Publication details
Cost-effective conversion of BLUESTAR® forensic tablets to the green region of the emission spectrum
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026265X25034538?via%3Dihub |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2025.116104 |
| Keywords | BLUESTAR (R); Chemiluminescence; CRET (chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer); Fluorescein; Luminol |
| Description | In this study, we present an evaluation of a chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) system based on the commercial Bluestar (R) formulation, aimed at enhancing the detection of trace bloodstains. In the CRET mechanism, the excited-state 3-aminophthalate, generated during the luminol chemiluminescence reaction, transfers its energy non-radiatively to ground-state fluorescein, which subsequently emits in the green spectral region. Fluorescein was identified as the most effective acceptor owing to its high fluorescence quantum yield and low cost. Compared with conventional luminol emission, the Bluestar (R)-fluorescein system exhibited a pronounced spectral shift from blue (similar to 447 nm) to green (similar to 530 nm), resulting in enhanced visual contrast and improved detectability. Quantitatively, camera-based analysis demonstrated up to a 257 % increase in apparent signal intensity, whereas photomultiplier tube (PMT) measurements showed a more moderate enhancement, underlining the critical influence of detector spectral sensitivity. Importantly, the green emission region is more sensitively perceived by the human eye and digital cameras, which translated into significantly lower detection limits for synthetic bloodstains. This work highlights not only the potential of CRET for improving forensic chemiluminescence assays but also emphasizes the practical role of detector characteristics in determining system sensitivity. |
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