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Scanning electron microscopy in the identification of fly artifacts

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Abstract

Bloodstain pattern analysis has a key role in crime scene reconstruction; however, it can be hampered by diverse confounding factors, such as insect activity which may lead to the production of small artifactual bloodstains, commonly referred to as fly artifacts (FA). Although several techniques aimed at distinguishing human bloodstains and FA have been developed, actually, no standardized and reproducible methodology is available. The aim of our study was to test the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to distinguish human bloodstains from FA produced by Sarcophaga carnaria. FA and bloodstains have been produced on five different deposition surfaces under experimental conditions. After visual analysis, bloodstains and FA were analyzed at standard low (× 40–× 300) and high (× 600–× 1200) magnification through a Philips SEM 515. Although differential diagnosis between bloodstains and FA resulted often inconclusive at visual analysis, SEM analysis allowed the identification of additional key distinctive morphological features. In particular, on the surface of FA, small crystal-like and/or amorphous material deposits were observed. Such deposits were absent on bloodstains which, on the other hand, displayed red blood cells stacked in “rouleaux.” Basing on these results and under our experimental conditions, SEM analysis resulted suitable to perform a differential diagnosis between bloodstains and FA produced from the insect activity of Sarcophaga carnaria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Guido Pelletti, Maria Carla Mazzotti, Paolo Fais, Alberto Amadasi, Chiara Palazzo & Susi Pelotti

  2. Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Desiree Martini, Laura Ingrà & Mirella Falconi

Authors
  1. Guido Pelletti
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  2. Maria Carla Mazzotti
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  3. Paolo Fais
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  4. Desiree Martini
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  5. Laura Ingrà
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  6. Alberto Amadasi
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  7. Chiara Palazzo
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  8. Mirella Falconi
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  9. Susi Pelotti
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Correspondence to Paolo Fais.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the national research committee (Bioethics Committee of the University of Bologna, Prot. 55171, 18/03/2019).

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As fresh blood was used in this study, informed consent was obtained from all donors.

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Pelletti, G., Mazzotti, M.C., Fais, P. et al. Scanning electron microscopy in the identification of fly artifacts. Int J Legal Med 133, 1575–1580 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02090-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02090-5

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