Luminol and Blood: Does Species Matter?

Luminol reacts equally well with human and animal blood. The reaction between luminol and blood is based on the presence of hemoglobin, which is a protein found in red blood cells. When luminol comes into contact with blood, it undergoes a chemical reaction with the iron in the hemoglobin, resulting in the emission of light. The intensity of the light produced is dependent on the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood sample, not on the species from which the blood originated.