[NHCOLL-L:3033] shipping in propylene glycol (Re: EtOH blues)

[Doug Yanega]

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