FORENSIC SCIENCE- is the application of under which the crime was committed or which
scientific principles to matters involving the law. in general assist in the prosecution of the
criminal. It encompasses any and all objects that
Forensic Specialist - A person that practices
can establish that crime has been committed or
forensics such as; DNA Examiner, Ballistician,
can provide a link between a crime and its
Forensic photographer and etc.
victims or a crime and its perpetrator.
CHEMISTRY - Branch of science that deals with
GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN THE COLLECTION OF
matter, its properties and the changes it
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE There are several
undergoes
guidelines in the collection of physical evidence.
FORENSIC CHEMISTRY - branch of chemistry
These help ensure that the appropriate
which deals with the application of chemical
protocols are followed, resulting in the
principles in the solution of problems that arise
generation of useful evidence.
in connection with the administration of justices
1.Sufficiency of sample - sufficient weight,
FORENSIC CHEMIST - A person that practices
volume, or pieces of sample for analysis should
Forensic Chemistry to aid in an investigation to
be submitted so that a series of lab tests can be
solve legal problems.
performed
TOXICOLOGY - Branch of science that defines
2. Standard for comparison - a standard should
the nature, effects and detection of substance
be submitted so that comparative analysis can
that is present to a specific matter. The study of
be performed and facilitate the evaluation of
the adverse effects of chemical substances
unfair trade completion
(poisons) on living organism.
3. Maintenance of individuality - different
FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY - The use of Toxicology
specimens should be packed individually
principles to aid Medico legal investigations of
prevent to contamination
deaths and poisoning.
4. Labeling and sealing- individually packed
PROF. MATHIEU ORFILA - Spanish toxicologist,
specimens should be labeled and sealed
chemist, medical professor in France, Father of
properly to avoid confusion in the preparation
modern forensic Toxicology.
of requests and documentations.
-He also testify in court as expert witness
CHAIN OF CUSTODY
against Madam Marie Lafarge, after poisoning
her husband, Charles Lafarge with Arsenic. The chain of custody refers to a written
record of all the individuals who maintained
-He uses the chemical technique “Marsh test”
unbroken control over certain items of
to identify arsenic from the body of Charles
evidence. collected from a crime scene. This
LaFarge.
establishes the proof that the items of evidence
CRIME SCENE - An area or vicinity of occurrence collected at the crime scene are the name items
of physical evidences being presented in a court of law, hence
validating their origin. The so-called "chain of
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Are articles and materials custody" aims to establish several things:
which are found in connection with an
investigation and which aid in establishing the
identity of the perpetrator of the circumstances
• The date and time at which the evidence was GOLDEN RULES IN THE PRACTICE OF CHEMISTRY
handled; 1. GO SLOWLY - Take all time to make the test
• Those who had contact with the evidence; complete, no matter how urgent or pressure is
• What changes, if any, were made in the given. Others say that work must done slowly
evidence; and but surely.
• The circumstances under which the evidence 2. BE THOROUGH - Make careful observation
was handled and conduct all sufficient analysis before
releasing a result to prevent mistakes. - In
LOCARD’S EXCHANGE PRINCIPLE forensic mistake is inevitable because the life of
other people depend on the result of their
“Whenever a criminal comes into contact with examination.
a victim, an object, or a crime scene, he/ she 3. TAKE NOTES - Used laboratory notebook,
will leave behind evidence, and will also take photograph, voice recorder or other means to
away evidence. record all your observations.
4. CONSULT OTHERS - Consulting others who
FOUR STAGES IN THE PRACTICE OF FORENSIC already handled similar case can help to speed
CHEMISTRY up investigation at the same improving the
1. Collection or reception of specimen to performance in dealing the case compared from
be examined; the previously one.
• Sufficiency of samples 5. USE IMAGINATION - Be imaginative and think
• Standard for comparison ahead the outcome of the analysis done.
• Maintenance of individuality 6. AVOID COMPLICATED THEORIES - Explain in
• Labeling and sealing layman terms to understand the chemical
2. Actual examination; language for easily understanding by non-
3. Communication of results of examination; expert.
and
4. Court appearance Failure to consider the golden rules will
contribute to destruction of evidence/specimen.
SCOPE OF FORENSIC CHEMISTRY The other reasons of forensic disaster are:
•It includes the chemical side of criminal •Improper packing of specimen
investigation •Failure of identification of specimen
•It includes the analysis of any material the •Improper, precaution use in transmitting the
quality of which may give rise to legal specimen.
proceeding. •Lack of precautions to prevent tampering of
•It is not limited to purely chemical questions the specimen.
involved in legal proceedings.
•It has invaded other branches of forensic Who maybe a Witness? (Eye Witness – one who
sciences notably legal medicine, ballistics, saw the fatal act)
questioned documents, dactyloscopy, and ORDINARY WITNESS - State facts and may not
photography express his opinions or conclusions. He may
testify to impressions of common experiments
such as the speed of a vehicle, whether a voice
was that of a man, woman or child. Beyond this
he is closely limited.
EXPERT WITNESS - One who posses a special
skill, be it in art, trade or science or one who
has special knowledge not generally known to complex mixture of cells, enzymes, proteins,
men or ordinary education and experiments; and inorganic substances. It is the red fluid of
one who is skilled in some art and trade or the blood vessels. Blood is opaque. On the
science to the extent that he possesses treatment with either, water or other reagents
information not within the common knowledge becomes transparent lake color. It is finally
of man. alkaline. Normally pH(power of hydrogen) is
7.35 – 7.45
THE FORENSIC CHEMIST AS AN EXPERT
WITNESS IN COURT COMPOSITION OF BLOOD
A forensic chemist can be called in as an expert (40-45%) formed elements or the solid
witness in a court of law by virtue of the materials consisting chiefly of cells namely:
following qualifications: Red Blood Cells or RBC
1. EDUCATION - one must be a (ERYTHROCYTES) around 4 – 5 millions of red
licensed/registered chemist, preferably with a cell per cc. of blood. Red blood cells carry
Master's or Ph.D. degree oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our bodies.
2. TRAINING - one must have undergone
trainings and seminars in the field of forensics, White Blood Cells or WBC (LEUKOCYTES). -
and must be updated in the training of forensic attacks and destroys harmful microorganism
chemistry procedures in and outside the and thus serve as one of the body’s defenses
country against infections
3. EXPERIENCE - one must have hands-on
experience involving laboratory procedures and Blood Platelets (THROMBOCYTES). Platelets
must know how to answer court inquiries about originate in bone marrow and circulate in our
chemistry principles during court presentation blood. Their primary function is to prevent and
stop bleeding. If a blood vessel is damaged, the
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FORENSIC CHEMIST body sends signals to platelets which cause
The practice of forensic chemistry in the them to travel to the injured area.
Philippines, similar to other chemistry practices,
is covered by Republic Act No 754. Also known (55%) PLASMA – The fluid or liquid portion of
as the Chemistry Law. This was enacted on June blood where the cells are suspended. It is
18, 1952. The Chemistry Law clearly states that principally composed of:
a Registered Chemist is any person who is Water ---- 90% Solid ----- 10% ( largely protein in
engaged in the professional practice of nature and consist of albumen, several
chemistry, and is duly registered with the Board globulin’s and fibrinogen.
of Chemistry and the Professional Regulation
Commission to undertake the professional ALBUMINS- the most plentiful of the blood
practice of chemistry. Among others, a forensic proteins.
chemist must: GLOBULINS- broad category of blood proteins
that help transport fats throughout the body
1.Be able to spend hours rigorously applying and help fight infections.
analytical techniques to evidence, FIBRINOGEN- helps the clotting of the blood.
2. Clearly and concisely answers challenges to
his findings, and In the forensic aspect of blood identification,
3. Possess moral integrity that is blood grouping, our discussion will
concentrate on the RBC and blood serum.
BLOOD AND BLOOD STAINS Serum is pale yellowish liquid just like the
Blood has been called the circulating plasma.
tissue of the body. It is referred to as a highly
SERUM is a straw – yellow liquid formed when
clotted blood is allowed to stand for sometime Developed in 1904 by Oskar and Rudolf Adler.
and the clot contracts. This is an extremely sensitive test that can be
applied to minute stain. For many years the
most commonly used preliminary test for blood.
The Benzidine test never fails to detect blood
even when very old, decomposed stain with all
BLOOD COLLECTION shorts of contamination is examined. The
FLUID BLOOD are usually collected from victims positive result is only indicative that the blood
of crimes of violence, parent and child in case of maybe present.
disputed parentage.
DRIED BLOOD OR BLOOD STAINS are collected PROCEDURE: Place a small fragment/portion of
from smooth surface like walls, finished floors, the stained material on a filter paper. Add a
table tops, hard surface like axe, hammer, drop of benzidine solution and then drop of
knives, stones, crowbars, glazed surface like hydrogen peroxide solution.
glass, tiles, automobiles, bulky objects like POSITIVE RESULTS: Intense blue color produced
blackboard, linoleum sheets, doors, window immediately
frames, clothing, and blood absorbed by the soil
Benzidine test has the sensitivity up to
BLOOD EXAMINATION 1:300,000 dilution.
• PRELIMINARY TEST - determine whether the PHENOLPHTALEIN TEST Invented by Joseph
stain contains blood or another substance. Hoeing Kastle modified by Erich Meyer This is an
Determines whether visible stains do or do not alternative test to benzidine test.
contain blood. It is used to demonstrate the It can detect blood in a dilution of 1:80,000,000
presence of blood. parts. A positive results with this test is highly
• CONFIRMATORY TEST - determines whether indicative of blood. The negative result is,
bloodstain really contains blood. Test that therefore, valuable and is conclusive as to the
positively identifies blood. absence of blood.
• PRECIPITIN TEST- determines whether blood is
a human or nonhuman origin, and if non PROCEDURE: Place a small fragment/portion of
human, the specific animal family from which it the stained material on a filter paper. Add a
originated. drop of phenolphthalein solution and then a
• BLOOD GROUPING TEST - determines the drop of hydrogen peroxide solution.
blood group of human
POSITIVE RESULT: Rose color develops or deep
pink color or permanganate color
THE PRELIMINARY TEST FOR BLOOD (COLOR
TEST) (Chemical Examinations) GUAIACUM TEST
•Benzidine Test or Benzidine Color Test (Adlers Discovered by Izaac Van Deen A fairly delicate
Test) test showing the presence of fresh blood in a
•Phenolphthalein Test ( also known as Kastle – solution of 1:50,000 dilution. It may not react to
Meyer Test) very old stains.
•Guaiacum Test (Van Deen Test, Day’s or
Schonbein’s Test) PROCEDURE: Place a small piece of the stained
•Leucomalachite Green Test fabric on porcelain dish. Soak with fresh tincture
•Luminol Test of guaiac. Add a few drops of hydrogen
peroxide.
BENZIDINE TEST (ADLER’S TEST)
POSITIVE RESULTS: Beautiful blue color that Useful for the demonstration of blood
appears immediately. corpuscles for making the distinction between
mammalian, avian, piscine, and reptilian blood
and for the investigation of menstrual, lochial
and nasal charges. In short it differentiates
mammalian, avian, piscine and reptilian blood.
LEUCOMALACHITE GREEN TEST MICROCHEMICAL TEST (MICROCRYSTALLINE
TEST) HEMOCHROMOGEN CRYSTAL OR
This is a test not as sensitive as the benzidine TAKAYAMA TEST:
test A fragment of the suspected material is
PROCEDURE: A small piece of the stained fabric placed on a slide glass and a drop of
on a filter paper. Add a drop of leucomalachite hemochromogen reagent is added. A cover
green solution and after a few seconds add drop glass is placed on top and heated gradually for a
of 3% hydrogen peroxide. time, then examined under the microscope.
Crystals varying from salmon color to dark
POSITIVE RESULTS: Malachite green with bluish brown and pink and which are irregular
green or peacockblue color rhomboids or in clusters, may be seen. This test
is positive to any substance containing
LUMINOUS TEST hemoglobin.
It is an important presumptive TEICHMANN'S BLOOD CRYSTALS OR HEMIN
identification test for blood. The reaction of CRYSTALS TEST
luminol with blood results in the production of On the microscopic slide is placed fragments of
light rather than color. By spraying luminol the stain and a drop of water with trace of
reagent onto a suspect item, large areas can be sodium chloride added. Add glacial acetic acid
quickly screened for the presence of and evaporate to dryness under a cover slip.
bloodstains. The sprayed object must be located Dark Drown rhombic prisms of chloride of
in a darkened area while being viewed for the hematin are formed. This is considered as the
emission of light. (LUMINESCENCE). Luminol best of the micro-chemical test.
test is extremely sensitive test. It is capable of
detecting bloodstains diluted up to 10,000X.
Luminol is known to destroy many important ACETONE-HAEMIN OF WAGENHAAR TEST
blood factors necessary for the forensic A particle of dried stain or a fiber of the stained
characterization of blood, so its use should be fabric is placed on a glass slide and covered with
limited only to seeking out blood invisible to the a cover slip with a needle interposed to prevent
naked eye. direct contact of the cover slip with the slide. A
drop of acetone is run under the cover slip so
that the material is surrounded and a drop of
THE CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR BLOOD diluted oxalic or acetic acid is then added. When
examined under high power microscope, small
The actual proof that stain is blood consists of dark, dichroic acicular crystals of acetone-
establishing the presence of the characteristic haemin are seen.
of the red blood cells of the blood.
SPECTROSCOPIC EXAMINATION
MICROSCOPICTEST
This examination depends on the
principle that blood pigments have the power to
absorb light of certain wave length and produce
certain characteristic absorption bands on the
spectrum
Spectroscope Test – is the almost delicate and
reliable test for the determination of the
presence of blood in both old recent stains. This
is performed by means of an optical instrument
known as SPECTROSCOPE.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS OF BLOOD
1. SOLUBILITY TEST: Recent blood shed is
soluble in saline solution and imparts a bright
red color. Stains which have been exposed to air
become dry; hemoglobin is transformed to
meth-hemoglobin or hematin. If the stain has
been kept in damp places for a long time;
hemoglobin is transformed to hematin.
2. HEAT TEST: Solution of the blood stain when
heated will impart a muddy precipitate.
3. LUMINESCENCE TEST: Stains on dark fabric
mixed with mud, paint, etc. emit bluish white
luminescence in a dark room
BIOLOGIC EXAMINATIONS OF BLOOD
THE PRECIPITIN TEST- It is the standard test used
to determine whether the stain/blood is of
human or animal origin.
POSITIVE RESULT: A white cloudy line or ring or
band at the contact points of the fluid that
appears immediately or within one or two
minutes.
