Nondestructive Biological Evidence Collection with Alternative Swabs and Adhesive Lifters

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 485 - 488
• Main Authors: Plaza, Dane T., Mealy, Jamia L., Lane, J. Nicholas, Parsons, M. Neal, Bathrick, Abigail S., Slack, Donia P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: adhesive lifters; Adhesives; Biological materials; Blood; Collection; Cotton; Damage; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Dermatoglyphics; DNA; DNA Fingerprinting; Drying; Drywall; Effectiveness; evidence sampling; Fingerprints; flocked swab; foam swab; Forensic engineering; forensic genetics; forensic science; Forensic sciences; Forensic Sciences - methods; Glass; Hoisting; Humans; Matrices (mathematics); microfiber swab; Microsatellite Repeats; nondestructive; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Specimen Handling - instrumentation; Specimen Handling - methods; Substrates; tape-lifting; trace DNA; adhesive lifters; evidence sampling; tape-lifting; flocked swab; forensic genetics; forensic science; nondestructive; foam swab; microfiber swab; trace DNA
• ISSN: 0022-1198; 1556-4029
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12980

In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape‐lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock® swabs, BVDA Gellifters®, and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alternative swabs and adhesive lifters can be effective for nondestructive DNA collection from various substrates.