Rapid test for the detection of human haemoglobin
BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM is a rapid, qualitative immunochromatographic test, in a device, for specific detection of human haemoglobin.
It is primarily intended for forensic technicians who have found blood stains on a crime scene and need to quickly check the human origin of the blood before eventually sending a sample to a lab for thorough analysis.
Highly sensitive, and very easy to use on a crime scene, Identi-HEM specifically reacts with human haemoglobin. A positive result indicates a strong likelihood for the presence of human blood. A lab analysis will later confirm or infirm this presumption.
Contents of a BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM test
Each Identi-HEM test includes the following:
How to use the test
A sample of the presumed human blood trace is transferred into the tube with extraction buffer. Four drops of his mixture are added drop by drop to the test. A positive sample is typically detected within 10 minutes.
A single wine-coloured line in the "C" area means the testing liquid is working fine but no human blood has been detected while two wine-coloured lines mean the test has worked properly and has detected human blood.
Principle
Haemoglobin is one of the main elements of blood. This protein is a choice marker for blood detection even when the quantity is very low. Moreover, thanks to the use of monoclonal antibodies, obtained from very complex cell culture techniques, immunology methods, used also in forensic medicine, provide both very high sensitivity and high specificity for human blood detection.
BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM uses a unique combination of monoclonal antibodies bound to colloidal gold and polyclonal antibodies bound onto a solid phase in order to selectively identify, with high sensitivity and specificity, human haemoglobin.
After being collected with the provided swab, the sample is placed into an extraction buffer. After the sample has been dispensed on the cassette, the extraction medium is absorbed through migration, the antibodies bound to the colloidal gold then bind to the haemoglobin to form an antibody-antigen complex.
This complex then binds to the anti-haemoglobin antibodies present into the test area, and then a wine-coloured line appears. If there is no haemoglobin, no coloured line appears in the test area.
The mix keeps on migrating onto the membrane, goes beyond the test area, and then binds to the reagents into the control area to produce a wine-coloured line, guaranteeing the reaction performed correctly.
Sensitivity
The BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM test can detect very low quantities of haemoglobin.
After dilution into the extraction buffer, the minimum haemoglobin level detected by the BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM test is 0.01 µg/mL
Cross-reactivity
Ox, pig, rabbit, stone/beech marten, horse and sheep haemoglobin does not react with BLUESTAR® Identi-HEM.
Moreover, the human blood components such as albumin, haptoglobin, myoglobin and transferrin also result in negative results.
A positive result is not in itself an evidence of the presence of human blood but it indicates a high probability of its presence.
Storage temperature limits
All the components of the BLUESTAR® IDENTI-HEM test have a storage temperature range comprised between +4°C and 30°C.
Ordering BLUESTAR® IDENTI-HEM
Box of 24 tests. Order code # VD-HEM-24
Each box includes 24 collection tubes, 24 sterile swabs, 24 Identi-HEM tests devices, and 1 users instructions sheet.
Box of 6 tests. Order code # VD-HEM-6
Each box includes 6 collection tubes, 6 sterile swabs, and 6 Identi-HEM tests devices, and 1 users instructions sheet.
Domain:
Forensic