Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of sensitivity and vestigiality of presumptive tests for swabbed blood stains

  • Technical Report
  • Published:
Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It is a common practice in forensic casework to use presumptive tests for blood stains before DNA extraction and testing. Stains are usually swabbed and then the swabs are sent for analysis. The Kastle-Meyer (KM) and Leucomalachite green (LMG) presumptive tests for blood are widely used, and their sensitivities have been thoroughly tested in the literature in solution and directly on stains, but not on swabbed stains to mimic casework. In this study, the sensitivity of the KM and LMG tests was tested on eight blood dilutions on cotton fabric and ceramic tile that were stained and subsequently swabbed. Both tests showed sensitivity up to 1:5000, which is slightly lower than reported values in solution or directly on stain but still highly effective in most cases. Stains were also cleaned with common agents, then swabbed and re-tested. Stained ceramic tiles cleaned with soap/water or bleach gave mixed positive and negative results for the 1:10 dilution, presumably due to variance in how thoroughly each investigator cleaned the stain, and other dilutions were undetectable after cleaning. The LMG test gave false positives for bleach cleaned stains, due to reagent reactivity with bleach. Surprisingly, blood was detectible up to the 1:100 dilution with both tests on stained cotton fabric that was cleaned in a washing machine with detergent and dried. Ultimately the KM and LMG presumptive tests remain effective tools for swabbed blood stains, and their practicality for cleaned stains is dependent on material containing the stain, cleaning agent and processing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  1. Fonseca RIB, Ricci EL, Spinosa HS, Bernardi MM, de Abreu GR, Waziry PAF, et al. Actual trends in the use of the kastle-meyer test: applications in different species and verification of the limit of detection of sensitivity and vestigiality. J Dairy Vet Anim Res. 2019;8:166–80.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gaennsslen RE. Sourcebook in forensic serology, immunology, and biochemistry. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice; 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Vennemann M, Scott G, Curran L, Bittner F, Tobe SS. Sensitivity and specificity of presumptive tests for blood, saliva, and semen. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2014;10:69–75.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Idris B, Goodwin WH. Evaluating the sensitivity of presumptive and confirmatory tests for body fluids. Forensic Sci Int Genet Suppl Ser. 2022;8:276–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Higaki RS, Philip WMS. A study of the sensitivity, stability, and specificity of phenolphthalein as an indicator test for blood. Can Soc Forens Sci J. 1976;9:97–102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cox M. A study of the sensitivity and specificity of four presumptive tests for blood. J Forensic Sci. 1991;36:1503–15011.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Tobe SS, Watson N, Daeid NN. Evaluation of six presumptive tests for blood, their specificity, sensitivity, and effect on high molecular-weight DNA. J Forensic Sci. 2007;52:102–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Grodsky M, Wright K, Kirk PL. Simplified preliminary blood testing – an improved technique and a comparative study of methods. J Crim Law Criminol Pol Sci. 1951;42:95–104.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cox M. Effect of fabric washing on the presumptive identification of bloodstains. J Forensic Sci. 1990;35:1335–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Mushtaq S, Rasool N, Firiyal S. Detection of dry bloodstains on different fabrics after washing with commercially available detergents. Aust J Forensic Sci. 2016;48:87–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, 106 Berliner Hall, 151 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, 11549, USA

    Kara L. Jaremko, Abigail Pitts, Alexandra Hascall, Alison Briskie, Brenna Redmond, Deep Kaur, Grace Curtis, Hannah LaVena, John West, Peixuan Du, Sheena Hernandez & Deborah S. B. S. Silva

Authors
  1. Kara L. Jaremko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abigail Pitts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexandra Hascall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alison Briskie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Brenna Redmond
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Deep Kaur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Grace Curtis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Hannah LaVena
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. John West
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Peixuan Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Sheena Hernandez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Deborah S. B. S. Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Data collection, overall analysis, and manuscript preparation: KLJ; data collection and analysis: AP, AH, AB, BR, DK, GC, HLV, JW, PD, SH; study design and supervision: DS

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kara L. Jaremko.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jaremko, K.L., Pitts, A., Hascall, A. et al. Detection of sensitivity and vestigiality of presumptive tests for swabbed blood stains. Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-023-00718-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-023-00718-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation