Final answer:
The Kastle-Meyer color test is a preliminary forensic test for blood that uses phenolphthalein to detect the peroxidase activity of hemoglobin. It results in a pink color change if blood is present. This test is alongside other blood tests that measure substance levels or analyze blood composition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Kastle-Meyer color test is an important analytical chemistry technique for the qualitative determination of whether a substance is blood. The test is based on the peroxidase-like activity of hemoglobin in red blood cells. When the Kastle-Meyer reagent, which contains the chemical phenolphthalein, comes into contact with hemoglobin, it results in a pink color change in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, indicating a positive test for blood.
The procedural simplicity and the immediate results make the Kastle-Meyer test a valuable preliminary test for blood detection in forensic investigations. However, it is important to note that further confirmatory tests are necessary, as the Kastle-Meyer test can sometimes yield false positives due to the presence of other substances with similar peroxidase activity.
In addition to the Kastle-Meyer test, other blood tests are utilized for medical diagnostics, which measure levels of specific substances in the plasma, such as lipids and glucose, or to examine the composition of the blood itself, including the amounts and types of its formed elements.