Abstract

The effect of ethylenediamine (EDA) on the reaction of luminol or Bluestar with blood and bleaches was studied. For this purpose, blood, chlorine bleach, and oxygen bleach were applied to filter paper, treated with EDA-containing luminol or Bluestar, and the changes in chemiluminescence intensity were observed. It was found that the chemiluminescence intensity of the luminol (or Bluestar)-blood reaction did not change with the increasing concentration of EDA. However, the chemiluminescence intensity of the luminol (or Bluestar)-chlorine bleach reaction decreased and the chemiluminescence intensity of the luminol (or Bluestar)-oxygen bleach reaction increased, with increasing EDA concentration. Thus, it was found that when EDA was added to luminol (or Bluestar), which is a blood-sensitive reagent, EDA suppressed the false-positive reaction induced by chlorine bleach and induced a false-positive reaction with oxygen bleach. Consequently, the addition of EDA is not recommended for enhancing bloodstains with luminol or Bluestar.