Discriminant analysis of Raman spectra for body fluid identification for forensic purposes.
Detection and identification of blood, semen and saliva stains, the most common body fluids encountered at a crime scene, are very important aspects of forensic science today. This study targets the development of a nondestructive, confirmatory method for body fluid identification based on Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistical analysis. Dry traces of blood, semen and saliva obtained from multiple donors were probed using a confocal Raman microscope with a 785-nm excitation wavelength under controlled laboratory conditions. Results demonstrated the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify an unknown substance to be semen, blood or saliva with high confidence.
Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
Vitali
V
Sikirzhytski
Kelly
K
Virkler
Igor K
IK
Lednev
D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods