allowed by the courts, the opposition, or the owner
of the document. There are, however, many other properties of the paper that can be investigated and
compared without damage to the document.
 PAPER EXAMINATION

Paper Size and Thickness

While there are standard sizes for paper, such as “letter” (8½” x 11″), or “legal” (8½” x 14″), very small
differences in lengths and widths exist between different manufacturers and even between different
papers in a specific manufacturer’s paper line, or even between different “runs” of the same paper.
While these small differences can be measured, the simple process of stacking the questioned and
standard paper will normally display even small differences in size.

As in paper size, various but minute differences in thickness can be detectable. This determination will
require instrumentation, however. A paper micrometer is the weapon of choice. Most micrometers will
display differences in thousandths of an inch.

Paper Opacity, Color, & Brightness

Papers opacity, color, and brightness are directly related to the chemical additives that were put into the
paper during its manufacture. Differences between two papers in these areas may, at times, be easily
observed with the naked eve. When held up to a light source, one paper may transmit more light
through it than another. Obvious differences in color or shading between papers can likewise be an
unaided observation. While paper brightness may also fall under the unaided eye category, often two
similar-appearing (brightness) papers will display patent differences when subjected to a short-wave
and/or long-wave ultraviolet light source. While one paper may remain dull in appearance, the other
may almost glow.

METHODS OF PAPER EXAMINATION

Application of advanced sophisticated techniques as well as appropriate scientific methods for quick
reliable results without destroying or disfiguring the original documents are the prime requirements of
the forensic document expert and investigating agencies. The scientific examination of paper are
conducted with various parameters such as color, surface appearance , coating, loading materials,
brighteners, watermark, weight or thickness, inclusion, by using ultra-violet and microscopic
examination methods. During forensic examination of paper other parameters are also taken in
consideration including touch, feel, Shake, fold of the sheet, shape, size, opacity, brightness, gloss,
smoothness, and burst and tearing strength etc. A mark or image that is not visible under normal light
condition which is through naked eye and may be clearly revealed under ultra-violet or Infra-red light
conditions. A qualitative analysis gives detail information regarding the constituent materials used in the
paper such as fibers, fillers, etc. Chemical analysis evaluates composition and pH; Physical analysis
measures gloss, strength, color; Organic analysis detects carbon-based traces of plants and organisms;
while inorganic analysis identifies mineral evidence in pigments and dyes.

The forensic document examiners prefer only nondestructive technique for solving the various problems
related with forensic document examination.For the purpose of paper examination the chemical and
physical process through which the paper is subjected during its manufacturing process provides the
detailed identifying characteristic features which allow the questioned document expert to discriminate
in between two or more paper samples. The detail characteristics available in standard paper are first
examined with help of scientific tool and then its comparison is carried out with the questioned paper
document. The identification of genuine paper/distinguishing between two or more sets not an easy
task. The difference can be noticed when the suspected document is examined thoroughly under a
microscope using various light source arrangement as well as by allowing the oblique light to
strike the paper from one side.

Optical Examination of Paper:

an optical examination is preferred when the document expert has to use a nondestructive method for
examination of document to maintain the originality of the document without destructing it. In paper
fibers, most of the microscopic details of wood are destroyed during the pulping, bleaching and refining
processes. Thus optical microscopy has always played an important role in paper examination research
to understand the morphology of wood in paper making. Optical microscope can be used with incident
or transmitted light or a combination of these depending upon the requirement of examination.
Practically the preliminary examination of questioned document starts with optical examination. Optical
examination involves observation of paper under visible/natural light, ultraviolet light, and filtered light
or near infrared regions of electromagnetic spectrum. Visual color matching is still being use for
comparison of questioned and standard paper. Human eye is quite sensitive to the differentiation of
color of dyes. Using these methods the document expert analyzes the color, luminescence of paper,
security fibers and watermarks in paper inserted during the paper manufacturing process. In general
practice the range of illuminants is created by different types of lamps using arrangement of different
filters in instruments such as Video spectral comparator. The morphology of paper can easily studied by
optical examination of paper. Stereoscopic microscopy allows viewing the paper sample in three
dimensional by using incident light with stereomicroscope at low power gives good depth of field. Hence
morphological study of surface structure is possible to understand in detail by applying this method.
Compound microscope is a classical tool for fiber and pulp analysis of paper.It is also useful in forensic
analysis of fillers and coating particles of the paper. Optical microscopy is very useful for examination of
cross sections of fibers within paper sheets.

WATERMARK EXAMINATION
Some paper when held up to the light display an area of translucent design, the watermark. This design
is incorporated into the paper by one of several different methods during the paper manufacturing
process. A discussion and description of these various methods would be much to long for this short
section and would necessarily have to be preceded by an even lengthier discussion of the paper
manufacturing process itself. What is important is for the reader to know that most often these designs
contain manufacturer and paper content information in addition to “hidden” clues regarding the first
date of that paper’s production.

Forensic examination of paper based on its constituent requires two major factors to produce significant
result. First preliminary examination of paper carried out for study of its source of origin i.e.
manufacturer of paper and second the detailed constituent of paper content. Since watermark is
prepared during the time of paper manufacturing process and it is an integral part of the sheet. Hence
watermark examined in papers are highly useful in tracing the manufacturer as well as commercial
distribution of watermarked paper. Identification of watermarks provides information regarding
manufacturer of the paper which can be important aspect and used as valuable for prove of evidence in
establishing the authenticity or spuriousness of documents. This is a common method of determining
the source of paper origin, by knowing the watermark manufacturer, the relative age of the paper can
be determined. Thus identification of watermark can provide clear indication regarding the degree of
the origin of paper whether common or different. The dating of paper by watermark examination is very
well known in practice of forensic documents. The specific manufacturer inserts specific individual
watermark in the paper during the initial process of paper in the form of code. So coded watermark
provide and excellent information regarding the determination/conformation of the date when the
paper was manufactured. This is very useful information for paper document dating. Paper containing a
specific code in the form watermark if identify, it can linked with paper manufacturer. The yearly
published Lockwood-Post`s Directory10 for example, has a section that associates watermarks with their
users. When a paper manufacturer is identified, one first obtains dating information on the watermark
to see if this can detect back-dating. The identification as well as differentiation of paper may be
determined as following:

1. Identification of coded water mark or the identification of a change in the design of a water

mark on a specific date.

2. The comparison of questioned and specimen paper with known standard provided by the
manufacturer

for the production dates.

3. Elemental composition of the questioned paper obtained from the manufacturer.

4. Presence of trace elemental composition of paper gives very excellent idea about the difference or
similarity of papers because the composition of trace element changes if paper manufacture changes
the raw materials.

 Example of a watermark on a paper

 CONCLUSION

It is remarkable that the forensic document expert interpret examination result based on scientific
parameters before the court in any criminal case either ink or paper. Hence experts making result of
examination report in the form of opinion with dual objective: first to discover the fact and second to
prove the fact in court of law on the basis of observed detailed scientific data. The purpose of forensic
examination of paper is to collect all detailed scientific data with available documents by process of
comparison and finally to prove before court of law. Document examiners must emphasis the
application of advanced optical methods and also by instrumental method for chemical analysis to
determine the relative age and source of paper origin. This is useful in compiling chronical data of paper
document while giving the answer regarding the relative date of manufacturing document. This can be
achieved through systematic and scientific analysis with logical reasoning with reference to the available
validate standard data. Thus complete knowledge of instrumentation and application of modern
methods/technique will definitely facilitate the forensic document expert to give the meaningful
conclusive result to ascertain the authenticity of paper and relative age of document. The research in
the ascertaining the age of document is still in its developing stage. The research review is mainly
concerned with non-destructive techniques and tools for the comparison, identification of paper. There
is aconsiderable future research requirement in tagging of documents to provide detailed scientific
evidence.

REFERENCES
1. J Levinsion., Questioned Documents, A Lawyer’s Handbook, Academic Press London 2001.

2. Ellen D.M., The Scientific Examination of Questioned Documents, 2nd edn. London; Taylor & Francis,
1997.

3. Parham R.A. & Gray R.L., the Practical identification FDwood Pulp Fibers, TAPPI Press.

4. Harision W.R. Suspected Documents Their Scientific Examination, Universal Law Publishing Co. Pvt.

Ltd.1996.

5. Rollins, M.L., Cannizzaro, A.M., and Goynes W.R. Light Microscopy in study of cellulose, In
Instrumental

Analysis of Cotton Cellulose and modified cotton Cellulose. R. T. o’ Connor ed, Marcel Dekker, New

York, 1972.

6. Mokrzychi G.M., Advancement in Document Examination: The Video Spectral Comparator 2000,

Forensic Science Communication, 1999.

7. Iwasaki, T. Lindberg, B. and Meier, H. Paper and Pulp Microscopy. The institute of Paper Chemistry,
Appoleton, WI. 1967.

8. Hilton, O., Scientific Examination of Questioned Documents, Elsevier Science Publishing Co. Inc. 1982.

9. Conway James V.P., Evidential Documents, Charles C Tomas USA 1972.