Environmental samples typically include impurities that interfere with PCR
amplification and DNA quantitation. Samples of soil, river water, and
aerosol were taken from the environment and added to an aqueous buffer
(with or without detergent). Cells from the sample are lysed, releasing
their DNA into the buffer. After removing insoluble cell components, the
remaining soluble DNA-containing extract is treated with
N-phenacylthiazolium bromide, which causes rapid precipitation of
impurities. Centrifugation provides a supernatant that can be used or
diluted for PCR amplification of DNA, or further purified. The method may
provide a DNA-containing extract sufficiently pure for PCR amplification
within 5 10 minutes.