Swab Analysis

petry dish swab test

The swabs can come from any part of the crime scene or from any trace evidence collected off of the body. Then little sections of the swabs with the trace on them are analyzed to determine what the substances are. Similar to chemical analysis, only it is always a sticky or wet substance. The swab analysis is also called the surface swab for any trace that comes from a swab analysis came from a surface area somewhere. It is not analyzed exactly like all other trace evidence is; normally a centre fuse is needed to detach the evidence from the sterile swab or cotton pick that is used to transfer the evidence. Swabs are often used as buccal swabs that collect and then compare DNA. Though that is one way the swabs are used in the analytical process that is not the only way they are used in the crime lab.

Swab analysis is following the same time line as the DNA and chemical analysis only for the fact that it is the two of them combined together and all meshed into one. Over the years, there will become better ways of collecting the DNA than a buccal swab and collecting all other sticky or wet evidence with a swab will also change over time, for now this is the most effective way.

Beetle Crime Scene DNA Analysis. 2007. New Mexico Tech. 5 May 2009 http://dspace.nmt.edu/dspace/bitstream/10136/52/3/BeetleCrime.pdf