Rapid spot tests for identifying suspected semen specimens

The application of a new method for rapidly and conveniently solubilizing, identifying, and semi-quantitatively measuring acid phosphatase and/or zinc in moist and dried materials suspected of containing traces of semen is described. The simplified procedure, intended for field testing outside the laboratory, is performed by rolling a test swab on the moistened specimen and noting characteristic color changes in the swab, which are indicative of the analytes under investigation being above or below certain preselected definitive concentration cutoff levels. The stabilized test swabs consist of bibulous material impregnated with particular amounts of colorimetric reagents. Studies described here report that vaginal washings should be evaluated within 24 h of deposition, that dried specimens can be analyzed many days or weeks after collection, and that results are independent of the sperm count.