[NHCOLL-L:3035] RE: shipping in propylene glycol (Re: EtOH blues)

[Bentley, Andrew Charles]

Doug

You may want to check these out:

http://cdli.asm.org/cgi/content/full/7/6/945

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb321/is_200305/ai_n6404902

http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/pub/spiders/HedFiles/vinketal2005.pdf

http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/IS04039.htm

Not sure if results would be similar for non-entomological material or not - all references seem to refer to entomological specimens...

and according to the MSDS for propylene glycol it is unregulated for transport:

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/p6928.htm

Seems that propylene glycol may be a viable option

Andy

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Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center
Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
USA

Tel: (785) 864-3863
Fax: (785) 864-5335
Email: ABentley at ku.edu       
                                                
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Doug Yanega
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 6:50 PM
To: Scientific Permits issues
Cc: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:3033] shipping in propylene glycol (Re: EtOH blues)

The recent exchange between Andrew Bentley and Ellen Paul regarding 
the regs for shipments of ethanol prompted me to do a little digging, 
and I want to check with people about a few things regarding the 
possible use of propylene glycol for shipping of scientific specimens:

(1) my own personal interest is primarily in the context of bulk 
samples of insects from traps - in this case the MOST important 
question is about DNA. There seems to be some debate as to whether PG 
is bad for insect DNA, and I've heard diametrically opposing opinions 
from utterly trustworthy people on both sides, so I'm baffled. Does 
anyone know for certain, empirically, whether shipping specimens in 
PG has any detectable effects on DNA preservation?

(2) if PG is safe for DNA, am I correct in believing that there are 
no shipping regulations, either domestic or international, that would 
interfere with making the substitution of PG for EtOH a routine 
practice?

(3) Likewise, am I correct that there are no regulations against PG 
on airplanes, in either checked or carry-on luggage?

Thanks,
-- 

Doug Yanega        /Dept. of Entomology         /Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521-0314
phone: (951) 827-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
              http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82