Very interesting question! Follow

I think some of our international colleagues have mailed specimens from Asia/Europe with minimal amount of ethanol in each vial, as I think there is a limit to the amount so if you are below the threshold it will be okay. I will just have to refill with fresh ethanol as soon as I receive them.

Dear Dr. Yuanmeng Miles Zhang

Thank you very much for your kind attention and input. Yes, until recently, I had done so. However, in the last few years, parcels have been returned without passing through clearance at the airport (or pre-clearance at Japanese Post).

A month ago I tried to pack my specimens by following "Using IATA Special Provision A180 to Ship Preserved Specimens" (http://osac.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/shipping_specimens_iata_a180.pdf). However, the nearest Fedex office did not pick up the parcel. They said they would not be able to receive the parcel unless it was packed by someone who have a special permit (dangerous goods handling permit?).

So, I thought it would be quick to hear ideas and experiences of ResearchGate members.

eguchi

Oh I'm sorry to hear that, I had a Japanese colleague mail me specimens in ethanol last summer with the method I mentioned without problems. Hope someone can provide a good solution.

The ECN (Entomology Collections Network) in the USA have provided details of what is required, for many years.

The succinct summary is to label as follows:

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SPECIMENS: NOT RESTRICTED

Special Provision A180 applies (IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations

Dead (non-infectious) preserved insects, containing small quantities of UN1170

This remains correct for at least 15 years, at least until earlier this year. No problems from USA to Asian countries, and for last decade Australia to Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the reverse directions.

My preference for safety in the field and lab is to use isopropanol not ethanol - much less volatile (flammable) and prefect preservation for DNA extraction and slide preparation.

Peter Cranston

Dear Peter Cranston

Thank you very much for your valuable information for us! I will your answers with my colleagues.

Best regards,

eguchi

If you do not need the specimens for molecular studies, but only for studying external morphology and genitalia, then for arthropods, propylene glycol should work very well. Just place a few drops of propylene glycol in the tube/Whirl-Pak bag containing the specimens, wrap them appropriately, and post them. This chemical is safe (its used in cakes!) and not flammable.

Hi Dr. Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou

Thank you very much for your input! Yes, it is a good idea. Some of my colleagues also suggested me to do so.

eguchi

Hi everyone

Do you know why specimens soaked in propylene glycol are not suitable for DNA extraction? Is it possible to preserve DNA by adding something to propylene glycol?

eguchi

Hello; I send ants in vials with a few drops of Propylene glycol soaked on a piece of tissue paper. The specimens don't get mouldy nor do they dry out. They remain pliable even after months in that condition. Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers

It actually seems as if propylene glycol is as effective as ethanol in preserving specimens for DNA extraction - see Article Propylene glycol: a promising preservative for insects, comp...

Hi Dr. Stefan Hendrik Foord

Thank you very much for your input! I will read it.

Hello David Emmanuel; I use the antifreeze that can be used for domestic water pipes. In the USA it is used in camping caravans, and buildings that aren't used in freezing weather...prevents burst pipes. Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers

Hi there! I have successfully extracted and amplified DNA from small crustaceans preserved in propylene glycol (both 90% and 50%). Based on available literature, it seems it works well with a wide range of taxa.

(I have used "pharmacy-grade" propylene glycol bought on Amazon)

Hi Dr. Federico Marrone

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your information. I will share this information with my colleagues. Under the COVID19 pandemic, the exchange of specimens by mail has become very important for continuing our international collaboration researches.

Best regards

eguchi

I would like to share with you the following articles publised by Robinson et al. (2020).

Article Propylene glycol-based antifreeze is an effective preservati...

look into using hand sanitizer gel (70% ethanol), e.g. AQIUM hand sanitizer Gel

Hi Marc

Thank you very much for your input.

Yes, because it is sticky, I use hand sanitizer gel (70% ethanol) when photographing small invertebrates and body parts. I also often advice beginners to use it for picking fast moving small ants by forceps.

But, in Japan, it may be categorized as "burnable liquid" as same as cosmetic liquid.

Anyhow, hand sanitizer gel is useful for taxonomy.

eguchi

I would share with you a new article related to this topic.

Article Application of propylene glycol in DNA-based studies of invertebrates

I always add "Dead specimens for scientific study / No commercial value / I.A.T.A.Special Provision A180 applies" on the waybill or front of the parcel, and haven't had any issues before, even with couriers. On the waybill you must specify how many tubes and what the total volume of ethanol is, together with a list of all of the material. It may not exceed 1 litre as per A180 regulations, otherwise you just send multiple parcels.

Currently (at least in Romania) the policy is 'no liquid is accepted', so this rules out not only ethanol, but anything else. What we managed to do is to pour off the ethanol immediately before the parcel is closed and send the sealed vials this way. The remaining ethanol vapors will conserve for example insects/ticks (successfully measured/photographed these animals after transfer and no problem with DNA extraction neither), not sure about tissue samples from larger beasts...

Attila

A brief supplement to Attila's answer. If you send small creatures (as ticks in our case), it is good to put them in Eppendorf. Then, it is possible to have there a small portion of ethanol, and no problem.

Thanks Igor,

Indeed, use vials as small as possible, it will increase the confidence of postal workers and customs' officers...

Abracadabra.....

When we require specimens (mostly insects, in my case) to be shipped to Australia/ New Zealand we have a few options.

As Peter Cranston mentioned, we include the fololowing:

"SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SPECIMENS: NOT RESTRICTED

Special Provision A180 applies (IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations

Dead (non-infectious) preserved insects, containing small quantities of UN1170"

In case the recipient works in a Biosecurity facility, we also add:

"Material of no biosecurity concern" (Otherwise this may require additional biosecurity inspections).

If the specimens are in ethanol, a good "trick", instead of tipping off the ethanol is to add a small piece of absorbing paper/ tissue in the vial. This will absorb the ethanol (there will be no liquid to be seen) but will leave the specimens moist.

Otherwise, my team has been working on the use of propylene glycol, too!

A number of air carriers allow propylene glycol to be shipped and we measured its efficacy at different concentrations, also for DNA preservation:

Article Propylene Glycol and Non-Destructive DNA Extractions Enable ...

Hello

One way is to get it through an official chemical license. Another way that is not legal, nor is it illegal, is to pour it into a bottle of beer or wine and take it.

I used the carrier Agility to ship specimens from Switzerland to North America. I had to declare it as dangerous good though, which is a bit expensive. However, the shipment arrived within a few days. The company was very reliable.

Hi Tim san

Thank you very much for your input. I will see the URL of "Agility"".

Best wishes

eguchi

Article Propylene Glycol and Non-Destructive DNA Extractions Enable ...

Same issue happened to me but they allowed certain rules and regulations depend upon country. So you need approved letters from your authority and collaboration university or instituion letters. Its mandatory this days. Some airlines they accept low quantity of ethonol or other formalin materials (ex: Dubai emirates flight)

Hi Muddula, thank you very much for sharing your experiences!

let us know what kind of materials you are planning to send. Is it a whole animal? fish, insects, reptiles or just tissues?

Hi Praveenraj, thank you very much for your interest. We can consider a variety of cases. Our lab members like to send whole bodies of terrestrial invertebrates which can be preserved in 2 -mL or 5-mL plastic tubes.

Hi Katsuyukhi, in that case u can fix the specimen in formalin, and then wrap the specimen using a 1 or 2 percent formalin drenched facial wipes, put it in a zip lock pouch and send it.

Formalin used to be regarded as a no-no for subsequent DNA studies. Still problematic although methods exist now. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534721002147 from Trends in Ecology and Evolution is a good entry into storage and extraction issues. However, the executive summary remains >>Improved methods are needed for formalin-fixed specimens.

The same applies to ethanol preserved specimens, incase if you want to do DNA extraction. Wrap the specimen or tissue using ethanol drenched tissue

The problem is indeed an increasing one. We also had first difficulties with very small tubes during the last 3 years. Formalin is too harmful in my opinion and work should really be kept to a minimum of necessity. I have a good initial experience with the use of propylene glycol, as Katsuyuki Eguchi already brought into the discussion.

Our method: The material from EtOH can be converted directly into propylene glycol, it is not subject to any restrictions and is not considered as a hazardous substance. Upon arrival, the propylene glycol can be poured off and replaced with new EtOH. Worked well as the liquids dissolve very well.

Мы делали так, сначала пробы заливали спиртом на месяц, а перед полетом спирт сливали, плотно закрывали крышку и перевозили пробы, а дома в лаборатории снова заливали спиртом. Пары спирта остаются в пробирке и этого достаточно на врема перелета.

Hi Olga

Thank you very much for your comments! I can't read Russian, AI translated your comment as below.

"First we poured the samples with alcohol for a month, and before the flight, we drained the alcohol, tightly closed the lid, and transported the samples, and in the laboratory, we poured the alcohol again. Alcohol vapors remain in the tube and this is enough for the time of the flight."

One of my Japanese friends also suggested me doing so.

Hello! in Mexico there is a current guideline for sending pathological samples based on the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE). The basic thing is to have triple packaging and refrigerants if the sample requires it.

can be used for specimens or anatomical samples

I don't know what kind of samples you need to send, but I attach the document to give you greater clarity, I hope you don't have any problem translating Spanish.

https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/558702/Lineamientos_TMEM_2020_180620.pdf

I think that there is some volume of ethenol, which is permitted (until 1 l). I send insect between Europe and Canada and they arrived. Maybe is solution send multiple small packages. Also is possible carry them in checked package (sometimes is flight ticked with checked package cheaper than mail). I travelled with insect samples in ethanol many times and never was problem.

Lots of good replies here. One way we avoided this problem was to source cryovials that are rated for air transport of ethanol. They are more expensive than standard vials. We photocopied the rating certificate and wrapped that around the vials when posting or carrying and never had any troubles. I'm afraid I can;t remember the brand but should be easy to find with some googling. Mike

when the rules are stupids you don't have to follow it! You could send your samples in a bottle of whisky.

Dear Mr Altuna; if the specimen has been previously cured and preserved in ethanol, perhaps an alternative would be to replace the ethanol in the container with another non-volatile alcohol such as propylene glycol (E1520) (see any safety data sheet); Another alternative is to replace the ethanol in the container with an oil (sunflower for example), to block the ethanol from leaving the specimen during the journey. Once at destination, the oil can be replaced again by ethanol, without affecting the specimen.

Yes, depending on the type of items sent, you can use glycerol and formalin solution.

My experience in preparing samples has been similar to that indicated by Javier Luque

I have always sent by DHL (from Mexico to Turkey, the United States and Argentina) and I have added the safety sheet of the solvent:

- - safety data sheet (SDS),

- - material safety data sheet (MSDS), or

- - product safety data sheet (PSDS)

Also, I indicate that they are BIOLOGICAL samples for research or for a museum WITHOUT ECONOMIC PURPOSES AND WITHOUT causing BIOLOGICAL DAMAGE.

Much success in your shipment and linking.

Hi,

An example for marine samples.

And the procedure