STUDY OF BLUESTAR EFFECTIVENESS DURATION IN DETECTING CLEANED AND CONCEALED BLOOD STAINS ON DIFFERENT SURFACES
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Abstract
This study aimed to 1) compare the luminescence intensity in bloodstain detection on different surface types, including red bricks, wooden panels, and aluminum sheets, and 2) examine the effects of different cleaning methods—plain water, soap, detergent, and toilet cleaner—prior to being concealed with paint on the luminescence intensity of bloodstains. This was an experimental research design. Human blood (1.00 milliliter) was dropped onto each surface, cleaned using one of the four methods, and covered with paint for 10, 20, and 30 days. The bloodstains were then tested using Bluestar and Luminol in complete darkness. A digital camera, Adobe Photoshop, and MATLAB were used to analyze the luminescence intensity in RGB format. Descriptive statistics, mean comparison, and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.
The results for Objective 1 revealed that red bricks yielded the highest luminescence intensity, followed by wood and aluminum. Bluestaroutperformed Luminol across all surface types, especially on porous surfaces. Regarding Objective 2, bloodstains cleaned with plain water produced the highest luminescence, while cleaning with toilet cleaner significantly reduced detection capability—particularly on aluminum surfaces left for 30 days, where Luminol failed to produce visible luminescence. In contrast, Bluestar consistently demonstrated higher luminescence under all experimental conditions.
These findings support the use of Bluestar for enhanced forensic bloodstain detection, especially when dealing with porous surfaces or time-delayed evidence. The study also highlights the importance of choosing appropriate chemical agents and controlling cleaning conditions to improve accuracy and reliability in crime scene investigations.
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