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[Carbamide peroxide as source of hydrogen peroxide for the luminol application at crime scenes]
Lothar Schwarz1, Mona-Lena Hermanowski
1Kriminaltechnisches Institut, Bundeskriminalamtes, Wiesbaden.
Abstract:
The solution of hydrogen peroxide is a critical ingredient of the Weber luminol application for blood detection at the crime scene. An ideal alternative to the unstable hydrogen peroxide is a solid compound which is easy to transport, stable and quick to solve in water at the crime scene. Carbamide peroxide (urea peroxide) is one of these solid hydrogen peroxide carriers which is easy to obtain as one gram tablets. At dry conditions it is stable over a long period at room temperature and even for a short time at higher temperatures. But at 70 degrees C (180 degrees F) the tablets go out of shape and cake after one hour. In the application of luminol there are no differences between the use of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide.
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