Extracting DNA from the air – DNA evidence of human occupancy in indoor premises

Ethical declaration This study was approved by the data protection officer (DPO) at Oslo University Hospital (reference: 20/20155). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. All experiments were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Sample collection A total of 184 samples were collected and analyzed for this study, consisting of 40 air samples and 144 dust samples. The study was conducted in the premises of the Forensic Genetics Unit at Oslo University Hospital. Out of 64 regular employees, 55 consented to take part in the study. Fourteen offices (with 1–7 occupants), two meeting rooms and five laboratories, connected by corridors, were used as the test site. The first experiment examined dust and air DNA from the 14 different offices. The office environment is well defined, since the occupants are known, along with duration of occupancy. In the second experiment, similar studies were carried out with respect to two communal meeti ... Read full article.