FORENSIC SEROLOGY: BLOOD - Is it Blood?

Benzidine Test
 FORENSIC SEROLOGY
Kastle-Meyer Test
- The study of various bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal
Hemastix
fluids, fecal matter, and perspiration and their relationship to a
- Is it Human blood?
crime scene
Precipitin Test
- Can it be associated with an individual?
 BLOOD
Blood Typing
- Bodily fluid in humans and animals that delivers nutrients and
oxygen through the body into the cells.
 Preliminary Test – a positive result is not conclusive that
the stain is blood, but a negative result is conclusive that
 COMPOSITION OF BLOOD
the stain is not blood.
- 8% blood is made up of an adult’s body weight.
 Confirmatory Tests – the actual proof that is stain is
- Females have around 4-5 liters
blood consists in establishing the presence of
- Males have around 5-6 liters.
characteristic blood pigment, hemoglobin or one of its
- Temperature is 38 degrees Celsius.
derivatives.
 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY OF BLOOD
- BENZIDINE COLOR TEST
- As circumstantial or corroborative evidence against or in favor of
 The peroxidase activity of hemoglobin decomposes
the perpetrator
- For disputed parentage hydrogen peroxide releasing nascent oxygen which in
- Determination of the cause of death and the length of time the turn oxidizes benzidine to give blue color.
victim survived the attack.
 Livor mortis – the gravitational settling of blood which
is no longer being pumped.
-Blood collects in the most dependent parts of the body
 Algor mortis – the body begins to cool.
 Glaister Equation: approximately hours of death
- PHENOLPHTHALEIN OR KASTLE MEYER TEST
98.4 ℉−measured of rectal temperature
¿  Reacts with the blood to produce a pink color. It is used
1.5
to detect bases or alkaline substances so it will also turn
¿ 86 F pink in the presence of saliva, pus, vegetable extracts,
 Rigor mortis – the body stiffens. and cleaning products that might also be at the crime
scene.

 THREE QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ASWERED BY THE

FORENSIC INVESTIGATORS
 - HEMASTIX
 If it produced a green to blue-green color, therefore the
suspected bloodstain is a blood.
- Takayama or Haemochromogen crystal test (1912)
- LUMINOL TEST
 Red blood cells contain hemoglobin (Hb) –  Solution is used on a sample
The protein responsible for transporting oxygen. blood or a stain to observe the
 Each Hb contains four hematin (iron in blood) containing formation of hemochromogen
hemes. crystals. If no crystals form, the
sample is not blood.

- RSID Test-Rapid Stain Identification

 Uses two specialized antibodies to detect the presence of

glycophorin which is found in blood cell membranes.

 CONFIMATORY TEST
- Teichmann or Haemin
Crystal Test (1853)
 Dark brown rhombic
crystals arranged
singly or in clusters.
 PRECIPITIN TEST
 - blood sample (dilute) in top layer
- Precipitate means blood and antiserum
species match.
- antiserum in heavy bottom layer

- blood sample (dilute) in top layer

- antiserum in heavy bottom layer

Yes line = Yes human blood

Human Antiserum

No line = Not Human Blood

Human Antiserum

 INDIVIDUALIZATION
 Current Test: DNA
 DNA can be used to identify and match samples of blood,
semen, and saliva but is not used as a confirmatory test for
these fluids.

Past tests: Ouchterlony or ABO Typing

 Ouchterlony – identifies the species of origin.
 ABO Typing – identifies the blood type of the sample.

 BLOOD TYPES
- There are 8 common blood types.
- A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, AB-
- Rh is the surface protein on red blood cells.
- Blood type is determined by the presence or absence of certain
antigens.
- There are 4 major blood groups determined by the presence or
absence of antigens A and B on the surface of the red blood
cells.
- Blood Typing was discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900s.