DNA-TYPING OF CELLULAR MATERIAL ON CURRENT CONDUCTORS

The examination of deaths due to electricity may require a comparison between current marks on the body and the electrodes suspected to have caused them. Normally the identification of the responsible electrode is carried out by analysing metal traces on the current marks. We how ever examined the conductor for traces of biological material after ex perimentally produced current marks. The surfaces of the conductors we re investigated using a low-power macroscope and burnt tissue could al ways be recognised. Subsequently, all electrodes were carefully swabbe d, extracted with chelex and typed for short tandem repeat polymorphis ms using PCR. This procedure was successful in all cases. Therefore, D NA analysis can be a powerful tool to supplement conventional scene re construction in cases of deaths due to electricity.