Tests: Is it Blood?
In order to test if a substance is actually blood, there are tests that can be performed using various chemicals.
Luminol*: short uv, spray samples to see fluorescence
Kastle- Meyer reagent** + 3 % H2O2:
Wet filter paper, label with permanent ink or pencil
Touch stain to wet filter paper to transfer the substance to be tested
Add 2 drops of Kastle- Meyer reagent
Add 2 drops of fresh 3 % hydrogen peroxide
Observe color change will be pink in the presence of real blood
Ninhydrin solution
Set up samples of white cloth and white paper towels with ketchup, Tabasco sauce, worceshire sauce, BBQ sauce,red food
dye and real steak or beef blood from the butcher.
*Luminol: 1.0 g luminal + .5 g Na2CO3 dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water, then add 0.7 g sodium perborate or 0.9 g
potassium iodate.
** Kastle- Meyer reagent - This is a reduced phenolphthalein solution. KOH, phenolphthalaein and Zinc. After dissolved add
ethanol to 500 ml store in a brown bottle in the refrigerator.
Lab: "Blood Typing" (used an ABO Rh kit from Flinn Scientific)
