4. Conclusions and wider implications
This study has successfully optimised two extraction methods
capable of extracting DNA from toenail material. The protocol
utilising the QIAGEN DNA Investigator Kit has been shown to
successfully recover sufficient DNA from toenail samples from
decomposed remains (case work) for STR profiling for identification
purposes. Even with toenails mostly displaying an overall
poorer profile quality when compared to the conventional sample
for that case, the profiles for 28 of the toenails would have been
suitable for identification with the remaining two profiles
requiring a minor mixture component to be resolved in order to
produce a full profile. Alternatively, a more rigorous wash step
could be utilised prior to extraction to increase the chance of
removing the contaminant DNA leading to a single source profile.