Skip to main content skip navigation
  • Account
    • Login
    • Manage
  • Subscribe
    • JUSTINFO
    • Register
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact Us
    • Email
    • Feedback
    • Chat
    • Phone or Mail
  • Site Help
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Office of Justice Programs header with links to bureaus/offices: BJA, BJS, NIJ, OJJDP, OVC, SMART Office of Justice Programs BJA BJS NIJ OJJDP OVC SMART Office of Justice Programs
Advanced Search  Search Help
    Browse By Topics  down arrow
  • A–Z Topics
  • Corrections
  • Courts
  • Crime
  • Crime Prevention
  • Drugs
  • Justice System
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Law Enforcement
  • Victims
CrimeSolutions
Add your conference to our Justice Events calendar
  • ABOUT NCJRS
  • OJP PUBLICATIONS
  • LIBRARY
  • SEARCH Q & A
  • GRANTS & FUNDING
  • JUSTICE EVENTS
Home / Publications / NCJRS Abstract

PUBLICATIONS

Register for Latest Research

Stay Informed
Register with NCJRS to receive NCJRS's biweekly e-newsletter JUSTINFO and additional periodic emails from NCJRS and the NCJRS federal sponsors that highlight the latest research published or sponsored by the Office of Justice Programs.

NCJRS Abstract

The document referenced below is part of the NCJRS Virtual Library collection. To conduct further searches of the collection, visit the Virtual Library. See the Obtain Documents page for direction on how to access resources online, via mail, through interlibrary loans, or in a local library.

1 record(s) found

 

NCJ Number: 251891 Find in a Library
Title: Effective Long-term Preservation of Biological Evidence
Document: PDF
Author(s): Heather Cunningham; Abigail Bathrick; Jonathan Davoren
Date Published: July 2018
Annotation: This report presents the findings and methodology of a research project whose goal was to identify the optimum method for preserving DNA associated with forensic evidence, using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) chemical preservatives that have long been used in the food and cosmetics industries.
Abstract: This project tested the hypothesis that the use of COTS preservatives on cotton swabs following DNA collection would reduce the risk of DNA degradation and would result in improved profile quality or increased peak height values of analyzable alleles. Four main categories of chemical preservatives were tested: nuclease inhibitors, anti-microbial agents, chelators/fixatives, and antioxidants. The study demonstrated that COTS preservatives can be used to protect DNA from degradation. Specifically, Sodium Azide, Parabens, EDTA, Zinc, and Propyl Gallate generated peak high values that showed statistically significant increases when compared with the untreated control samples. In addition, statistically significant differences were observed from most of the preservative-combination treated samples when compared with the untreated control samples. In Phase III of the research, successful direct amplification of treated blood samples was achieved with Promega’s PowerPlex Fusion kit. Phase I consisted of real-time aging and accelerated aging studies that tested 12 chemical preservatives individually with forensically relevant fluids. In Phase II, the preservatives that showed the most promising results were combined to examine whether this would improve the efficacy of the preservations. Phase III examined Zinc and Zinc-EDTA in conjunction with collection substrates that lent themselves to direct amplification. In order to perform these novel mechanisms for preserving biological evidence, no expensive instruments or specialized skills are required, and the techniques can be adopted by any state crime laboratory regardless of funding level. 58 figures, 21 tables, 67 references, and appended forensic index data
Main Term(s): Forensic sciences
Index Term(s): Crime laboratory management; Degraded DNA Samples; DNA contamination; DNA extraction; DNA Typing; Evidence preservation; National Institute of Justice (NIJ); NIJ final report
Grant Number: 2010-DN-BX-K193
Sponsoring Agency: Bode Cellmark Forensics, Inc.

National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Washington, DC 20531
US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
Washington, DC 20531
Sale Source: US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
810 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531
United States of America
Page Count: 153
Format: Document; Document (Online)
Type: Program/Project Description; Report (Grant Sponsored); Report (Study/Research); Research (Applied/Empirical)
Language: English
Country: United States of America
To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=274113

*A link to the full-text document is provided whenever possible. For documents not available online, a link to the publisher's website is provided. Tell us how you use the NCJRS Library and Abstracts Database - send us your feedback.




Find in a Library

You have clicked Find in a Library. A title search of WorldCat, the world's largest library network, will start when you click "Continue." Here you will be able to learn if libraries in your community have the document you need. The results will open in a new browser and your NCJRS session will remain active for 30 minutes. Learn More.

You have selected:

This article appears in

In WorldCat, verify that the library you select has the specific journal volume and issue in which the article appears. Learn How.

Continue to WorldCat

You are about to access WorldCat, NCJRS takes no responsibility for and exercises no control over the WorldCat site.

 
Office of Justice Programs Facebook Page  Twitter Page
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics Twitter Page
  • National Institute of Justice Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office for Victims of Crime Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Facebook Page Twitter Page
  • Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking Facebook Page Twitter Page
Contact Us | Feedback | Site Map
Freedom of Information Act | Privacy Statement | Legal Policies and Disclaimers
USA.gov | CrimeSolutions
Department of Justice | Office of Justice Programs