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Enhanced Genetic Analysis of Single Human Bioparticles Recovered by Simplified Micromanipulation from Forensic ‘Touch DNA’ Evidence

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Forensic determination of blood sample age using a bioaffinity-based assay.

Juliana Agudelo¹, Crystal Huynh, Jan Halámek

¹Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany NY 12222, USA. jhalamek@albany.edu.

|January 24, 2015

Summary

Forensic scientists can now estimate bloodstain age using a novel bioassay. This method tracks two key blood markers, creatine kinase (CK) and alanine transaminase (ALT), to determine time since deposition at crime scenes.

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Area of Science:

Forensic Science
Biochemistry
Analytical Chemistry

Background:

Determining the time elapsed since a blood sample was deposited at a crime scene is crucial for forensic investigations.
Existing methods for bloodstain age determination often lack accuracy or are limited in their time-frame applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a reliable bioassay for estimating the age of bloodstains.
To utilize the natural denaturation processes of specific blood markers for time-since-deposition analysis.

Main Methods:

A bioaffinity-driven cascade assay was designed, monitoring two blood markers: creatine kinase (CK) and alanine transaminase (ALT).
The assay employed two parallel biocatalytic subsystems, each tracking the activity of one marker, accounting for their distinct denaturation rates.
Human serum samples were aged under simulated crime scene conditions (varying temperatures) to test the assay's reliability.

Main Results:

The developed bioassay successfully estimated the age of dried/aged serum samples up to 5 days old.
Parallel monitoring of CK and ALT activities provided accurate blood sample age information with low temporal error.
The assay demonstrated reliability even in environments with fluctuating temperatures, mimicking real-world crime scenes.

Conclusions:

The bioaffinity-driven cascade assay offers a promising tool for forensic science to accurately determine bloodstain age.
The dual-marker approach overcomes limitations of single-marker assays, enabling prolonged and precise temporal analysis.
This method enhances the investigative capabilities at crime scenes by providing reliable time-since-deposition data.