Glass vs. Plastic Tubes for Storage

[Terry Rees]

We currently store our patient serum/plasma samples (after separation) in glass tubes.  We would like to switch to plastic for "trash" reasons.  Does anyone know of a reason why we can't?  Also, I don't want to have to do a validation.  The samples are intially tested for antibodies and are only occasionally retrieved for additional testing.   

[SMILLER]

We use the big lav-top vacutainers.  We do not, in general, separate plasma (like as an aliquot)  from the primary tube.

 

Scott

[tbostock]

We also do not separate, but we save segments from units in plastic tubes now instead of glass. We saved considerable cost by reducing our sharps waste.

[Dansket]

We currently store our patient serum/plasma samples (after separation) in glass tubes.  We would like to switch to plastic for "trash" reasons.  Does anyone know of a reason why we can't?  Also, I don't want to have to do a validation.  The samples are intially tested for antibodies and are only occasionally retrieved for additional testing.   

We do not separate plasma from the patient's original blood sample container.

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

If you do decide to go over to plastic, there should be no problem, but immunoglobulins are, of course, proteins, and so you need to make sure that the plastic you choose is more of the more "modern" type that does not adsorb protein onto its surface (by electrostatic forces), otherwise any antibodies present may weaken or disappear entirely upon storage.