A universal nondestructive confirmatory method for the identification of body fluid traces for forensic purposes based on Raman spectroscopy

A universal forensic method for the identification of body fluid traces is developed

Abstract Text:

There is a great need for a rapid and on-site method for detecting and identifying body fluids (BFs) at crime scenes. This is a critical step since traces of BFs are typically the primary source of DNA evidence in criminal investigations. However, current BF detection methods are mainly based on biochemical tests, which are destructive and can provide false positive results, especially in the case of on-site presumptive tests. We have recently developed a universal and nondestructive test for confirmatory identification of all main body fluids based on Raman spectroscopy. Keeping in mind the practical application, we evaluated potential false positives of the method due to environmental interference (EI) substances. In addition, machine learning (ML) approach have been developed for the analysis of spectral data to overcome the substrate interference. A proof-of-concept for determining the time since deposition of biological stains as well as phenotypic profiling has been also demonstrated. These results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy has excellent potential as a universal, nondestructive, confirmatory, and rapid method for the detection of body fluid traces for forensic purposes. Commercialization potential of this novel methodology will be also discussed.

This project was supported by Award No. 2017-DN-BX-0135 awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.