Chemiluminescence;

A Reaction that
Revolutionizes the
Gathering of
Evidence.

By:
DARREN JAMES D. MOLINA
Aquinas University of Legazpi Extension School
Tuguegarao City
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ABSTRACT
Finding a concrete evidence to prove someone elses participation to a crime is a never
ending battle for litigation lawyers. The favorable decisions to which they seek to attain are
Justice for their clients as well as to them.
Justice is word created by fiction of Law to which a person attains fairness and just in its
case. It is said that Justice is a matter of rightness to something parties wishes to attain, and in the
field of Law, one who seeks Justice must do so thru evidence to prove whatever claim they may
have. It is so painful for some to miss that Justice just because of impossibility for very important
evidence to be seen in the naked eye. That thru which, they could have attain a favorable
decision.
Evidence is a general term used, because anything that you present to support an
assertion is an evidence perse, but the question of does it conform to the law, is it admissible to
the court? these are just the questions asked whenever a thing is presented before the court as
Evidence to assert your claim. Evidence vary in the Rules of Court of the Philippines, it is either
Object Evidence or Documentary Evidence as the case may be.
In its simplest definition, when we speak of Object Evidence, these are things presented
before the court that affects to the senses, on the other hand, when we speak of Documentary
Evidence, these are the things that consist of anything in writing or containing letters, words,
etc... Or any mode of written expression as the case may be.
This paper is a comprehensive study on the use of a chemical that revolutionizes the
gathering of object evidence that is impossible for the naked eye to see. The fact that, this tool
was used in our everyday life, that we might not even know its use and purpose in the field of
Forensic Science and how it changed experts notion in gathering evidences that are not visible to
the naked eye. Its a tool so small but having a big impact to the field of Law and Forensic
Science. The chemical referred to here is Luminol.

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INTRODUCTION
Chemiluminescence is a chemical reaction (exothermic reaction) that as result releases
energy, and that energy produces light. There are two phase reactions when we are talking of
Chemiluminescence:
1. Liquid-Phase Reaction- which is the Luminol Test. The Luminol Reaction in this
instance is luminal + H2O2 3-APA[] 3-APA + light. Luminol in an alkaline
solution with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron copper or an auxiliary
oxidant, produces chemiluminescence.
2. Gas- Phase Reaction- one of the oldest known chemiluminescent reaction is that of
elemental white phosphorus oxidizing in moist air, producing a green glow. This is a
gas-phase reaction of phosphorus vapor, above the solid, with oxygen producing the
excited states (PO)2 and HPO.
Another gas phase reaction is the basis of nitric oxide detection in commercial
analytic instruments applied to environmental air-quality testing. Ozone is combined
with nitric oxide to form nitrogen dioxide in an activated state.
NO+O3 NO2[]+ O2
The activated NO2[] luminesces broadband visible to infrared light as it reverts
to a lower energy state. A photomultiplier and associated electronics counts the
photons that are proportional to the amount of NO present. To determine the amount
of nitrogen dioxide, NO2, in a sample (containing no NO) it must first be converted to
nitric oxide, NO, by passing the sample through a converter before the above ozone
activation reaction is applied.
The ozone reaction produces a photon count proportional to NO that is
proportional to NO2 before it was converted to NO. In the case of a mixed sample that
contains both NO and NO2, the above reaction yields the amount of NO and
NO2combined in the air sample, assuming that the sample is passed through the
converter. If the mixed sample is not passed through the converter, the ozone reaction
produces activated NO2[] only in proportion to the NO in the sample. The NO2 in
the sample is not activated by the ozone reaction. Though unactivated NO2 is present
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with the activated NO2[], photons are emitted only by the activated species that is
proportional to original NO. Final step: Subtract NO from (NO + NO2) to yield NO.

The Liquid-Phase Reaction or the Luminol is the very chemical that changes in gathering
evidences as we speak. It is in this chemical that caught my very interest, for it opened an avenue
for Forensic Scientists to undergo rigorous tests that would give them an edge against criminals.
Crimes that have been done, so long, that visibility to the naked eye of evidences is impossible at
that stage.
Luminol is a reagent that gives a way better understanding about spectra of evidence
gathering. The idea that from this simple tool of forensics give so much in matters helpful for
prosecutors to prosecute victims of underlying circumstances brought by forces of evil.
Luminol is a presumptive test for the presence of blood. It does not identify the source of
the blood, rather it suggest that a suspect pattern or stain may originate with blood-based
compounds. While luminol is a law enforcement tool often utilized during the investigation of
fresh homicides, it is a very useful instrument in cold case homicide investigation. Interestingly
enough, while some law enforcement agencies have used this tool extensively, others have not
heard of it.

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CONTENT AND HISTORY

The chemical name of Luminol is 3-Aminophthalhydrazide. It is a very sensitive

chemical compound. Luminol can detect, thus illuminate, one part blood in one million. This is
analogized to one drop of blood in 999,999 drops of water. A luminal test is predicated on the
fact that certain hemoglobin derivatives significantly enhance the chemical luminescence
exhibited by luminol when it oxidizes in an alkaline solution. The effective use of luminol as a
compound is dependent upon the proper mixture of the compounds and appropriate application.
Luminol is not a confirmatory test for blood. When applied to a surface suspected of containing
blood, it gives off a blue-green luminescence whose presence only presumes that the suspect
material providing luminescence may be blood. Once a suspected pattern is revealed, further
confirmatory testing is required. The spraying of luminal does not impede further confirmatory
or DNA typing.
Luminol was reportedly first synthesized in Germany in 1902 and underwent further
refinement and investigation in the succeeding decades. It was not until the late 1920s, however,
that the compound was named luminol, producer of light. During the late 1930s, application of
luminol indicated the presence of blood in water, both clean and soapy, and in sewage. The
presence of blood was also detected following application of a spray mixture on paper, fabrics,
and iron pipes that had been expected to the elements of 3 years. The test for the detection of
blood works better on old blood stains, as opposed to fresh blood. The blood needs to degrade
for some time prior to giving a stronger luminescence.
The forensic use of luminol was first proposed in 1937. A luminol reagent was sprayed
on a test pattern of blood that had been allowed to dry for 2 weeks and exposed to the elements.
When the luminol reagent was sprayed onto the blood, all bloodstained areas exhibited a blue
light for 10 to 15 minutes. These early experiments also reported that, while the luminescence
disappeared, it would reappear with a fresh application. This is analogous to the drying and
cracking of old paint that has been exposed to the elements.

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The reaction of luminol on aged bloodstains is more pronounced due to the oxidation
process that has occurred during the intervening time period. That older, dried blood exhibits a
stronger luminescence than fresh blood holds true today. In 1942, the luminol test was further
recommended for use in forensic blood detection. Further investigative experimentation
continued into the 1970s, when its forensic application became somewhat more common.
USE
The most common uses of luminol in cold cases homicide are:

Examination of Evidence Use of Luminol in this instance may include articles or

evidence containing suspected blood not yet visible to the unaided eye. These may
include clothing, weapons, and other articles. Luminol may be especially useful if
evidences has been stored without exposure to the elements or other degrading
circumstances.

Examination of a suspected homicide scene Use of luminol in this instance can be

exemplified by instances in which investigators seek to determine whether a homicide
may have occurred at a particular location. This might be in response to informant
information, admissions, confessions, or other investigative activity. Luminol may be
used to cover large crime scenes in fresh or cold case homicides, thus producing the
original pattern. While luminol can be used on outdoor crime scenes within a short
period after the offense, it can also be used on indoor crime scenes even after a
lengthy period of time passed. Its use in cold case homicide investigation is most
effective when applied to areas that have been protected from the elements, including:

Vehicle interiors, including dashboards, floor mats, and other coverings such as
seats, trunk carpet, and so forth;

Floor surfaces of homes, offices, storage facilities, and similar structures

including concrete slabs, wood floors, and rugs carpets;

Cracks and crevices in floors and walls, in areas in which suspected cleaning has
occurred

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Wall surfaces

Furniture

In addition, luminal may also illuminate:

Blood Tracks

Drag marks

Hand Impressions

Swipes

Bloodspatter impacts

APPLICATION
Luminol is prepared at the scene or in the laboratory by a qualified, experienced analyst.
When mixed with distilled water, premeasured quantities of sodium perborate and sodium
carbonate must be shaken well before application. The solution is applied as an aerosol mist from
a spray container.
Prior to application, however, a controlled sample of known blood must be sprayed to test
the mixture. Luminol has minimal shelf life and should be applied immediately after it is mixed.
The longer the time span between its mixture and application, the weaker the reaction of
luminescence. Practically speaking, degradation could begin to occur within 24 hours. A fresh
amount s be prepared for each days use.
The application of luminal involves a number of procedures. These include:

Identification of suspect exhibit areas to be treated and examined

Mixture and application of luminal

Observation of the pattern resulting from the application

Photographing the resulting pattern

Documentation of the examination

To facilitate and reveal the luminescence, application is most often accomplished under
darkened conditions. The analyst does not concentrate on the luminescence, but rather on the
pattern that cannot be seen with the naked eye. While many objects will glow, a pattern will not
be present on items such as metal rivets on a pair of jeans, cleansers used to clean toilet bowls
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and bathroom sinks, certain plant material with iron in the pulp, as well as some other substrates.
In cold case homicide investigation, an advantage of luminol is that it gives off a more
intense luminescence when applied to aged blood stains. This does not mean, however, one can
determine the age of the bloodstains from the intense chemical luminescence that occurs from
older blood.

References:
1.

Rauhut, Michael M. (1985), Chemiluminescence. In Grayson, Martin (Ed) (1985). Kirk-Othmer Concise
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (3rd ed), pp 247 John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-471-51700-3

2.

Air Zoom | Glowing with Pride. Fannation.com. Retrieved on 2011-11-22.

3.

Cold Case Homicides: Practical Investigative Techniques, pp 477 Richard Walton

4.

Ibid,pp 478

5.

Ibid,pp 479

6.

Ibid,pp 480

7.

Ibid, pp 481

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