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Original Articles

Recovery of DNA from Exhibits Contaminated with Chemical Warfare Agents: A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Decontamination Agents and Chemical Warfare Agents on DNA

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Pages 15-22 | Published online: 22 Nov 2013
 

ABSTRACT

Bloodstains were exposed to chemical warfare agents and then to decontamination agents to evaluate the effect on DNA extraction and profiling for human identification. DNA profiles were not obtained from blood dilution samples exposed to the decontamination agents CASCAD® and the American equivalent, MDF LSA-100, even when quantifiable DNA was extracted. Fresh and aged bloodstains were exposed to nine chemical warfare agents: hydrogen cyanide, phosgene, chlorine, dimethyl sulfate, sodium fluoroacetate, diazinon®, sulfur mustard, lewisite I, and sarin in gaseous and/or liquid form. In general, following exposure to chemical warfare agents, most bloodstains gave lower concentrations of DNA relative to controls. Full DNA profiles were obtained from bloodstains exposed to sarin, diazinon®, sodium fluoroacetate, and hydrogen cyanide. During exposure to chlorine, phosgene, lewisite I, and dimethyl sulfate, the bloodstains changed colour from red to brown. These four chemical warfare agents were shown to inhibit the recovery of DNA. Although samples exposed to sulfur mustard did not exhibit any colour changes, recovery of DNA was inhibited in some samples exposed to sulfur mustard.

RÉSUMÉ

Des taches de sang furent exposées à des agents chimiques puis à des agents de décontamination afin d'évaluer leurs effets sur l'extraction d'ADN et l'identification génétique humaine. On n'a pas pu obtenir de profils d'ADN à partir d'échantillons de sang dilué exposés à l'agent de décontamination CASCAD® et son équivalent américain MDF LSA-100, même après extraction d'ADN quantifiable. Des taches de sang, fraîches ou âgées, furent exposées à neuf agents chimiques: cyanure d'hydrogène, phosgène, chlore, sulfate de diméthyle, fluoroacétate de sodium, diazinon®, gaz moutarde, lewisite I et sarin sous forme gazeuse et/ou liquide. En général, la plupart des taches de sang ont généré une plus faible concentration d'ADN par rapport aux contrôles, suite à une exposition aux agents chimiques. Des profils d'ADN complets furent obtenus des taches de sang exposées au sarin, diazinon®, fluoroacétate de sodium et cyanure d'hydrogène. Pendant l'exposition au chlore, phosgène, lewisite I et sulfate de diméthyle, les taches de sang ont changé de couleur passant du rouge au brun. Ces quatre agents chimiques ont inhibé la récupération de l'ADN. Même si les échantillons exposés au gaz moutarde n'ont pas changé de couleur, la récupération d'ADN fut inhibée dans certains de ces échantillons.

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