(+1) 647 931 2711DNA contamination makes analysis of the sample more difficult, if not impossible. DNA testing is lengthy and expensive procedure so ensuring you send in samples that are optimal for testing is important.
DNA testing for paternity will often involve taking your own DNA samples. It is in fact very important to be careful about how you collect your samples so as to have clear, accurate results. You will normally use a mouth swab to collect your samples and will have to follow a few basic steps.
- Avoid eating or drinking as particles from these can contaminate the sample (water is fine)
- Avoid swabs from different people coming into contact with each other as this will provide a mixed profile.
- Allowing swabs to dry before sealing them into an envelope is also important as these can mould if spores have landed on then and will germinate under the right conditions (mainly humidity).
- Companies supplying DNA tests acknowledge that there can be an error on behalf of clients taking their own samples and in fact will likely provide two swabs per person, just in case one swab does not contain enough DNA to conclude the test
Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA contamination
When sending in forensic samples, such as stains of blood or semen, it is not always easy to determine whether these samples are suitable for testing. Exposure to chemicals such as soaps or other detergents may contaminate the DNA sample. PCR analysis or polymerase chain reaction may prove useless if samples are not up to standard. If PCR contamination takes place, you will need to resend damples. When sending in forensic samples, such as stains of blood or semen, it is not always easy to determine whether these samples are suitable for testing. Exposure to chemicals such as soaps or other detergents may contaminate the DNA sample.
If there has been contamination with DNA samples rest assured the lab will realize and you will be contact to perhaps send in new samples. DNA testing for cheating (often called infidelity testing) allows scientists to sometimes work with degraded DNA profile as sometimes, they will only need to establish the presence of Male DNA or female DNA.
Paternity DNA testing is more straightforward than forensic investigations and analysts know exactly what they are trying to establish, that is, a biological relationship between alleged father and son.
In paternity tests, analysts only work on one specific case at a time so contamination of samples does not occur in the laboratory. If DNA contamination does happen, it is normally as mistake in the way samples have been collected.
