Forensic Sample Preference

Below is a guide for submitting forensic samples. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like additional information.

From living subjects:

Preferred Sample:

• Blood stain card.
• 2 or more Buccal swabs.
• Purple (or other) top blood tube.

What We Can Work With:

• 2 or more swabs of blood, saliva, or semen.
• Stain card of blood, saliva, or semen.
• Hair with follicles (5-10 minimum)

Difficult Samples:

• Any sample in a preservative (formaldehyde, etc), if required, get 1 cubic cm if possible.
• Any sample fixed to a slide.
• Urine, if required: at least 5ml, 10-20ml preferred.
• Large amounts of anything -- 50ml or more, 6inches or more, a foot square or more.

From the recently deceased (still at autopsy stage):

Preferred Sample:

• Blood stain card with blood taken from heart, vein or artery (heart preferred).
• 1cm³ to 1inch³ of deep thigh muscle (enough to fill a 50ml falcon tube).

What We Can Work With:

• One or more teeth: back teeth (molars), canines, incisors, in that order, unfilled preferred over filled.
• 6 inches of a long bone, femur or humerous preferred.
• Blood stained clothing, if 100% positive it came from person in question and is not mixed.

Difficult Samples:

• Large amount of tissue.
• Large bones (keep the bones about 6 inches).
• Abdominal fluids.
• Any part of an organ other than heart.
• Liver, lung, pancreas or any of the other organs rich in enzymes.

From the deceased "in the grave":

Preferred Sample:

• One or more teeth.
• 6 inches of bone (long bones are best, avoid vertebrae and other porous bones)

In general, we prefer items that are dry, easy to handle, fit neatly in a container and do not require refrigeration.

		Fairfax Identity Labs is a Division of Commonwealth Biotechnologies, Inc. 601 Biotech Drive, Richmond, VA 23235 800-735-9224 (800-RELY-CBI) FAX: 804-648-2641 email: info@cbi-biotech.com