Patent ID: 8852862

Claim:
A method for separating one or more polynucleotides from a sample containing polymerase chain reaction inhibitors, the method comprising: contacting a solution of the sample with a plurality of polynucleotide binding particles, wherein the binding particles are configured to preferentially retain the one or more polynucleotides in the sample as compared to polymerase chain reaction inhibitors; wherein the sample solution has a volume from 0.5 microliters to 3 milliliters; wherein the plurality of binding particles have a volume less than 5 microliters, and surfaces that comprise a polycationic polyamide configured to bind polynucleotides in preference to polymerase chain reaction inhibitors at a pH of 8.5 or less; removing the solution containing inhibitors from the plurality of binding particles; and releasing the one or more polynucleotides from the binding particles into a single volume of liquid wherein the ratio of the volume of sample solution to the volume of liquid into which the polynucleotides are released is between 50:1 and 1000:1, wherein the releasing occurs at a pH of 11.4 or greater.