Universal detection of body fluid traces in situ with Raman hyperspectroscopy for forensic purposes: Evaluation of a new detection algorithm (HAMAND) using semen samples

Towards closing the technological gaps in forensic science, Raman spectroscopy has been a boon to the field. One area that this technique shows exceptional promise is in body fluid identification and characterization, but substrate interference remains a major impediment to its practical implementation. Here, we present an approach for the universal detection of body fluids regardless of the substrate. This approach, which is based on Raman hyperspectroscopy and multivariate curve resolution, was applied to datasets representing simulated semen evidence. In every instance, the signal of the fluid was extracted and matched to a reference of semen. This approach has immediate application for body fluid detection and allows for a universal, automatic, nondestructive, on-field method for confirmatory identification of body fluid traces at a crime scene. This approach is applicable where an analyte is either a minor contributor or spatially distributed on a strongly interfering substrate.