Abstract: Products for and a method of capturing and storing nucleic acid from patient blood, plants or other samples (e.g., purified DNA or RNA), for use in analysis of nucleic acid are described. The products are made by heating a mixture of magnetic beads, silica particles, alkyl silicate (e.g., Silbond 4, Silbond Corp., Weston Mich.) and polyethylene resin particles. The quantity of nucleic acid adsorbed by the product is controlled by the surface area of silica available for binding to nucleic acid, which in turn is controlled by: the overall volume of the product, the ratio of the volume of polyethylene resin particles to the volumes of silica particles and alkyl silicate; and the sizes of silica particles (smaller particles have a larger surface area per unit volume). Controlling and limiting of the amount of nucleic acid captured by the product avoids the disadvantages associated with excess DNA/RNA for PCR amplification.

Abstract: Products for and a method of capturing and storing nucleic acid from leukoreduced patient blood, where the products capture sufficient quantities for use in PCR and analysis of nucleic acid, are described. The products are made by heating a mixture of magnetic beads, silica particles, alkyl silicate (e.g., Silbond 4, Silbond Corp., Weston, Mich.) and polyethylene resin particles. The quantity of nucleic acid adsorbed by the product is controlled by the surface area of silica available for binding to nucleic acid, which in turn is controlled by: the overall volume of the product, the ratio of the volume of polyethylene resin particles to the volumes of silica particles and alkyl silicate; and the sizes of silica particles (smaller particles have a larger surface area per unit volume).