eDNA sampling made easy

One of the biggest risks when sampling for eDNA is contaminating your sample with DNA that has not originated from the sampling environment. 

Using a sampling kit pre-prepared by eDNA Frontiers helps to avoid contamination, with some of our sampling options providing a solution that removes the need for cold-chain transport.

WHERE TO SAMPLE

Water

Water is a fantastic source of eDNA, for detecting the organisms that live in it as well as those that interact with it through drinking, grooming, hunting, and other activities.

See our water sampling kit here.

Surfaces

Surfaces can trap and capture DNA left by organisms as they pass through the environment; for example, on the surface of soil, hollows, logs, trees, and soil. This can be collected in a number of different ways, such as using a roller or swab to roll along the chosen surface.

See our roller sampling kit here, and our swab sampling kit here.

Air

DNA can be picked up and transported through the air, and there are various ways to capture this. The main methods are through active or passive air filters, or by collecting spiderwebs!

See our spiderweb sampling kit here.

Sediment/Soil

Collecting sediment/soil from terrestrial and aquatic environments allows you to explore what organisms may have interacted with the surface of the substrate, as well as the organisms that live within it.

See our soil sampling kit here.

Scat/Droppings

Scats are a great source of eDNA and can be used to either identify the host organism (i.e., the organism that deposited the scat) or what the host organism has been eating.

See our scat sampling kit here.

HOW TO SAMPLE

Instructions for how to use these kits can be found in the information brochures below, or by watching our sampling instruction videos.

SAMPLING MADE EASY

Syringe

Each kit contains:

  • Zip-lock pouch with instructions and sample label
  • 1 pair of nitrile gloves
  • 1 large syringe with pre-filter
  • Small syringe(s) with preservative
  • Filter unit(s)

Scat

Each kit contains:

  • Zip-lock pouch
  • Nitrile gloves
  • 50mL falcon tube(s)
  • Bleach tablets (if required)
  • Forceps and spatulas (if required)

Soil

Each kit contains:

  • Zip-lock pouch
  • Nitrile gloves
  • 50mL falcon tube(s)
  • Bleach tablets (if required)
  • Forceps and spatulas (if required)

Swab

Each kit contains:

  • Zip-lock pouch with instructions and sample label
  • 1 pair of nitrile gloves
  • 2mL tube(s) with preservative
  • Sterile swab(s)

Roller

Each kit contains:

  • Zip-lock pouch with instructions and sample label
  • 1 pair of nitrile gloves
  • Falcon tube with preservative
  • Sterilised roller

We also provide a roller handle and a spray bottle of sterile water to wet the surface of the roller prior to sampling.

Our water syringe, roller, and swab kits all allow for ambient storage transport of samples, and have a shelf life of up to 12 months!

We are working on making our soil and scat kits ambient as well, but for now these kits require the samples to be stored and transported frozen.

If you’d like to find out more about our sampling kits, please contact us today.