Members: there are also cryogenic aprons available.

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
Wawzyniecki Jr, Stefan
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:52 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] LN2 for tissue storage

Here are 2 comments from our researchers...

 

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To: 'DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU'
Subject: LN2 for tissue storage

 

"I have been storing samples in liquid nitrogen for many years.  The
manufacturers of cryovials say that they can explode if stored in the
liquid phase (i.e., when trapped liquid expands on warming), but in 25
years of doing just this, I have never seen it happen.  I usually leave
the vial lids slightly loose to allow escape of gas, but some people I
know punch tiny holes in the lids as a precaution.  I generally wear
nitrile gloves (usually double gloves) to remove cryovials and canes
from the storage dewar, and transfer canes to low styrofoam containers
filled with liquid nitrogen to manipulate or sort samples. Hemostates
work well for grabbing vials and lids to unscrew.

 

In all these years I have occasionally had minor frostbite on my
fingertips, but nothing worse."

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 "We routinely store cells in the liquid phase of LN2. PPE includes a
face shield and the cryo gloves sold by Fisher and others (easily found
in the LN2 sections of the Fisher catalogue), as well as a lab coat.
Vials are stored in racks, which we let drain when we pull them out of
the liquid phase of LN2. Any remaining liquid will evaporate rapidly
when at air temperature."

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To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

Subject: [DCHAS-L] LN2 for tissue storage

 

A lab tech asked us this today and I thought that DCHAS-L might know
more than we could find on google:

 

We recently purchased a LN2 cryo tank for storing tissue samples.   

The study requirement is that the tissue samples be stored in the liquid
phase of LN2.  So far all the folks that I have spoken to around here
store in the vapor phase - not liquid.  I have been searching online
trying to find information on user safety protocols, PPE, and any other
helpful pointers for adding and retrieving samples  

from liquid LN2, but not finding as much details as we would like.   

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