ReviewInternational journal of legal medicine2026
Environmental DNA (eDNA) from humans: Review of recent advancements and forensic implications.
Review in International journal of legal medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The collection and analysis of biological samples for DNA profiling have become indispensable tools in forensic investigations, facilitating both the incrimination and exoneration of individuals implicated in criminal activities. Every individual constantly release traces of their DNA into their surroundings, depositing genetic material in the environment. Recent advancements in DNA technology have enabled the detection and profiling of these trace samples containing minimal cellular material. These evidences expand the scope of forensic analysis to a new concept of environmental DNA (eDNA) which refers to genetic material recovered from environmental matrices such as water, soil, and air. While eDNA has traditionally been utilized in ecological contexts-such as non-invasive species monitoring and population genetics-its forensic applications are now garnering significant attention. Between 2005 and 14th February, 2026 different keyword searches in Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed revealed that about 25% of eDNA studies focused on biodiversity, 27% on conservation, and only 10% on forensic applications-with a mere 0.08% dedicated to human eDNA. This review, therefore, concentrates on human eDNA analysis from environmental sources such as water, air, and soil, along with their downstream applications. The approach offers a promising, non-invasive avenue for collecting biological evidence, potentially transforming forensic investigation methods. At the same time where eDNA research grows, it must also address key legal and ethical issues such as consent, data ownership, and privacy. This review summarizes recent advances and future directions in forensic eDNA, emphasizing the need for strong ethical and regulatory frameworks for its responsible use.
Identifiers
42406087What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.