Question

EDTA is commonly used in foods and cleaning products. It is also used in police laboratories to prevent the degradation of samples. Explain two ways this might serve as a problem in a trial involving DNA evidence.

Answer 1

EDTA is a chelating agent used to preserve samples for DNA extraction and as an anticoagulant

Step-by-step explanation:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a well-known chelating agent that binds metal ions (iron and calcium ions). In police cases, EDTA can be used for DNA extraction since this agent chelates metal ions in DNase enzymes which are contained in the samples, thereby reducing their activity and preserving DNA samples for a long time. Moreover, EDTA is also used as an anticoagulant for blood cells, which allows preserving the cellular components and the morphology of blood samples.