Various sectors such as healthcare, environmental research and animal breeding have adopted nitrogen freezers in their daily operations. The freezer provides the steadiest freezing ecosystem utilizing ultra-low temperatures; they can get closer to -200C and are used in cryo-preserving resources.
Animal breeders may use liquid nitrogen freezer in cryopreservation to keep a needed species alive, and environmental researchers use it to preserve the last stock of an endangered bloodline. For instance, the cells of endangered black rhinos are frozen for the future cryogenically.
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LN2 Freezers in Healthcare
In healthcare, nitrogen freezers have proved useful, considering they are used in preserving a wide range of products. They are the most perfect for freezing biological materials in exceedingly frozen temperatures. When living cells are preserved in a cold ecosystem, they do not die but rather go into a sleeping mode. Decades or centuries later, the stored cells will be carefully thawed with no DNA degradation or life loss due to their long preservation.
The fertility specialists have embraced the potential of assisting women in delaying childbirth via cryogenic maintenance of fertilized eggs or embryos. Liquid nitrogen freezers are also used in the medical field to kill cells that make up cancerous or diseased tissue. They instantly freeze any tissues, and the frozen tissues dry out and fall off. Every time liquid nitrogen is utilized, there is possible oxygen displacement, which is dangerous if there is a leakage or spillage on the nitrogen storage refrigerator.
The gas is odorless and has no color, so it is impossible to notice leakage. If leaked into the atmosphere, the oxygen can fall low, leading to inadequate air for respiration. The oxygen deficiency can result in cognitive deficiencies, respiratory distress and death through asphyxiation. Healthcare facilities that depend on nitrogen freezers to store biological products should adapt various safeguards to detect and mitigate nitrogen spills and leaks.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a LN2 Freezer
The storage and sustainability of biomedical samples such as RNA, DNA and blood are of the utmost importance. It is essential to pick the most efficient storage solution for your valuable and sensitive samples.
With the wide range of selection in the market, choosing the best nitrogen freezer can be challenging, and it is advisable to go check out different brands and what they provide. After cross-checking, select an ideal freezer that best suits your needs. Some factors to consider are density and ergonomic features such as a folding step, automatic fog clearing for improved visibility and access of samples, low lift-over height and a functioning handle.
Consider a storage space that minimizes the possibility of cross-contamination and allows access to the products while preserving the temperatures inside the freezer. Cryogenic storage solutions that depend on contact can expose the vials to expansion and shrinking, resulting in an explosion. Additionally, ensure that the storage freezers adhere to the industry’s best practices for uniformity of temperatures.
Conclusion
The nitrogen freezer is used in healthcare to preserve organs, bacteria, viruses, skin, blood, sperms and other biological products. Liquid nitrogen temperature is lower and can even reach -196°C. Life activity within the sample stops at this frigid temperature, and its stability is long-term maintenance. Using liquid nitrogen freezers has improved the healthcare sector significantly.
