The ring phenomenon of diluted blood droplets

Bloodstain pattern analysis is occasionally required in practical forensic casework. Misinterpretations may occur in cases in which diluted bloodstains are formed either within the course of the crime or during cleaning attempts after the original crime. The resulting pale or diluted aspect of the bloodstains may also be produced by passive serum separation. To differentiate between diluted and non-diluted stains and the artifacts of pure serum separation, dripping experiments were performed using droplets of multiple sizes and dilutions dripped onto common indoor and fabric surfaces. In addition, pools of blood of different volumes were applied to solid surfaces with different inclinations to determine the conditions and properties of serum separation. This study yielded morphological characteristics that enable differentiation between stains of diluted and non-diluted blood: a prominent ring phenomenon indicates dilution with water. To elucidate the underlying physical mechanism of particle distribution within a blood stain, photomicrographs were taken during the drying process. The so-called contact line pinning effect was identified as the formation mechanism of this ring phenomenon. Serum separation was highly dependent on the applied blood volume, the ambient temperature, the time elapsed since the initial deposition, and the degree of floor inclination.