Forensic swabs are routinely used by crime scene investigators and forensic scientists for the collection of a wide range of biological evidence types. The properties of swabs that make them effective at collecting biological material, such as high adsorption, can become limitations when using the sample for DNA analysis. Forensic swabs do not easily release materials, which can lead in insufficient sample sizes for evaluation.
Luna Labs has developed an entirely new approach to address this problem: dissolvable swabs (US Patent 20200088607A1). These swabs use an innovative polymer fiber for a revolutionary new drop-in solution allowing forensic scientists to gather better evidence and perform higher quality analyses on smaller biological samples.
Our dissolvable swabs are insoluble in water, ethanol, or other common liquids; however, they completely dissolve in DNA extraction buffers allowing for release of nearly 100% of biological material for analysis. Luna Labs dissolvable swabs use inexpensive, durable materials and offer:
- Chemical and microbial resistance
- Greater opportunities for workflow automation
- Demonstrated compatibility with Qiagen EZ1, Thermo Fisher PrepFiler™, and Promega DNA IQ™
For more information:
- Contact biotech@lunalabs.us
- Read our paper for the American Academy of Forensic Sciences: The Development of a Dissolvable Swab for Increased Biospecimen Recovery