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Probing menstrual bloodstain aging with fluorescence spectroscopy
Anna Wójtowicz1, Alexis Weber2, Renata Wietecha-Posłuszny3
1Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12222, USA; Laboratory for Forensic Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 2 Gronostajowa St., 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
Forensic analysis of menstrual blood (MB) stains can be enhanced by understanding biochemical changes. Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals significant spectral shifts in MB stains within nine hours, aiding in event reconstruction.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Biochemistry
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Menstrual blood (MB) is crucial forensic evidence, particularly in sexual assault investigations.
- Differentiating MB from peripheral blood (PB) is vital for reconstructing events and determining assault versus natural causes.
- Understanding MB degradation is key to developing bloodstain aging methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biochemical changes in menstrual bloodstains over time.
- To explore the utility of fluorescence spectroscopy for analyzing menstrual bloodstains.
- To establish a basis for dating menstrual bloodstains forensically.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze menstrual bloodstains.
- Monitored steady-state fluorescence spectra over time post-deposition.
- Investigated the kinetic transformation of key fluorophores.
Main Results:
- Observed significant changes in steady-state fluorescence spectra within the first nine hours.
- Identified tryptophan, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and flavins as key fluorophores involved in spectral changes.
- Proposed a mechanism for fluorescence alteration based on fluorophore transformation.
Conclusions:
- Fluorescence spectroscopy is a viable method for detecting biochemical changes in aging menstrual bloodstains.
- The observed spectral changes provide a potential timeline for menstrual bloodstain analysis.
- Further research can refine this method for forensic applications in event reconstruction.
