title: Chemistry in crime investigation: sodium percarbonate effects on bloodstains detection.
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.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, University of Valencia EG, UD Medicina Legal, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castelló
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Francés
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verdú
mesh_terms: D001801:Blood Stains; D001881:Borates; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D049408:Luminescent Agents; D008165:Luminol; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: D001881:Borates; D002254:Carbonates; D003902:Detergents; D006454:Hemoglobins; D049408:Luminescent Agents; C005686:sodium carbonate; D008165:Luminol; C027707:sodium perborate; C034738:sodium percarbonate