If you have ever seen any forensics show , we ’re sure you will have realize some blood showing up in a darken room like a deathly beam - in - the - dismal artistry project . But , what is actually do it glow ?

Put yourself in the shoes of a killer . The body is now gone , but there is a suspicious pool of blood seeping into the porous grizzly cement . You go into the overstuffed cleaning cupboard in the way , stave off the precariously balanced heather that try fall onto your head , while you grab the soap , a scrawny grey mop , and an older chickenhearted sponge . You scour at the base until your hands hurt , the storey is sparkling and looks so clean that you could use up your food off it . You walk out of the room with a petty skip in your step , thinking smugly that you will get by with your heinous crime without anyone being the wiser .

WRONG !

Luminol is a criminal ’s worst nightmare and a forensic scientist ’s good friend . Despite a criminal ’s attempt to do the best clean of their entire lives , forensic scientists have some tricks up their lab coating sleeve . The luminol test is a very old and utilitarian technique , to highlight a offense tantrum even when someone has taste to wash down any obvious bloodstain , in some cases , it can also reveal the comportment of a bloody footwear impression .

How do forensic scientists use luminol?

Luminol is a chemical substance that is often in the form of a fine-grained center . To conduct a luminol trial , a answer that containsluminolpowder and liquid containing specific chemical ( e.g. , hyrdrogen hydrogen peroxide and hydroxide ) is mix into a spray bottle . This is then sprayed onto an domain where roue may be found . If the answer touches any stemma , then the branding iron in the pedigree reacts with the elements in the luminol and can produce a rapid press release of eerie gamey - greenglowdue to the special energy the chemical reaction cause .

This response is call chemiluminescence and it only lasts for around 30 minute . However , under darkened conditions , this reaction can then be regard and photographed .

This luminol reaction is a very sinewy tool and is very sensitive to blood . It can be used for decade - old blood stains , andscientistshave even recover that the quondam the stain , the longer and more pronounce the luminescence . Positively , luminol does notadversely affectany ABO or deoxyribonucleic acid profiling .

What are the drawbacks of luminol?

One issue is that sometimes false positive can occur with this test , as luminol can react with some sum like home bleach , vegetable peroxidase , and metal .

So , if you ever thinking about committing a crime . Be discourage , the forensic skill team is only one nebuliser bottle away .