Science & Justice 2011-09-01

Chemical enhancement of footwear impressions in blood on fabric - part 2: peroxidase reagents.

Kevin J Farrugia, Kathleen A Savage, Helen Bandey, Tomasz Ciuksza, Niamh Nic Daéid

Index: Sci. Justice 51(3) , 110-21, (2011)

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Abstract

This study investigates the optimisation of peroxidase based enhancement techniques for footwear impressions made in blood on various fabric surfaces. Four different haem reagents: leuco crystal violet (LCV), leuco malachite green (LMG), fluorescein and luminol were used to enhance the blood contaminated impressions. The enhancement techniques in this study were used successfully to enhance the impressions in blood on light coloured surfaces, however, only fluorescent and/or chemiluminescent techniques allowed visualisation on dark coloured fabrics, denim and leather. Luminol was the only technique to enhance footwear impressions made in blood on all the fabrics investigated in this study.Copyright © 2010 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.