NCJ Number
55508
Date Published
1978
Length
93 pages
Annotation
THE RADIOIMMUNOASSAY TECHNIQUE (RIA) IS DISCUSSED AS TO ITS ABILITY TO DETECT DRUGS IN BLOODSTAINS.
Abstract
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH WAS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE HEALTH STATUS OF AN INDIVIDUAL FROM BLOODSTAINS AS DETERMINED BY DRUG ANALYSIS. GENETIC MARKERS IN BLOODSTAINS CANNOT ALWAYS BE DETECTED AFTER A FEW WEEKS. DUE TO THEIR PROTEIN STRUCTURE, NONGENETIC FACTORS DO NOT PERSIST LONG IN DRIED BLOOD. DRUGS, HOWEVER, ARE SMALLER AND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME DEGREDATIVE FORCES AS ARE PROTEINS. THE DETECTION OF DRUGS IN BLOODSTAINS REPRESENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TOOL FOR DIFFERENTIATING AND INDIVUALIZING BLOODSTAINS. RIA WAS USED TO DETECT DRUGS BECAUSE OF ITS SENSITIVITY AND ITS ABILITY TO BE USED WITH CRUDE BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES. DETECTION LIMITS FOR THE DRUGS USED IN THE STUDY ARE PRESENTED. SALIVA, SEMEN, BLOOD PLASMA, URINE, AND PERSPIRATION WERE EXAMINED FOR DRUG CONTENT, AS WAS HEAD HAIR. LEVELS OF EXTRACTABILITY AND PERSISTENCE ARE PRESENTED FOR THE DRUGS STUDIED. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING NEW WAYS TO INDIVIDUALIZE BLOODSTAINS, THESE TECHNIQUES PROVIDE THE ADVANTAGE OF DETECTING A SPECIES IN BLOODSTAINS WHICH MAY PERSIST FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. RIA MAY PROVE VALUABLE TO POLICE OFFICERS IN CASES IN WHICH THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME HAD BEEN TAKING DRUGS. IN SUCH CASES, THE PRESENCE OF DRUGS IN THE BLOODSTAIN ON THE SUSPECTED PERPETRATOR OF THE CRIME WOULD BE HELPFUL IN ESTABLISHING WHETHER THE STAIN WAS FROM THE VICTIM. RIA CAN AID THOSE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF BURGLARIES, HOMICIDES, MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATIONS, ASSAULTS, AND VIRTUALLY ANY CRIME WHERE BLOOD AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FLUID EVIDENCE EXISTS. TABLES, FIGURES, AND LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED -- MLC)