ACTIVITY 3

PRELIMINARY TEST FOR BLOOD

I. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not a stain is blood.

II. MATERIALS: Fabric or paper or cotton swab with bloodstain.

Spot plate or porcelain dish.
Phenolphthalein reagent (approximately 2 grams of
phenolphthalein to 100 ml of 25% KOH in water + 1 gm
Zinc powder heated until colorless)
3% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide ( H2O2 )

III. DISCUSSION:

The Phenolphthalein Test or Kastle–Meyer test is

a presumptive blood test, in which the chemical indicator phenolphthalein is used
to detect the possible presence of hemoglobin. It relies on the peroxidase-like
activity of hemoglobin in blood to catalyze the oxidation of phenolphthalin (the
colorless reduced form of phenolphthalein) into phenolphthalein, which is visible
as a bright pink color. The Kastle–Meyer test is a form of catalytic blood test, one
of the two main classes of forensic tests commonly employed by crime labs in the
chemical identification of blood. The other class of tests used for this purpose
are microcrystal tests, such as the Teichmann crystal test and the Takayama
crystal test.
IV. PROCEDURE:

1. Cut a small portion of the stained material and place it on a spot plate. Add
a drop of phenolphthalein reagent and followed by a drop of hydrogen
peroxide. Observe the color produced.

2. Repeat same procedure using a clean piece of paper. Make your own
observation.

V. OBSERVATION:

1. What color was produced with the stained material? With unstained
material?____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

2. What substance in the blood was detected by using phenolphthalein

test?______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
VI. CONCLUSION:

1. What does the positive result for the phenolphthalein test indicate?______
___________________________________________________________

2. Is the negative result for the presumptive test conclusive?_____________

___________________________________________________________