Saliva Identification (Exam 3)

Question 1

This enzyme can be found in saliva at a concentration 50x higher than any other body fluid.

Answer 1

Amylase

Question 2

In what 2 cases will you typically encounter saliva?

Answer 2

1) Sexual assault
2) Child abuse

Question 3

What company produces the SALIgAE Test?

Answer 3

Abacus Diagnostics

Question 4

What color change indicates a positive result for the SALIgAE Test?

Answer 4

Yellow

Question 5

What color change indicates a negative result for the SALIgAE Test?

Answer 5

No color change

Question 6

What 2 chemical principles should you be aware of when performing radial diffusion tests with saliva and iodine?

Answer 6

1) Amylase hydrolyzes starch
2) Iodine stains starch blue

Question 7

What is the typical format of a saliva sample plate?

Answer 7

1) Undiluted saliva
2) 1:10 diluted saliva
3) 3 non-saliva fluids
4) Unknown samples i.e. evidence & stuff

Question 8

What type of paper does the saliva sample plate use?

Answer 8

Graph paper

Question 9

How much starch and agarose (percentages) should be used in the saliva sample plate petri dish?

Answer 9

Agarose - 1%
Starch - 0.1%

Question 10

What do blue areas on the saliva plate indicate?

Answer 10

Starch present; amylase absent

Question 11

What do clear areas on the saliva plate indicate?

Answer 11

Amylase present; starch absent

Question 12

Assume that the diameter of the evidence (clear circle) is greater than the reference (clear circle) in a saliva plate. What does this mean?

Answer 12

There is an elevated level of amylase; therefore, saliva is present