Serology
Definition
The examination and identification of body fluids at crime scenes, typically blood, semen, saliva, and urine, using chemical tests and immunological methods before DNA profiling is attempted.
- Body fluids examined
- Blood, semen, saliva, and urine
- Detection methods
- Chemical tests and immunological methods before DNA profiling
Common questions
What exactly is serology in forensics?+
Serology is the analysis of blood and other body fluids found at crime scenes. Originally it was used to identify ABO blood types, but now it extends to genetic markers and DNA. The process uses chemical tests and immunological methods to examine and identify the fluids.
How does serology fit into the overall forensic investigation?+
Serology is typically the preliminary step. Investigators examine body fluids at the scene using chemical and immunological methods first. This examination informs whether DNA profiling should be attempted and narrows down which samples are worth further testing.
What body fluids does serology cover?+
The main fluids examined are blood, semen, saliva, and urine. Each leaves different chemical signatures and can be detected using specific tests tailored to the fluid type.
Related terms
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- Criminalistics
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- Dactyloscopy
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- DNA Profiling
- Analysis of specific regions of an individual's DNA to generate a profile that, with high statistical probability, uniquely identifies that person. Developed...
- Fire Debris Analysis
- The laboratory examination of material collected from a suspected arson scene to detect and identify accelerants (hydrocarbons from petrol, lighter fluid, or...
- GC-MS
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: a two-stage technique that separates the components of a mixture (GC) and then identifies each component by its molecular...
- Refractive Index
- A physical property of glass (and other transparent materials) that describes how much light bends when passing through it. Forensic glass comparison...
- STR Profiling
- Short tandem repeat profiling: the same multi-locus PCR-based method used for human identity testing, adapted for target species with species-specific primer sets....
- Touch DNA
- Minute quantities of epithelial cells transferred by skin contact with a surface, without leaving a visible stain. Collected by swabbing contact points...
- Toxicology
- The scientific study of poisons, their effects on living organisms, and their detection. Forensic toxicology specifically addresses the detection and quantification of...
Explained in these topics
- The Core Lab Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, PhysicsThe examination and identification of body fluids at crime scenes, typically blood, semen, saliva, and urine, using chemical tests and immunological methods be...
- A Short History of Forensic ScienceIn forensic science, the analysis of blood and other body fluids, historically for ABO blood typing and now extended to genetic markers and DNA.