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DNA Extraction and Quantitation for Forensic Analysts

Summary of Advantages and Disadvantages

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Summary of Method Advantages and Disadvantages

Method

Advantages

Disadvantages

 

Yield Gel

  • Quality of DNA can be assessed (level of degradation)
  • Carcinogenic chemical (EtBr)
  • Not as sensitive as other methods
  • Uses intercalating dye requiring double-stranded DNA
  • Not human DNA specific
  • Not automatable

Absorption Spectrophotometry

  • Rapid process
  • Quality of DNA can be assessed (level of degradation)
  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Automatable
  • Not human DNA specific

Fluorometry

  • Semi-selective for double-stranded DNA
  • Relatively sensitive for DNA detection
  • Automatable
  • Not human DNA specific
  • Quality of DNA cannot be assessed (level of degradation)

Slot Blot Hybridization

  • Human DNA specific
  • Easy to analyze
  • Not automatable
  • More labor intensive than some other methods
  • Semi-quantitative
  • Quality of DNA cannot be assessed (level of degradation)

AluQuant™

  • Sensitive
  • Automatable
  • Human DNA specific
  • Quality of DNA cannot be assessed

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