Authors:
Ahmad Yudianto
1
and
Simon Martin Manyanza Nzilibili
2
Affiliations:
1
Forensic Science Program, Post Graduate School, Universitas Airlangga, Department of Forensic and Medico-legal, Faculty of Medicine and Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia
;
2
Forensic Science Program, Post Graduate School, Universitas Airlangga, Ministry of Health, Community Development and Gender Elderly and Children, Tanzania
Keyword(s):
DNA quality, Earphone swabs, Forensic evidence, Mitochondrial DNA, Room temperature.
Abstract:
Exploration of crime scene devices, leftover, and its surrounding is of significance in forensic identification due to its potential harbor of biological evidences. Such harboring of evidences proposes traceability under Locard’s principle. By body use-contact, devices such as earphones potentiate revelation of the unknown by analysis of cerumen or traces logged from ear. Despite of this usability, environmental challenge is suggested to impact the forensic vitality of the logged evidences. To understand the phenomena, this study applied 30 used earphones at 0, 1, 7, 14 and 20 days room temperature exposure. From the study; amplified electrophoretic reaction showed that, 143bp (HVS I, nt 16268-16410) mtDNA D-loop region reacted with a positive (+) detection only for day 1 (4 [66.67%] samples) and day 7 (3 [50%] samples) of room temperature exposure. Meanwhile, visualization of the results of 126bp (HVS II, nt 34-159) mtDNA D-loop region showed a positive (+) detection only for day 1
(2 [33.37%] of samples) and day 7 (6 [100%] of samples) of room temperature exposure. Data interpretation conclude the effect of room temperature on the trend and quality of earphone swab-derived DNA from day 1 to day 20.
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