Bloodstain analysis

Blood and bloodstain analysis. The Aerospace Corporation has completed a survey and technical assessment of the state-of-the-art of forensic serological practices in the United States. Problems have been defined which currently limit the utilization of blood characterization techniques, and approaches have been identified which have the potential of solving these problems. This assessment was accomplished primarily through contacts with criminalistics laboratories, blood banks, industrial organizations which manufacture instrumentation and reagents for blood identification, and through an extensive search of the literature. 

It has been determined that although human blood is one of the most common clue materials found at crime scenes, laboratory analysis procedures are comparatively undeveloped in the United States. The major limitations appear to be the unavailability of simple and rapid methods of analysis, the lack of high quality antisera prepared specifically for dried bloodstain analysis, and the absence of blood frequency distribution data for the population of the United States. The LEAA-sponsored program at Aerospace, therefore, is intended to improve the methods for the detection of genetic variants in dried blood, to expand the data base concerning frequency of distribution of these variants, and to design a structure for the future collection and dissemination of such data. 

Wraxall, B. Bordeaux, J. Harmor, G. "Bloodstain Analysis System. Final Report" Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA 1978, Aerospace Corporation Sub-Contract No. 67854. Alper, C. Johnson, M. A. Vox Sang. 1969, 17, 445-452. 

In bloodstain analysis, there are also some problems for which DNA analysis can give no solution. For example, in the case of murder/injury of a woman in menstruation, the offender sometimes claims that the bloodstain at the scene has originated from the blood of menstruation. In such cases the immunological determination of FDP is a useful means, because it is profusely contained in menstruation blood. There are some more examples in which immunoassay can be a useful tool for analysis. By detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) the blood of a pregnant woman can be identified, and determination of myoglobin, which is very much contained in the blood of a corpse, is useful for discrimination of antemortem and postmortem blood. 

Criminalists play an extremely important role in this bloodstain research program. The needs of the user community of criminalists are well-represented by individuals acting either as consultants to the contractors or as advisors to the Institute. As new prototype equipment and methods of analysis are developed, crime laboratories will be invited to participate in their field testing and evaluation. 

Current research involves the use of radioimmunoassay to quantitate testosterone and estrogen in dried blood samples (22, 24). The ultimate goal of this research will be to determine the sexual origin of the stains. In the past, researchers have attempted this by identifying Barr bodies and Y chromosomes using differential fluorescence staining with quinacine however, these tests required a substantial amount of blood deposited as a thin film on a non-porous surface and are therefore limited in their application (19, 20, 21). The sensitivity and basic technique of radioimmunoassay will permit the analysis of bloodstains on virtually any surface and should also be applicable to very small ones. 

Physiological fluid analysis by electrophoretic techniques is a very potent identification tool when supported by genetic population data (Stuver, Shaler, Marone, and Plankenhorn). McWright et al. report a careful study of the importance of environmental factors in determining the reliability of the genetic typing of bloodstains, another common clue material. 

Figure 6.10. DNA and Forensics. DNA analysis can be used to establish guilt in criminal cases. Here, DNA was isolated from bloodstains on the pants and shirt of a defendant and amplified by PCR. The DNA was then compared to the DNA from the victim as well as the defendant using gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. DNA from the bloodstains on the defendant s clothing matched the pattern of the victim, but not that of the defendant. The frequency of a coincidental match of the DNA pattern on the clothing and the victim is approximately 1 in 33 billion. Lanes X, Ikb, and TS = Control DNA samples lane D = DNA from the defendant jeans = DNA isolated from bloodstains on defendent s pants shirt = DNA isolated from bloodstains of the defendant s shirt (two different amounts analyzed) V = DNA sample from victim s blood. [Courtesy of Cellmark Diagnostics, Germantown MD.]...

Hemoglobin variants have been typed by conventional electrophoresis on cellulose acetate or agarose and by lEF (1, 52, 66-70). Budowle and Eberhardt (5 ) recently developed an ULPAGIF method for typing the A, F, S, C and a number of rare variants, which is presently used for the analysis of bloodstained evidence submitted to the FBI Laboratory. The method employs pH 6.7-7.7 Pharmalytes in an ultrathin-layer gel with an inter-electrode wick distance of only 5.0 cm. The result is a rapid screening method for Hb that takes only 25-30 minutes-comparable to cellulose acetate. Further, the distances between the A-F, F-S and S-C were 4 oim, 7 mm and 12 mm, respectively, compared with 3 mm, 5.5 nim, and... 

Wolson TL (2001) DNA analysis and the interpretation of bloodstains patterns. Journal of Canadian Society of Forensic Science 34 151-157. 

DNA fingerprinting was developed for individualization system in 1985. Analyses using DNA profiling with variable numbers of tandem repeat polymorphism has been carried out for identification of forensic samples such as bloodstains and sectional stains. Concerning forensic hairs, several DNA analyses of hair root sheath cells have been reported. However, DNA analysis of a hair shaft has not succeed to date, because DNA recovery from a hair shaft is in order of tens of picograms and only low molecular weight DNA (below 200 base pairs (bp)) is left in the hair shape. Recently, microsatellite DNA polymorphism has been detected by the polymerase chain reaction technique. This polymorphism can be applied to DNA analysis of hair shaft. If DNA analysis is combined with microscopic and instrumental analysis in forensic examination, hair individualization can be more accurate. 

Identification of injured organ/tissue from bloodstain also requires immunolt cal analysis, and ELISAs for the following proteins have been developed S-100... 

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