An evaluation of an enzymatic choline determination for the identification of semen in casework samples

This study compares the detection of choline in seminal stains by both an enzymatic method and by the standard Florence crystal test. The tests were conducted on 293 actual casework samples. In those samples identified as containing semen, choline was detected twice as often by the enzymatic method compared to the Florence method (84.6 versus 40.3%). The choline results were correlated with spermatozoa and acid phosphatase tests. The enzymatic detection of choline in seminal stains was found to be a fast, easy, sensitive, and reliable test.