Which Samples Require Low Temperature, Dry Ice, or Ambient Conditions During Transportation?
The temperature requirements for sample transportation primarily depend on the physicochemical or biological properties of the samples. The following outlines common sample categories and their corresponding temperature specifications:
1. Biological Samples
These specimens (e.g., blood, cells, tissues) generally require cryogenic transportation to preserve cellular viability and prevent biochemical degradation. Dry ice or liquid nitrogen is typically employed to maintain the necessary ultra-low temperatures.
2. Chemical Reagents
Certain reagents are unstable at ambient temperature and may undergo decomposition or undesirable reactions. Depending on their specific physicochemical characteristics, transportation may require refrigeration or cryogenic conditions with dry ice.
3. Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines
Many pharmaceuticals and immunobiologics exhibit significant temperature sensitivity, necessitating transport under refrigerated conditions (2–8 °C) or frozen storage. Dry ice is frequently used to sustain temperatures well below ambient levels during transit.
4. DNA/RNA Samples
These nucleic acid specimens often require frozen transportation, particularly for extended shipping durations, to mitigate degradation and maintain molecular integrity.
5. Ambient-Stable Samples
Numerous chemicals and laboratory consumables remain stable at ambient temperature and can be shipped without specialized temperature control.
It is essential to determine transportation conditions based on the specific properties and stability requirements of each sample type. In cases of uncertainty, professional guidance from a certified laboratory or specialized logistics provider should be sought. Additionally, proper packaging and labeling are critical to ensuring the secure delivery of the samples.
MtoZ Biolabs, an integrated chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) services provider.
Related Services
How to order?
