Evaluation of the effect of ozone disinfection on forensic identification of blood, saliva, and semen stains.

Good laboratory practice minimizes the biological hazard posed by potentially infectious casework samples. In certain scenarios, when the casework sample is contaminated with highly contagious pathogens, additional safety procedures such as disinfection might be advised. It was previously proven that ozone gas treatment does not hamper STR analysis, but there is no data on how the disinfection affects other steps of the forensic analysis.

Effect of ozone disinfection on forensic STR profiling.

While good laboratory practice in a forensic lab minimises the chance of infection of laboratory personnel, in certain cases, possible contamination of pieces of evidence with highly contagious pathogens might call for additional precautions. The number of potential disinfection methods that might be suitable for forensic genetics are surprisingly limited. First and foremost, the ideal technique should not inhibit DNA amplification, it should be effective against a host of pathogens, and it should be applicable on porous surfaces.

Sternal aspirate sampling of Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) and Cyanobacteria in suspected drowning cases.

A diagnosis of drowning is not always possible based on the traditional autopsy findings. The most widely used ancillary methods are based on the detection of diatoms and other waterborne organisms in the organs of the systemic circulation by light microscope or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One of the greatest concerns is sample contamination.