Biotechnology used in forensics
By Erica Quartey and Megan Dileo
What is Forensics Biotechnology?
Forensic Biotechnology is the application of biotechnology to the legal system. Biotechnology is used by forensic scientists to gather evidence which is found at crime scenes.
How is Biotechnology Used?
Forensic scientist use biotechnology to collect or process trace evidence for example hair, blood, skin. To detect blood, forensic scientists use a chemical called luminol, which glows brightly to the detection of a small amount of blood which a naked eye can't see. Some other techniques used by these scientists are chromatography, mass spectrometry, and microscopic technology. Some potential uses that it may have in the future is solving some of the biggest crime cases, or quickly figuring out the causes of death or injury, faster than they do now
What is the benefit?
The benefit to using biotechnology in forensics is that it can help scientists discover new information that they couldn't find before. As previously mentioned before they have the technology to detect blood that they can't see, also it can detect fingerprints that can help some crime cases. This shows the advantage that biotechnology has because it helps them further in there cases.
Disadvantages
Some disadvantages are the cost, the equipment used is very expensive. Another disadvantage is that if an error was to occur, even if it was minor it can throw off the whole outcome. So a risk that can come with using biotechnology is putting in the wrong information and getting the wrong answers
How does it affect organisms phsically?
Biotechnology affects humans because it improves people's way of life, by meeting the needs and demands, and further improves there information.
Economic Affects
Biotechnology affects our economy because it is innovative technology that improves our lives. Biotechnology in forensics helps us solve different problems for example crimes. With the technology we can solve cases and find criminals by simply just testing DNA and the technology figures out who it matches.
Environmental Affects
In forensics one of the scientist that there are, is an environmental forensic scientist. These scientist examine hydrology and geology. Which means that these scientists examine the contaminated sites and surrounding areas of water, how the pollutants traveled to that site and where they came from.
How does it affect the world?
It benefits our society, the first way it does is that through investigations of accidents, and incidents scientist have figured out ways to improve our saftey. This is through saftey in transportation, fire prevention, and public venues. The help in crimes to determine if a person is innocent or not, and can determine the events that led to certain crimes
How will it affect our future?
In the future biotechnology may advance even more, so that our saftey can improve more, and maybe the technology may change so that we can solve cases and crimes differently. The technology is advancing, and it may improve how we live our lives.
Work Cited
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-forensic-science.html
http://www.bioworld.com/content/dna-forensics
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V2StM4-FWtc
http://biotechlearn.org.nz/themes/what_is_biotechnology/impacts_of_biotechnology_on_society
http://www.europabio.org/how-can-biotechnology-benefit-you
http://www.environmentalscience.org/career/forensic-scientist
https://crimelabproject.wordpress.com/how-does-forensic-science-affect-your-life/