5thEuropeanIABPAconferenceFinal programm

The 5 th European
Internaonal Associaon
of Bloodstain Paern Analysts
(IABPA) Conference
Rome 2015
Forensic validation of alternative formulation
of luminol
Gianmario Martra ‐ Univeristy of Turin
Abstract
As a consequence of a serendipitous observation
occurred when some of us were acting
as scientific consultants in a court case,
a study of the effect on the Luminol test of
the dosage of inorganic nanoparticles (NP),
both oxidic and saline in nature, on surfaces
supposed to retain latent blood stains was
undertaken. Almost independently on the
nature of NP, a significant increase and duration
of the Luminol chemiluminescence
was obtained. In particular, the light emission
lasted even for minutes instead of seconds,
the typical duration obtained with the
best commercial product, Bluestar® Forensic,
overcoming the main drawback of the
Luminol test. On one hand, FT-IR investigations
indicated that the observed behavior is
not a consequence of some interaction of the
catalytic sites (Fe3+ ions in heme groups in
hematin) with the surface of the nanoparticles.
On the other hand, the analysis of the
kinetic of the chemiluminescent decay revealed
that it stems from a decrease of the
mass transfer rate of Luminol molecules in
the liquid phase sprayed on inspected surfaces
towards the catalytic sites, because of
the presence of a percolation layer formed
by pre-dosed NP. The absence of any interference
of NP in recovering DNA from the so
revealed blood stains and the significant
decrease in the occurrence of false positives
allowed for a successful patenting of a new
kit and method for the exploitation of the
Luminol chemiluminescence on crime
scenes.
Biography
-Born in Torino (Italy), 17th April 1966.
-1989: Graduation in Industrial Chemistry (magna cum
laude) at the University of Torino
-1994: PhD in Chemical Sciences
-1995: Researcher at the Faculty of Science of the
Torino University
-1995-1996: post-doc at the University Paris VI
-1998: Senior Reseacher at the Faculty of Science of
the Torino University
-2001: Associated Professor of Physical Chemistry at
the Faculty of Science of the Torino University
-January-March 2000 and 2002: invited scientist at the
Meisei University of Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture University,
2003-2009 : President of the Master Course in Industrial
Biotechnology of the Torino University
2010-present: President of the Master Course in Clinical
Forensic and Sport Chemistry of the Torino University
Prof. Martra lectures Electron Microscopy and Electronic
Spectroscopies for the Second Level Degree Course in
Clinical, Forensic and Sport Chemistry, Structural Methods
for the Degree Course in Biotechnology, Nanobiotecnology
for the the Second Level Degree Course in
Industrial Biotechnology and Physical Chemistry for the
Second Level Degree Course in Molecular Biotechnology.
During his research activity he has been the tutor of
14 PhD Thesis.
The research activity of Prof. Martra is devoted to the
study of nature, structure and reactivity of surface
centres of materials with a high specific surface area,
typically nanosized and nanostructured materials. The
investigations have an experimental character, and are
based on the use of optical spectroscopies (vibrational
and electronic, in absorption and emission) and electron
microscopy (both in the transmission and scanning
modes). For his expertise in spectroscopy, he has been
invited to co-author 2 reviews and 2 book chapters.The
results of such activity of Prof. Martra have been reported
in ca. 200 papers published in international
Journals with referees, which received more than 4900
citations (h-index: 38). He is also co-inventor of 5
deposited patents.
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