Examination of Tobacco Chewed saliva on different Fabrics using Starch-Iodine test: A Forensic Perspective.

Abstract

In the mouth of human and animals a watery substance produces called saliva which is thick, colorless opalescent fluid secreted by salivary glands. In humans saliva is composed of 99.5% of water, 0.5% consists of electrolytes, WBCs, epithelial cells, enzymes, lysozymes, and mucus and antimicrobial agents. In the present study saliva stains and tobacco chewed saliva stains on different fabrics viz. silk, polyester, linen, jute, cotton, georgette, sarton were examined using starch Iodine test. The saliva samples with and without tobacco chewed samples taken in different clothes and examined with starch Iodine test. The starch Iodine test was found to give Positive results for saliva stains and tobacco chewed saliva stains on different fabrics, and it was also found that the stains on different fabrics gives positive results for saliva even after washing with water, but none of the fabrics gave positive results for saliva after washing with detergents. The ability of a fabric to retain stains of saliva after washing depends not only upon the chemistry and manufacturing of the fabrics but also upon the time of immersion of the fabric with water and detergent and also the method adapted to remove the stain from the fabrics. It is thus concluded that the enzyme present in saliva stick/adhere the fabrics which is generally not removed even after immersing in water and gives positive results where as the use of detergents on different fabrics removes the stains completely and fails to give result for saliva stains.