Research Progress on Analysis Methods of Blood Residues in Ancient
Heritages
HUANG Ya-wen1, 2, 3, YAN Bing-bing1, 2, 3, DONG Jia-ning1, 2, 3, LIU Yan1, 2, 3, YANG Fu-wei1, 2, 3*, ZHANG Kun1, 2, 3*, WANG Lu1, 2, 3, WEN Rui1, 2, 3, YANG Lu1, 2, 3, WANG Li-qin1, 2, 3
1. China-Central Asia “the Belt and Road” Joint Laboratory on Human and Environment Research, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
2. Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
3. School of Culture Heritage, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
Abstract：Blood residues in artifacts are closely connected to ancient people's production and daily life. Analyzing these residues can offer valuable insights into ancient social and religious rites, societal development, technological advances, customs, and practices, making it highly significant for academic research. Currently, methods for analyzing blood residues in artifacts are generally divided into chemical and instrumental categories. Chemical methods rely on the peroxidase activity of the heme structure in hemoglobin, which can catalyze color reactions in compounds such as phenolphthalein and tetramethylbenzidine, allowing for preliminary screening of archaeological samples that might contain blood residues. The hematochromic crystal test has also been used to analyze blood residues on artifacts, but its reliability has been widely debated. Although traditional chemical methods are straightforward, quick, and cost-effective, they are susceptible to false positive results due to external interferences. In addition, these methods lack accuracy and specificity. With advancements in science and interdisciplinary approaches, instrumental methods, particularly spectroscopic techniques, have become increasingly prevalent in scientific archaeology. Instruments like mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy can further identify compounds such as hemoglobin and heme in blood. Spectroscopic methods offer high accuracy and minimal sample consumption and can even be non-destructive, though they face challenges such as complex sample preparation and high costs. Overall, current analyses of blood residues in artifacts are mostly limited to isolated case studies, with methods lacking completeness and systematic integration. This paper reviews domestic and international research and application of blood residue analysis methods, clarifying each method's advantages, limitations, and suitable applications to provide useful references for developing a comprehensive blood residue detection and analysis system in the future.
黄雅雯，闫冰冰，董佳宁，刘 妍，杨富巍，张 坤，王 鲁，温 睿，杨 璐，王丽琴. 古代文物血残留物分析测试方法研究进展[J]. 光谱学与光谱分析, 2025, 45(06): 1508-1513.
HUANG Ya-wen, YAN Bing-bing, DONG Jia-ning, LIU Yan, YANG Fu-wei, ZHANG Kun, WANG Lu, WEN Rui, YANG Lu, WANG Li-qin. Research Progress on Analysis Methods of Blood Residues in Ancient
Heritages. SPECTROSCOPY AND SPECTRAL ANALYSIS, 2025, 45(06): 1508-1513.
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