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Chemistry in Crime Investigation: Sodium Percarbonate Effects on Bloodstains Detection
Author(s) -
Castelló Ana,
Francés Francesc,
Verdú Fernando
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01999.x
Subject(s) - blood stains , chemistry , sodium , stain , chromatography , staining , organic chemistry , medicine , pathology
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.