Evidence Storage

Proper evidence storage is a key consideration for any lab dealing with criminal investigations. Improper storage can lead to contamination potentially causing a mistrial and could expose lab members to hazardous biological materials. With the recent surge of DNA evidence being used in criminal cases, evidence handling and storage has become even more important. For this reason, standard operating procedures are of utmost importance for evidence handling labs, whether they be set by the lab itself or given as guidelines by a state or local government authority.

Protocols for storage will differ depending on the sample type in question. In its Handbook on Biological Evidence Preservation, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sets forth certain protocols for tagging, storing, and retaining evidence that details how long and in what manner common types of evidence should be kept in. According to the handbook, substances such as liquid blood and wet biological swabs should be refrigerated, urine and feces should be frozen, and materials such as swabs or clothing with wet evidence such as blood need to be properly dried before being put away for long-term storage.

Considerations for purchasing Evidence Storing laboratory equipment

The first thing to consider is what sample types will be handled and in what proportion. It is also important to think about how long the samples will be kept; long-term storage protocols will often differ from short-term ones.

General Purpose Lab Freezer from Panasonic Healthcare Corporation