TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of heat on the physical and spectral properties of bloodstains at arson scenes
AU - Bastide, Belinda
AU - Porter, Glenn
AU - Renshaw, Adrian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - This study examines the spectral characteristics of blood after being exposed to intense heat within a structural fire. Fire and intense heat have previously been understood to destroy or chemically change bloodstain evidence so that traditional forensic science recovery techniques are rendered ineffectual. Understanding the effects of the denaturation process and physical changes that occur to blood when exposed to heat may develop innovative forensic investigation methods, including the use of reflected infrared photography to enhance the recording of bloodstains. This research revealed that the denaturation of blood, specifically changes to the haemoglobin state from oxyhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin, resulted in the heat affected blood having a more optimal spectral target range within the infrared region when exposed to heat> 200 °C. It was observed both qualitatively and quantitatively using spectrophotometry, that there is a relationship between the appearance, viscosity and infrared absorption properties of blood when exposed to different temperatures as experienced in fire. This result indicated the increased potential for reflected infrared photography to be utilised as an effective tool for crime scene evidence recovery of bloodstains from arson scenes involving fire.
AB - This study examines the spectral characteristics of blood after being exposed to intense heat within a structural fire. Fire and intense heat have previously been understood to destroy or chemically change bloodstain evidence so that traditional forensic science recovery techniques are rendered ineffectual. Understanding the effects of the denaturation process and physical changes that occur to blood when exposed to heat may develop innovative forensic investigation methods, including the use of reflected infrared photography to enhance the recording of bloodstains. This research revealed that the denaturation of blood, specifically changes to the haemoglobin state from oxyhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin, resulted in the heat affected blood having a more optimal spectral target range within the infrared region when exposed to heat> 200 °C. It was observed both qualitatively and quantitatively using spectrophotometry, that there is a relationship between the appearance, viscosity and infrared absorption properties of blood when exposed to different temperatures as experienced in fire. This result indicated the increased potential for reflected infrared photography to be utilised as an effective tool for crime scene evidence recovery of bloodstains from arson scenes involving fire.
UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:61850
U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110891
DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110891
M3 - Article
SN - 0379-0738
VL - 325
JO - Forensic Science International
JF - Forensic Science International
M1 - 110891
ER -