Polymer Gel for Serum Separation
Polymer Gel for Serum Separation
THIXOTROPIC POLYMER SERUM SEPARATOR GEL
- In clinical laboratories, serum separator gel tubes are used to facilitate high-quality serum collection.
- Laboratory product manufacturers utilize silicone, styrene, and more recently, acrylate-based gels for this purpose.
- Polymer gel has unique properties that make it widely used in serum separator tubes.
- The polymer gel is free of silicone oil or any serum-suspendable substances, making it suitable for modern automated biochemistry and hormone analyzers.
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Qualitative Comparison of Polymer Gel vs. Silicone Gel:
- Polymer gels produced by Giti Pazhoohan Sana Salamat feature polymer chains with an appropriate molecular weight, maintaining their thixotropic properties across different temperatures and offering long-term stability. Storage of these tubes does not compromise their quality.
- Silicone gels have relatively low molecular weight, which increases over time, reducing their thixotropic properties. This leads to higher viscosity and requires higher centrifuge speeds.
- Polymer gels contain inert materials that do not affect any laboratory indices, including Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) tests.
- Silicone gels, due to their drug-binding properties, are not suitable for drug testing assays.
- Polymer gels are free of any substances that can precipitate or remain suspended in serum, preventing any blockage in needles or the flow paths of devices using the serum.
- Silicone gels contain water-suspended silicone oils, which can float in serum over time, eventually causing clogs in tubes and automated laboratory equipment channels.
- Polymer gels withstand gamma irradiation up to 25 kGy, making them suitable for sterilization, whereas silicone gels degrade at doses above 15 kGy.
- Polymer gels tolerate temperatures up to 100°C, facilitating their injection into tubes using gel-injection devices. It is recommended to use a controlled oil or water rotary heater and avoid point-heating elements that create localized heat.
- Blood tubes containing serum above the polymer gel layer can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer down to -70°C according to standard test protocols. Upon thawing, the serum remains unchanged and free from disintegration, remaining fully usable.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
