There is always a huge spectrum of biological samples, chemicals, and fluids in laboratories that must be safely preserved, either temporarily or permanently. These samples must be kept at ideal temperatures to maintain their composition as well as chemical and biological integrity.
Conversely, a sample’s ideal storage temperature can differ based on its intended function, suspension buffers, and storage time.
The Standard Cold Storage Temperatures
In a lab with constrained space and high running expenses, excellent storage procedures are a priceless asset. This cold storage guide will provide some practical advice that lab technicians should follow in their everyday practice.
-
Room Temperature – +20℃
A limited number of chemicals and samples can be kept at room temperature indefinitely. Tissue samples submerged in formalin, alcohol or other liquids are the best illustration of this. Kingfisher plastics can also be used in applications that require cold storage at this temperature.
These samples, which are kept at room temperature, are utilized for histological and anatomical examinations. However, because all molecular biology products must be stored at freezing temperatures, the DNA and RNA derived from such samples are unreliable.
-
Refrigerated Storage – 4℃
Refrigerator systems are used in laboratories to store frequently used biological chemicals and buffers. This could comprise particular enzymes and antigens, reagents for common assays, and culture mediums.
Blood samples or freshly acquired tissue biopsies can also be kept in refrigerators for brief periods, but they shouldn’t be used for any kind of long-term storage. Additionally, many research facilities feature cold rooms, which serve as sizable refrigerators and make it easier to conduct experiments and incubation procedures at 4℃.
As long as they are utilized within the time limit advised by the manufacturer, freezers are suitable for holding substances that will soon lose validity with repeated freeze-thaw cycles. As you wait for such a component of laboratory equipment to become accessible, you can use them to temporarily store tissues or even DNA/RNA.
-
Freezing Temperature (-20℃)
For storing biochemical samples and compounds that are unstable at warmer temperatures, standard freezer rooms work great. They are perfect for a lab with little space and are typically found in laboratories in the form of refrigerator/freezer combinations. These freezers are typically used to store frequently used lab reagents that require short term storage.
This contains tissues that have been placed in the appropriate stabilizing solutions before freezing, as well as pipetted antigens, peptides, RNA, and DNA used for routine procedures. However, if you need to keep DNA, and RNA beads separate, you can buy kingfisher plastics. Their disposable microplates and polypropylene tip combing allow for high magnetic beads recovery for the best separation of DNA, RNA, proteins, and cells.
-
Ultra-Low Freezing Temperatures (-80℃)
It is recommended to retain biological chemicals and compounds in ultra-low temperature freezers if you wish to preserve them for longer periods. Proteins, nucleic acids, and other large molecules can maintain their original shapes due to these extremely high temperatures.
The majority of labs have constructed enormous freezer rooms, commonly referred to as freezer farms, ever since testing methods have advanced and the necessity to preserve samples has grown significantly. These freezer farms are equipped with alarm systems that will alert the appropriate parties in the event of any breakdown. Additionally, some large-scale laboratories feature liquid nitrogen tanks which serve as alternative power sources.
-
Liquid Nitrogen Storage (-196℃)
It is advised to keep delicate samples in liquid nitrogen to prevent their deterioration. Furthermore, this temperature is ideal for the long-term cryogenic preservation of samples.
The majority of the time, liquid nitrogen tanks are utilized to store cells and specimens that are highly vulnerable to temperature.
Now that you are aware of the standard temperatures for different laboratory storage needs, you can ensure better preservation of samples. As a lab technician, it is your responsibility to maintain the integrity of your samples, and for that, you must carefully select the temperature levels for your biomolecules. Furthermore, you should also take into account the identification method utilized, as this will change depending on the storage temperature, in addition to the storage state.
For labs, storage containers and films are required, whether we talk about cold storage or other methods of chemical reservation. If you are looking for sealing films for your facility’s cold storage needs, MBP INC is here to supply them in bulk. We have a whole range of molecular bioproducts, including liquid handling devices, pipettes and sealing films. Place your bulk equipment order with the most acclaimed lab equipment supplier in Canada today!
