[Effect of "Fit" dishwashing detergent from former Eastern Germany (GDR) on luminol luminescence]

The forensic luminol test is used to screen large areas for the presence of blood. The heme-induced reduction of hydrogen peroxide is coupled to the oxidation of luminol resulting in luminescence. However, photographic documentation of the relatively weak and short-lived luminescence is difficult and luminol is now often replaced by other chemicals. In this study, we investigated reports from the Rostock police department that the addition of "Fit", a dishwashing detergent from former Eastern Germany, could both intensify and prolong the luminescence of luminol on blood stains. Even though this effect was reported only for the original composition of Fit but not the currently sold version, we found that both the old and the new version of Fit increase the brightness of the luminescence while decreasing its duration. This may be due to detergents in the dishwashing liquid, which permeabilize the plasma membrane of the erythrocytes, exposing the Fe3+ inside the cell and speeding up the entire reaction. We did not find any evidence of special ingredients in the old version of Fit that would cause both the increased brightness and prolonged duration of luminescence as reported by the Rostock PD.