Citation

Castelló A, Francés F, Verdú F. J. Forensic Sci. 2012; 57(2): 500-502.

Affiliation

Facultad de Medicina, University of Valencia EG, U.D. Medicina Legal, Av/Blasco Ibañez, nº15, 46010 Valencia, Spain.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01999.x

PMID

22150798

Abstract

Chemistry plays a leading role in crime investigation. In the study of bloodstains, chemical reactions provide the means for the detection. All these procedures have been thoroughly studied. However, recently, a new source of error has been found: washing stains with "active oxygen" detergents abrogates presumptive and human hemoglobin tests for bloodstains (although visible). The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the ability of pure sodium percarbonate-main component of detergents-to abrogate presumptive and human hemoglobin tests. Then, a solution to this problem could be found. The results demonstrate that pure sodium percarbonate-itself-is able to abrogate all tests, as well as the different degrees to which each of them is affected by the product. Consequently, faced with a stain of bloody appearance, even the preliminary tests are negative; it is advisable to analyze the DNA. Otherwise, the opportunity of obtaining valuable information is lost.

Language: en