The use of potassium dichromate and ethyl alcohol as blood preservatives for analysis of organochlorine contaminants.

Author(s): Schecter A, Pavuk M, Päpke O, Malisch R

Publication: Chemosphere, 2004, Vol. 57, Page 1-7

PubMed ID: 15288193 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of preservation with potassium dichromate, 20% ethanol, or 40% ethanol and room temperature shipping and storage rather than frozen shipping and storage on levels of 4 PCBs, 6 dioxins and 9 dibenzofurans in blood. Leftover blood from 249 patients was pooled, aliquoted, and either frozen or preserved with potassium dichromate, 20% ethanol, or 40% ethanol. Frozen specimens were shipped on dry ice and stored frozen (temperature not specified), but potassium dichromate and ethyl alcohol-preserved specimens were shipped and stored at ambient temperatures.

   Summary of Findings:

   The fat content was 0.35% in frozen blood specimens, 0.34% in potassium dichromate specimens, 0.48% in 20% ethanol-preserved specimens and 0.52% in 40% ethanol-preserved specimens. The lipid content was also higher in specimens preserved with 40% ethanol than in frozen or potassium dichromate specimens, and it remained relatively stable during storage; however, the lipid content of specimens preserved in 20% ethanol increased with storage such that on day 25, lipid content was comparable to that in 40% ethanol-preserved specimens. When the levels of contaminants were normalized to lipid content, contaminant levels in ethanol-preserved specimens were lower than in frozen specimens and were changed during storage in 20% ethanol. However, when contaminant levels are normalized for wet weight and not lipid weight, preservation method had no effect on contaminant levels. Regardless of method used for normalization, contaminant levels were not affected by preservation or storage in potassium dichromate when compared to frozen specimens.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Frozen
   • Other Preservative
   • Ethanol

   Diagnoses:

   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Small molecule	GC-MS

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Storage	Storage duration	6 days 25 days 34 days
   Storage	Between site transportation method	Mailed
   Storage	Specimen transport duration/condition	At room temperature On dry ice
   Biospecimen Preservation	Type of fixation/preservation	Ethanol Frozen Potassium dichromate
   Biospecimen Preservation	Concentration of fixative	20% Ethanol 40% Ethanol

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