@article{ref1,
title="How long does it take a static speaking individual to contaminate the immediate environment?",
journal="Forensic science, medicine, and pathology",
year="2006",
author="Port, Nicholas J. and Bowyer, Victoria L. and Graham, Eleanor A. M. and Batuwangala, Madu S. and Rutty, Guy Nathan",
volume="2",
number="3",
pages="157-163",
abstract="Developments in forensic genetic profiling mean that only a very little DNA is required to generate an identifying profile. However, as this sensitivity increases so does the risk of contamination with non-offender DNA, potentially leading to the conviction of innocents, or release of the guilty. The work of Rutty et al. showed that a static and talking person deposited DNA in front of them within a 15-minute period. This work expands on that of Rutty et al. by determining the time period required for an individual to deposit sufficient DNA for a positive identification to be made, and the distance that this contamination can be detected from the speaking individual. To simulate a scene of crime, sheets of Benchkote(®) were used to represent an area of interest and an unprotected subject talked over them for a variety of times, in a variety of positions (standing, kneeling, and sitting at a desk). <br><br>RESULTS show that contamination by talking in both kneeling and sitting positions occurred almost immediately (<30 seconds, but not from just one sentence) up to 69 cm from the subject. When standing, contamination could be observed up to a maximum 115 cm from the subject, and was only present in one of three repeats when talking for only 30 seconds. This article illustrates how rapidly a static person can potentially contaminate an area in front of him or herself within a laboratory or scene environment, just by talking.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1547-769X",
doi="10.1007/s12024-006-0004-z",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12024-006-0004-z"
}