Sample handling and storage

When a sample is received it should have a unique identification, i.e. a number or code. All details about the sample should be recorded. This will include storage conditions and, if it is necessary to transfer the sample from person to person, this should be fully documented. Details of the container and closures should also be recorded. These may have been inappropriate and influence the analytical result. The appearance of the sample on receipt should also be documented. 

Ideally, you should examine the sample as soon as possible after receipt, provided that the scope of the analysis and the methods to be used are clear and have been agreed. Storage conditions and the length of storage should be recorded. 

Properties of the analyte, such as volatility, sensitivity to light, thermal stability and chemical reactivity, all have to be considered when designing a sampling strategy. These factors need to be taken into account to ensure the quality of the sample does not degrade before the measurements are made. 

The samples should be stored so that there is no hazard to laboratory staff. The integrity of the sample must also be preserved, i.e. the sample should be the same when it is analysed as when it was collected. There must be no risk of contamination or cross-contamination , i.e. no material should enter or leave the sample container. In addition, extremes of environmental conditions should be avoided. 

Storage condition Appropriate sample types Inappropriate sample types 

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To appreciate the importance of correct sample handling and storage. 

Sampling, Sample Handling and Storage of Medical Samples... 

In sum, EMPs have emerged as a preferred direct method for assessing EC injury in different disorders. EMP analysis could provide insight into the actual status of the endothelium in vivo by a simple blood analysis. However, there is a need for refinement and standardization of the assay method. Overall, most groups have relied on flow cytometry for the measurement of EMPs nevertheless, other methods such as ELISA are available and may be an option in the future. The main challenge remains in the selection of specific and sensitive monoclonal antibodies that may yield consistent results between different laboratories. In addition, the protocols for sample handling and storage need to be clearly delineated. The assay is still a... 

Bloom, N.S. 1995. Mercury as a case study of ultra-clean sample handling and storage in aquatic trace... 

It cannot be overemphasized that these techniques study the top 1 to 20 nm of the surface, which is extremely prone to contamination. Therefore, sample handling and storage become serious concerns for these techniques,... 

The practice in many industrial analytical service laboratories is to present the analytical chemist with samples and some form of written request for analysis. Often discrepancies occur between expected values and those obtained by analysis and the blame for this is often placed on the analytical chemist. In many cases little or no thought is given to the sampling or handling of the material prior to submission for analysis. The analytical chemist is well advised to enquire into the history of samples and where possible to maintain some form of control over sampling, sample handling and storage. 

Sample handling and storage of PAXgene tubes can greatly affect gene expression profiles (Fig. 1) [13]. Cryopreserva-tion of PBMCs in liquid nitrogen has been used in many clini-... 

Generally, due to the instability of polluted sediments, sample handling and storage prior to the fractionation of TEs are somewhat problematic. In particular. 

Sampling, locations, sample handling, and storage conditions. 

Sampling, sample handling, and storage and sample preparation methods are extensively covered, and modern methods such as accelerated solvent extraction, solid-phase microextraction (SPME), QuEChERS, and microwave techniques are included. Instrumentation, the analysis of liquids and solids, and applications of NMR are discussed in detail. A section on hyphenated NMR techniques is included, along with an expanded section on MRI and advanced imaging. The IR instrumentation section is focused on FTIR instrumentation. Absorption, emission, and reflectance spectroscopy are discussed, as is ETIR microscopy. ATR has been expanded. Near-IR instrumentation and applications are presented, and the topic of chemometrics is introduced. Coverage of Raman spectroscopy includes resonance Raman, surface-enhanced Raman, and Raman microscopy. 

In addition to polymer degradation, surface contamination constitutes an issue for applications in which the surface state must be well controlled and, also, for polymer surface processing. Polymeric materials are almost never pure and, often, their surfaces are contaminated. The contamination can be caused by the migration of unstable components toward the surface (intrinsic) or by the improper sample handling and storage (extrinsic). SIMS analysis is especially appropriate for the monitoring of all these processes. 

Note. Samples for pectic acid analysis require careful preservation to ensure that the pectin is not degraded or lost during sample handling and storage. Samples should be stored at — 20°C in sealed containers if they are not to be analyzed immediately, but some physical changes may occur that could interfere with the subsequent analysis. Analysis of fresh samples is undoubtedly the preferred approach. 

The reported performance characteristics of the earlier methods for dissolved DMS indicate that similar analytical precision can be obtained with different purge and trap systems, and that major analytical problems are associated with sample handling and storage (see Section 24.8). Unlike the inter-comparison of aircraft instrumentation for atmospheric DMS (Gregory et al., 1993), no such comprehensive inter-calibration of malytical procedures for dissolved DMS has been carried out. Therefore, the choice of a particular method may reflect the personal experience of the author. Here, a semi-automated method modified from Andreae and Barnard (1983) is described. It provides adequate precision (better than... 

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