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

• NCJ Number: 219555
• Journal: Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 40 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2007 Pages: 15-22
• Author(s): Della A. Wilkinson; David Sweet; Diane Fairley
• Date Published: March 2007
• Length: 8 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Royal Canadian Mounted Police; U.S. Technical Support Working Group (TSWG)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Technical)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This article examines the recovery of DNA following exposure to chemical warfare agents and to decontamination agents.

Abstract

Of the nine chemical warfare (CW) agents that were included in the study, hydrogen cyanide, sarin, sodium fluoroacetate, and diazinon did not inhibit the recovery of human DNA from blood. Four of the CW agents: chlorine, phosgene, dimethyl sulfate, and lewisite I prevented a full profile from being obtained. These four agents were shown to inhibit the recovery of DNA. The chemical reactivity of dimethyl sulfate and lewisite I suggest that alkylation of the nitrogen bases is the most likely route for the destruction of DNA in their presence. For the successful recovery of physical evidence from contaminated scenes, the effect of the decontamination agents on the evidence must be investigated. If decontamination agents are shown to affect an examiner’s ability to extract and profile DNA, then DNA recovery must be performed prior to decontamination. This research study considered the effects of the Canadian Aqueous System for Chemical/Biological Agent Decontamination (CASCAD), MDF LSA-100, and nine CW agents on blood found at the scene. Bloodstains were contaminated with nine CW agents and then decontaminated with CASCAD and MDF LSA-100 according to manufacturer instructions prior to DNA extraction and profiling.