Molecules, Vol. 26, Pages 6272: Short and Long Time Bloodstains Age Determination by Colorimetric Analysis: A Pilot Study

Molecules, Vol. 26, Pages 6272: Short and Long Time Bloodstains Age Determination by Colorimetric Analysis: A Pilot Study Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules26206272 Authors: Alessandro Marrone Daniele La Russa Alberto Montesanto Vincenzo Lagani Mauro F. La Russa Daniela Pellegrino Bloodstains found at crime scenes represent a crucial source of information for investigative purposes. However, in forensic practice, no technique is currently used to estimate the time from deposition of bloodstains. This preliminary study focuses on the age estimation of bloodstains by exploiting the color variations over time due to the oxidation of the blood. For this purpose, we used a colorimetric methodology in order to easily obtain objective, univocal and reproducible results. We developed two bloodstain age prediction algorithms: a short-term and a long-term useful model for the first 24h and 60 days, respectively. Both models showed high levels of classification accuracy, particularly for the long-term model. Although a small-scale study, these results improve the potential application of colorimetric analysis in the time-line reconstruction of violent criminal events.
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research