Stand‐off Raman spectroscopy is a promising approach for the detection and identification of bloodstains for forensic purposes

Abstract

Stand‐off Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was demonstrated to have great potential for detecting and identifying biological stains from a distance for forensic purposes. Bloodstain spectra were collected using a handheld Raman spectrometer equipped with a stand‐off attachment and compared with spectra acquired with a benchtop Raman microscope. The two sets of spectra were visually similar, supporting the potential use of a handheld Raman spectrometer with stand‐off attachment for blood detection at the scene of crime. In addition, the stand‐off Raman spectra of bloodstains were correctly identified using a previously built SVM‐DA model for the identification of all main body fluids (Muro et al., Forensic Chemistry, 2016). Stand‐off Raman spectroscopy opens a new potential opportunity for further development of Raman spectroscopy as a universal tool for detecting and identifying body fluid traces for forensic purposes.