How can you prevent contamination during evidence collection?

• A. Reuse gloves to save time and materials.
• B. Touch multiple items with the same tool to speed up collection.
• C. Change gloves between items, use clean tools, avoid touching samples, and minimize handling.
• D. Open containers and leave samples exposed to air.

Answer: (C)

Preventing contamination during evidence collection relies on keeping each item and its contents as pristine as possible from the moment you handle it. Changing gloves between items, using clean tools for each item, avoiding touching the samples with your hands or tools that aren’t dedicated to that item, and minimizing how much you handle the evidence all work together to prevent cross-transfer and preserve the sample’s original state. If gloves are reused, or the same tool touches multiple items, contaminants can move from one piece of evidence to another, compromising results. Touching samples directly or with unclean tools introduces oils, fibers, or other residues from you or the environment. Minimizing handling reduces the risk of loss, alteration, or contamination over time. Keeping containers closed and samples from exposure to air further protects integrity. Together, these practices maximize the likelihood that analyses reflect the true nature of the evidence.