Students will investigate the characteristics of blood, blood
testing, and bloodstain analysis.
UNIT 6 SEROLOGY
VOCABULARY
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Erythrocytes
Leukocytes
Thrombocytes
Plasma
Antigen
RBC
WBC
Rh Factor
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
Surface Tension
Low-velocity impact splatter (LVIS)
Medium-velocity impact splatter (MVIS)
High-velocity impact splatter (HVIS)
Drip pattern
Cast off pattern
Swipe/smear pattern
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Spurt pattern
Expirated pattern
Agglutinate (verb)
Luminol
Blue Star
Hydrogen peroxide
Kastle-Meyer
Passive spatter
Transfer spatter
Projected spatter
IDENTIFY THE COMPONENTS AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF BLOOD
(ERYTHROCYTES, LEUKOCYTES, THROMBOCYTES,
AND PLASMA)
 Solid portion of the blood
A. Erythrocytes
1. Red blood cells (RBC).
2. Contain hemoglobin that transports the
oxygen and carbon dioxide.
3. Concave in structure.
4. Approximately 30 trillion in the blood.
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IDENTIFY THE COMPONETS AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF BLOOD
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B. Leukocytes
1. White blood cells (WBC).
2. Provide immunity for the body and
produce antibodies.
3. There are 5 types of white blood cells.
4. Approximately 430 billion in the blood.
IDENTIFY THE COMPONETS AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF BLOOD
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C. Thrombocytes
1. Platelets (pieces of larger cells).
2. Responsible of starting the clotting
process by making fibrin to form a clot.
IDENTIFY THE COMPONETS AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF BLOOD
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Liquid portion of the blood
A. Plasma
1. Fluid portion of the blood that carries the
RBC, WBC, and platelets.
2. 55% of blood is the plasma.
3. Made up of 90% water and 10%
metabolites (salt, ions, and proteins).
ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES THAT DETERMINE
ABO BLOOD TYPES AND THE RH FACTOR
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ABO blood classification system
A. Antigens
1. Proteins found on the surface of every
RBC.
2. There are over 100 different antigens in
the human blood.
3. Two of the antigens, labeled as A and B,
are the ones used on the RBC surface to
determine blood type.
ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES THAT DETERMINE
ABO BLOOD TYPES AND THE RH FACTOR
If antigen A is present a person is A blood type.
 If antigen B is present a person is B blood type.
 If both antigens A & B are present a person is
AB blood type.
 If neither antigens A & B are present a person
is O blood type.
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ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES THAT DETERMINE
ABO BLOOD TYPES AND THE RH FACTOR
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Antibodies
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Manufactures by some of the WBC and found in the blood
serum.
Function is to attack any invader (antigen) that enters the
bloodstream that does not belong in your system.
A person has antibodies again antigens that are not found
on the surface of their own RBC.
Rh Factor (Rhesus factor)
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Antigen found on the surface of a RBC.
If a person has the Rh antigen they are Rh positive (Rh+).
If a person does not have the Rh antigen they are Rh
negative (Rh-).
DETERMINE GENETIC PROBABILITIES USING
BLOOD TYPES
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Punnet Squares: A parent passes on one of
two genes for blood type to the offspring. One
of two genes is also passed on for the Rh
factor. In order to be recessive in type or Rh,
BOTH genes must be recessive. Using a
Punnet square can determine if a blood type is
possible in an offspring. This is useful in many
ways, one of the most common being paternity.
DETERMINE GENETIC PROBABILITIES USING
BLOOD TYPES
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If a child’s blood type is AB+, the mother’s type
is AB+ and the father’s type is O-, could the
“father” be the genetic father?
A
O
O
B
GENETIC PROBABILITIES
Typical blood typing distribution in the United
States.
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www.bloodbook.com/world-abo.html
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Blood Type
Percentage
A
40%
B
11%
AB
4%
O
45%
Rh+
85%
Rh-
15%
PROPERTIES OF BLOOD
Blood Volume
On average, accounts for 8 % of total body weight
 5 to 6 liters of blood for males
 4 to 5 liters of blood for females
 A 40 percent blood volume loss, internally or/and
externally, is required to produce irreversible shock
(death).
 A blood loss of 1.5 liters, internally or externally, is
required to cause incapacitation.
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BLOOD TYPING USING SALIVA
Blood typing can be done on people who are
called “secretors”
 80% of the population are secretors.
 A secretor is a person who has the gene to
secrete blood type substances (A, B & H)in a
soluble glycoprotein form in their body fluids,
like saliva, tears, gastric juice, etc.
 The “A” and “B” substances are derived from
the “H” substance
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BLOOD TYPING USING SALIVA
If cells do not clump, the person is a secretor
 If the cells clump (agglutination), the person is
a non-secretor
 Lectin is a plant substance that reacts with
blood group substances
 The lectin will indicate if an H substance is
present in the blood (an H substance is the A or
B)
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BLOOD TYPING USING SALIVA
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If H group is present, then anit-A serum and
anti-B serum can be added to determine blood
group
BLOOD DETECTION LABS
Before blood can be used as evidence, it must first
be confirmed to be blood.
 Test 1: Presumptive Blood test. This test shows
the presence of hemoglobin. It is not human
specific.
 “Every contact leaves a trace.”
 Blood evidence is extremely important in forensics.
It can be used to determine the nature of the
crime, blood types, DNA, recreate a crime scene,
etc.
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PRESUMPTIVE BLOOD TEST
However, running blood tests and DNA tests is very
time consuming and expensive. If a sample is
sent to a lab for processing, it is best to know if the
sample is most likely blood or not.
 A presumptive blood test “presumes” a substance
is blood if it reacts to chemicals in a particular
way.
 The most common presumptive test that is run is
the Kastle-Meyer Test .
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KASTLE-MEYER TEST
Kastle-Meyer is quick, inexpensive, easy and
does not compromise the integrity of the
sample, like DNA. It is very sensitive, 1:10,000.
One drop of blood diluted 10,000 times with
water can still be detected.
 It does not distinguish between human and
animal blood. It detects the iron in hemoglobin,
so other products with iron could also give a
positive result.
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Products used: Alcohol (cleans sample and
exposes more hemoglobin), phenolphthalein
(changes color with oxidation – tells you if the
test is bad and you need to redo it), hydrogen
peroxide (releases extra oxygen, causes the
pink color if oxygen is released from the
hemoglobin)
BLOOD DETECTION LABS
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Test 2: Luminol Test. This test shows where blood
has been present but wiped away. It can also
react to a number of substances such as copper
or copper-containing alloys, and certain bleaches;
and, as a result, if a crime scene is thoroughly
cleaned with a bleach solution or horseradish,
residual cleaner will cause the entire crime scene
to produce the typical blue glow, effectively
camouflaging any organic evidence, such as blood.
Luminol reacts with fecal matter, causing the
same glow as if it were blood.
 Surface Tension
The elastic like property of the surface of the liquid that
makes it tend to contract,
caused by the forces of attraction between the
molecules of the liquid.
The cohesive forces tend to resist penetration and
separation.
BLOOD SPATTER
Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: is the examination
of the shapes, locations, and distribution
patterns of bloodstains, in order to provide an
interpretation of the physical events which gave
rise to their origin.
 Based on the premise that all bloodstains and
bloodstain patterns
are characteristic of the forces that have
created them.
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FBI website
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The determinations made from bloodstain patterns at the
scene or from the clothing
of principals in a case can be used to:
Confirm or refute assumptions concerning events and their
sequence:
Position of victim. (standing, sitting, lying)
Evidence of a struggle. (blood smears, blood trails) n
Confirm or refute statements made by principals in the case:
Are stain patterns on a suspects clothing consistent with his
reported actions?
Are stain patterns on a victim or at a scene consistent with
accounts given by witnesses or the suspect?
FBI website
BLOOD SPATTER
At a crime scene the blood spatter patterns are
photographed before the blood is collected so that
the suspects account can be proved or disproven.
The photographs will allow for an interpretation
and reconstruction of what happened.
 A. Size of blood splatter
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1. Recorded with micro scales visible in photographs.
 2. The smaller the drop the faster the movement of the
blood.
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BLOOD SPATTER
B. Shape of blood spatter
1. Recorded with micro scales visible in photographs.
2. Shape of the mark where it lands reveals the
direction in which the drop was traveling and the
amount of force it was projected with.
C. Directionality of blood spatter
1. The pattern that indicated the direction the blood was
traveling when it hit the target surface.
2. Established from the geometric shape of the
bloodstain.
BLOOD SPATTER
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Velocity is the speed at which something travels
with a direction.
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Low-velocity impact spatter (LVIS)
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Caused by low-speed impact or force to a blood
source.
 2. Velocity may be up to 5 feet per second or 1.5 meters
per second.
 3. Drop size is larger than 3 millimeters.
BLOOD SPATTER
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B. Medium-velocity impact spatter (MVIS)
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Cause by medium-speed impact or force to a
blood source.
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Blunt force trauma, beating or a stabbing.
Velocity is about 25 feet per second or 1.5-7.5
meters per second.
 3. Drop size or stain of 1-3 millimeters.
BLOOD SPATTER
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C. High-velocity impact spatter (HVIS)
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Caused by high-speed impact or force to a blood
source.
 a.
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Gunshot, explosive devices, a cough or sneeze.
Velocity may be 100 feet per second or 30
meters per second.
 3. Drop size is a mist like appearance forming
drops <1 millimeter.
BLOOD SPATTER PATTERNS: PASSIVE
Passive Bloodstains are drops created or
formed by the force of gravity acting alone.
 Drops, drip patterns, pools, clots
 Drip pattern: A blood stain pattern that results
from blood dripping into blood.
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BLOOD SPATTER PATTERNS: TRANSFER
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A transfer bloodstain is created when a wet,
bloody surface comes in contact with a
secondary surface.
Contact bleeding
 Swipe or smear
 Wipe
 smudge
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BLOOD STAIN PATTERNS: PROJECTED
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Projected bloodstains are created when an
exposed blood source is subjected to an action
or force, greater than the force of gravity.
(Internally or Externally produced)
Cast-off
 Arterial spurt
 Expirated
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BLOOD SPATTER PATTERNS SUMMARY
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A. Drip pattern: A blood stain pattern that results from blood dripping
into blood.
B. Cast-off pattern: A blood stain pattern created when blood is
released or thrown from a moving a blood bearing object.
C. Transfer or Contact pattern: A blood stain pattern created when a
wet, bloody surface comes in contact with a second surface.
Swipe pattern: The transfer of blood from a moving source into an
unstained surface; the direction of travel may be determined by the
feathered edges.
Spurt pattern: artierial spurts, appear as lines of blood
Expirated pattern: Blood that is blown out of the nose, mouth, or a
wound as a result of air flow, which is the propelling force.
WHAT TYPE OF BLOOD SPATTER PATTERN?
BLOOD SPATTER VOCAB CARDS
IN the Forensics book, pages 231-232, there
are 35 blood spatter terms. Create flashcards
for each term.
 For the terms which describe how blood spatter
looks, create a picture image of what it looks
like using water color paints- so your flashcards
for the following terms will have a word, a
definition and a painted picture example
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BLOOD SPATTER VOCAB CARDS
The following terms need to have a painted
picture: arterial spurting, bloodstain, cast-off
pattern, contact stain, drip pattern, expirated
blood, flow pattern, HVIS, impact pattern, LVIS,
MVIS, misting, parent drop, passive drip,
satellite spatter, spatter, spine, swipe pattern,
transfer pattern, void, wipe pattern.
 For HVIS, MVIS, LVIS, simple put a “drop” mark
with the brush that is the right size in diameter.
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DIRECTIONALITY OF BLOOD SPATTER
When a droplet of blood strikes a surface
perpendicular (90 degrees) the resulting
bloodstain will be circular.
That being the length and width of the stain will be
equal.
 Blood that strikes a surface at an angle less than
90 degrees will be elongated or have a tear drop
shape.
Directionality is usually obvious as the pointed end
of the bloodstain ( tail ) will always
point in the direction of travel.
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IMPACT ANGLE DETERMINATION
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ANGLE of IMPACT is the acute angle formed
between the direction of the blood drop
and the plane of the surface it strikes
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By utilizing trigonometric functions its possible to
determine the impact angle for any given blood
droplet.
SIN 0 = opp (a)
hyp (c)
SIN < = Width (a) 1.5cm
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Length (c) 3.0cm
 Width (a) 1.5cm = SIN <
 Length (c) 3.0cm
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0.5 = SIN <
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< = 30 degrees
DETERMINING ANGLE OF IMPACT
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Complete the assignment “Angle of Impact”
POINT OF CONVERGENCE AND ORIGIN
DETERMINATION
The common point, on a 2 dimensional
surface, over which the directionality
of several bloodstains can be retraced.
 Once the directionality of a group of stains has
been determined,
it's possible to determine a two dimensional
point or area for the group of stains.
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CRIME SCENE ANAYLSIS OF BLOOD SPATTER
http://www.bloodspatter.com/cases.htm
 Answer the questions the police would ask you.
 Give an explanation of events for each picture
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COLLECTING BLOOD STAIN EVIDENCE
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B. Dry blood stain collection
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1. Moisten sterile cotton-tip with sterile water.
2. Rub over the blood stain until blood is picked up.
3. Allow cotton swab to air dry.
4. Package in a clean paper or envelope.
5. Seal package with tamper resistant tape.
6. Label with exhibit number, initials and date.
Or
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1. Tape-lift the bloodstain, scrape bloodstain into paper packet or
cut the portion of the stain from the object it is on.
2. Package in a clean paper or envelope.
3. Seal package with tamper resistant tape.
4. Label with exhibit number, initials and date.
COLLECTING BLOOD STAIN EVIDENCE
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C. Large object blood stain collection
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Cut out the blood stained areas.
 2. Allow for it to air dry.
 3. Package in paper bags or paper wrapping.
 4. Seal package with tamper resistant tape.
 5. Label with exhibit number, initials and date.
BLOOD TESTS TO IDENTIFY BLOOD PRODUCTS
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A. Luminol- Used if a high-intensity light beam does not
reveal blood at a crime scene after it has been cleaned.
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1. Luminol is a reagent that makes blood identifiable.
2. Luminol is sprayed in a dark room to reveal drops of
blood.
3. Turns a fluorescent blue glow when it comes in contact
with blood.
4. Reacts with the iron that is found in the hemoglobin of
blood.
5. Glow will last 30 seconds and must be documented with
a photograph.
6. False positive can occur with metals, bleach and some
plaster on walls.
BLOOD TESTS TO IDENTIFY BLOOD PRODUCTS
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B. Hydrogen peroxide- A strong oxidizing agent.
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1. The heme in hemoglobin of RBC breaks down the peroxide.
2. This reaction caused the production of oxygen that causes the stain
to turn blue in color.
3. Often hydrogen peroxide is used with the Kastle- Meyer Test.
C. Kastle- Meyer Test (K-M Test)- A blood test that uses the chemical
indicator called phenolphthalein to detect the presence of
hemoglobin.
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1. A blood sample is collected on a cotton-tipped swab and a drop of
phenolphthalein is added to the tip.
2. After a few seconds hydrogen peroxide is applied to the swab.
3. If the swab turns bright pink rapidly it is positive for blood.
4. After 30 seconds the swab will naturally turn pink as it oxidizes on its
own in the air.
SEMEN
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Semen and saliva are other body fluids which are
commonly found at crime scenes.
We will be examining semen from a bull. First, examine
the live sperm in the microscope. Draw and describe
what you see. How would a sperm count be made?
How could a sperm count play a role in being evidence?
(class or individual)
Using black light, examine the fabric to see if body fluid
is present (in this case, bull semen). Describe the
methods you used. Describe what you see.
How would this evidence be collected and sent back to
the lab?
CAREERS IN BLOOD
A. Phlebotomist
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Collects blood samples by venipuncture.
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1. Level of education: High school diploma and
accredited training program licensure.
 2. Credentialing requirements: Each state decided
licensing.
 3. Employment opportunities and career growth
potential: High demand.
 4. Workplace environments: Hospital, laboratory,
clinics, and doctors office.
 5. Salary: $12.00/hour
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CAREERS IN BLOOD
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B. Forensic Serology DNA Criminalist
Tests blood and other body fluids found at a crime
scene.
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1. Level of education: Minimum of a Bachelors degree; often
a Masters degree or Doctoral degree.
2. Credentialing requirements: None.
3. Employment opportunities and career growth potential:
Good in current job market.
4. Workplace environments: Law enforcement agencies,
crime labs, Military agencies and medical professional
agencies.
5. Salary: $32,000 year/ average
CAREERS IN BLOOD
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Serology Technician
Work in the collection, testing, and analysis of evidence
from a crime scene.
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1. Level of education: Minimum of an Associate’s degree;
often a Bachelors degree or Masters degree.
2. Credentialing requirements: Must go through a
state/national accreditation training program.
3. Employment opportunities and career growth potential:
Good in current job market.
4. Workplace environments: Law enforcement agencies,
crime labs, government agencies and laboratories.
5. Salary: $50,000 year/ average
THE CASE OF LOIS MCARTHUR
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This simulated crime scene will require you to
use your knowledge of hair, fiber, trace and
blood evidence to solve.
TEST REVIEW