How should I pack and ship my samples?
Shipping Address
The Sequencing Center
1020 Luke Street
Suite D
Fort Collins, CO 80524
USA
Packing and shipping your samples should be thought of in the following way:
- Primary sample container (the vial or container your sample is collected in)
- Secondary container
- Outer container
Primary Sample Container
☐ Clearly label each sample container with a unique sample id either by affixing a sticker or writing in
permanent marker. Make sure it is legible or this can cause incorrect data association.
☐ Wrap the lid of each sample tube with parafilm to prevent the cap coming off and spilling the contents.
☐ Place sample tubes in a collective container such as a Ziploc bag or 50mL tube and pad with paper towels to prevent movement and to ensure contents are absorbed should they break during transit.
Secondary Container
☐ Use a leak proof container, Styrofoam coolers work best.
☐If there is empty space in the container, include additional padding to prevent the primary sample containers from moving during transit.
☐ Include ice gel packs or dry ice to keep samples chilled. Do not use wet ice to ship your samples.
- Packages shipped with dry ice must permit the release of carbon dioxide gas. If you are submitting samples with dry ice, the outer cardboard box must have the following:
- A Miscellaneous Dangerous goods #9 hazard label fixed to the outside of package.
- A label indicating “Carbon Dioxide, solid UN1845” on the outside of the package.
- A label with the net weight of dry ice on the outside of the package.
- An air waybill with the following information:
- Classification (i.e. Carbon Dioxide, solid,9,UN1845)
- The number of packages
- The net quantity of dry ice per package
* Due to continuing changes in state and federal regulations, clients should always check with their shipping department to ensure regulatory compliance.
Outer Container
☐ Use a durable cardboard shipping box to protect the inner containers. Do not use flat shipping envelopes designed for shipping paper documents as these provide little protection for the samples.
☐ If sample orientation is important, please affix a universally recognized “double up arrows” sticker.
☐ If possible, ship samples by overnight express, or no longer than 2-3 day express to prevent sample degradation. Avoid weekend and holiday deliveries.
Questions? Feel free to contact us, we’re happy to answer any packing questions not answered here.