Evaluation of commercial forensic DNA extraction kits for decontamination and extraction of DNA from biological samples contaminated with radionuclides.

In preparing to respond to security incidents involving radioactive material, States should consider how they might address the unique challenge of analysing forensic evidence contaminated with these materials. In the case of DNA evidence, previous research has suggested that commercial forensic DNA extraction kits may be able to remove radioactive contamination from biological samples. If viable, this would allow the extraction and decontamination of biological samples to be undertaken in a laboratory equipped to handle radioactive material, with the subsequent quantification and profiling of extracted DNA performed in a conventional forensics laboratory.

Comparing results of X-ray diffraction, µ-Raman spectroscopy and neutron diffraction when identifying chemical phases in seized nuclear material, during a comparative nuclear forensics exercise.

This work presents the results for identification of chemical phases obtained by several laboratories as a part of an international nuclear forensic round-robin exercise. In this work powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD) is regarded as the reference technique. Neutron diffraction produced a superior high-angle diffraction pattern relative to p-XRD.