Table 1.

Preparation of DNA standards. Details of the conditions used in preparation of the serial dilution DNA solutions for standard curve construction.

Method	DNA Standard preparation condition
1	Standard plastics (1.5 ml microtubes, Alpha). Water as diluent (Tissue culture water, Sigma, UK).
2	Standard plastics. Stabilising solution as diluent (Stabilising component for DNA standards, Cambio, UK).
3	Standard plastics. Carrier DNA as diluent (Herring Sperm DNA, Sigma, UK @ 10 μg/ml).
4	Low retention plastics (Non-stick hydrophobic microtubes 1.5 ml, Alpha). Water as diluent.
5	Low retention plastics. Stabilising solution as diluent.
6	Low retention plastics. Carrier DNA as diluent.