Rhodamine 6G is used to dye silk, cotton, wool, leather, bast fibers, and paper. It is also used as a tracing agent in water pollution studies; as an absorption indicator, especially in acidic solutions; in printing inks when mixed with some metallic acid salts; and in soaps, cosmetics, and perfumes which may come into contact with mucous membranes. Latent print specialists and identification technicians also use Rhodamine 6G as a dye. It is applied in a solution of less than 1 gram Rhodamine 6G to 1 liter of methanol to the surface of items of evidence which have been preprocessed with cyanoacrylate ester. The dye adheres to the superglue residue and fluoresces under laser light. This technique renders the ridge structure of developed latent impressions more visible for possible identification. Opinions seem divided on whether Rhodamine 6G is a carcinogen. One study, conducted by the National Toxicology Program, indicates that Rhodamine is toxic but not a human carcinogen. Therefore, law enforcement professionals should handle rhodamine carefully but view it as a useful investigative tool. 24 references