• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2018

Finding the blood left at a crime scene is very important to reconstruct or solve a criminal case. Although numerous reagents have been developed for use at crime scenes, luminol is the most representative. Bluestar Forensic has been used in recent years, but is expensive and cannot be stored after preparation. This study aims to develop a new luminol reagent that can be stored for a long period of time while maintaining the chemiluminescence intensity at the level of Bluestar Forensic. Because luminol dissolves well in aqueous alkaline solutions, the use of sodium hydroxide in the preparation of luminol reagents can promote the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Magnesium sulfate, sodium silicate, and potassium triphosphate have been used as hydrogen peroxide stabilizers. The effects of the addition of these substances on the chemiluminescence emission intensity and the storage period of the luminol reagents were confirmed. The addition of a hydrogen peroxide stabilizer was shown to have no significant affect on the chemiluminescence emissions intensity or stabilized pH of the luminol reagent during storage. It also greatly increases the shelf life of the reagents. The use of magnesium sulfate as a hydrogen peroxide stabilizer is the most appropriate. When sodium perborate is used instead of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent, there is no significant change in the sensitivity and chemiluminescence emissions intensity, but the storage period is shortened. However, after the reaction with blood, the pH of the mixed solution does not increase significantly, and is judged to be more suitable than a reagent made of hydrogen peroxide.