Estimation of Bloodstain Age by Rapid Determinations of Oxyhemoglobin by Use of Oxygen Electrode and Total Hemoglobin

Abstract

Bloodstain age could be estimated from the ratio of oxyhemoglobin/total hemoglobin (fractional oxyhemoglobin) in the bloodstain by this present method, if the temperature at which the bloodstain had been kept was known. The oxyhemoglobin was determined with an oxygen electrode immersed in water in which the oxygen had been depleted, and the total hemoglobin was determined by conventional colorimetry (cyanomethemoglobin method). Ages of prepared bloodstain samples (within 24h after bleeding) were estimated by this present method, which requires only 20μl of bloodstain and only 5 min for the whole analysis.