How Dry Ice Helps in Scientific Research 

How Dry Ice Helps in Scientific Research 

Most of us are acquainted with dry ice from the events and theatrical effects that feature a visible smoke-like cloud wafting around the stage. But what is dry ice and how is it used in scientific research?

Dry ice is carbon dioxide in a solid-state with a surface temperature of -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (-78.5 degrees Celsius). This unique and versatile product usually comes in pellet, block, or rice forms.

It sublimates directly from solid to gas, skipping the liquid state and emitting a smoking effect in the process. This stable and inert product isn’t poisonous and serves a wide range of uses.

Various Uses of Dry Ice
Dry ice has various industrial and commercial applications. It’s useful in food production and preservation, the transport and storage of pharmaceutical and medical products, blast cleaning, and in entertainment as a prop in productions for its fog-like effects.

Other practical, everyday uses of dry ice include repelling insects, freezing and cooling products during power outages, making carbonated drinks, fixing car dents, high pressure blasting to remove paint, graffiti, adhesives, and as a non-abrasive cleaner.

Dry Ice in Research Environments
Another important industry that uses dry ice is the field of pharmaceutical and bioscience research. From pharmaceutical lab applications to DNA research and genetic engineering, dry ice plays a vital role in the experimentation, preservation, storage, and shipment of biological samples.

Dry ice is widely used in laboratories for rapidly freezing small samples meant for longer term storage in a -80 degrees Celsius freezer or in liquid nitrogen. 

Freezing samples using dry ice is important in keeping the reproducibility of the study. Obtaining consistent results using the same data as the original study provides transparency. It enables other researchers to replicate the study while working independently. Using dry ice in research makes all this possible.

Dry ice, therefore, has to be produced, handled, delivered, and stored using highly stringent specifications and methods so that it can remain useful in various applications especially in scientific research environments. 

nexAir KnowHow
If you need dry ice that meets these stringent requirements, nexAir has the expertise and KnowHow to supply you with all your dry ice needs. nexAir Carbonic provides dry ice supplies to healthcare, research, production facilities, universities, laboratories, and other enterprises. 

We understand that in temperature-critical applications dry ice can be used to maintain the integrity of research tests and findings. nexAir guarantees the top quality of our dry ice from production to storage. 

We employ food-grade disinfection processes in our production facilities manned by highly trained staff. 

nexAir doesn’t just sell and deliver dry ice to its clients. Using our KnowHow, we also provide training to end-users to help them use and handle our product more efficiently. Using our applied industry knowledge, our personnel proactively work with our clients to maximize the value of our products in their fields.

Safe Handling of Dry Ice in Laboratory Environments
We teach the following in detail in every research laboratory we serve:

  • Perform operations in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhalation.
  • Avoid skin contact. Use proper protective equipment like thermally insulated gloves. Using tongs when handling dry ice is also recommended.
  • Wear a lab coat or toe covering that reaches the ankles.  
  • Do not store dry ice in a tightly sealed container to avoid pressurization and rupturing the container.
  • Do not leave dry ice unattended in open areas. Store it in designated containers and storage areas.
  • Do not dispose of them in waste bins, sinks, or toilets to avoid plumbing damage.
  • Always wash hands and forearms after use with soap and water.

Helping Researchers Forge Forward Safely, Successfully
After over 80 years in the business, we have become the trusted partners of various universities and laboratories for their research. We help them Forge Forward with their scientific studies by supplying them with reliable dry ice for their operations.

We respect and support their significant role in advancing science in various fields and their valuable impact to those benefiting from their research.

 

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