Raman spectroscopic signature of vaginal fluid and its potential application to forensic body fluid identification

Traces of human body fluids, such as blood, saliva, sweat, semen, and vaginal fluid, play an increasingly important role in forensic investigations; however, a nondestructive, easy and rapid identification of body fluid traces at the scene of a crime has not yet been developed. The obstacles have recently been addressed in the authors’ studies, which demonstrated the considerable potential of Raman spectroscopy. The problems concerning vaginal fluid stain identification were addressed using Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistical analysis. Calculated characteristic Raman and fluorescent spectral components were used. (publisher abstract modified)