Freezing of blood. What happens to it?

In summary, freezing blood destroys some of the elements in the blood, but it doesn't affect the spectroscopy results.
  • #1
evidenso
37
0
Hey
I have to do some spectroscopy of whole blood. But I can only get freezed blood. Is freezed blood different from 20 degree blood. Any chemical differences? does freezing destroy elements of blood.

regards
MB
 
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  • #2
Hi evidenso,

Blood consists of about 50% water, and the rest are blood cells. Freezing the water will cause ice crystals to form, which will subsequently kill the blood cells (kinda like ice shards popping balloons). However, this won't be apparent until you thaw the blood.

If you're doing spectroscopy, the actual proteins, blood cells and molecules probably won't change much, but ice does have slightly different density to water. What kind of spectroscopy are you doing?
 
  • #3
jaseh86 said:
Hi evidenso,

Blood consists of about 50% water, and the rest are blood cells. Freezing the water will cause ice crystals to form, which will subsequently kill the blood cells (kinda like ice shards popping balloons). However, this won't be apparent until you thaw the blood.

If you're doing spectroscopy, the actual proteins, blood cells and molecules probably won't change much, but ice does have slightly different density to water. What kind of spectroscopy are you doing?

OK thanks.
I have to do Raman spectroscopy of the blood. By killing the bloodcells, does they only "pop"?, bacause i need the same (or almost the same) scattering conditions from them as in whole blood
 
  • #4
Clinical frozen blood doesn't have burst blood cells - otherwise it wouldn't be much use to the patient, glycerol is added to stop this
But donated whole blood may still have been processed to remove white blood cells and plasma, also a few chemicals are added to stabilise it which might have an effect on your results.
 
  • #5
jaseh86 said:
Hi evidenso,

Blood consists of about 50% water, and the rest are blood cells. Freezing the water will cause ice crystals to form, which will subsequently kill the blood cells (kinda like ice shards popping balloons). However, this won't be apparent until you thaw the blood.

If you're doing spectroscopy, the actual proteins, blood cells and molecules probably won't change much, but ice does have slightly different density to water. What kind of spectroscopy are you doing?

THANK YOU jaseh86
 

FAQ: Freezing of blood. What happens to it?

What happens to blood when it is frozen?

When blood is frozen, the water molecules in the blood turn into ice crystals, causing the blood to solidify. This process is known as cryopreservation.

Does freezing blood affect its quality?

Yes, freezing can damage the quality of blood. The ice crystals formed during freezing can rupture the cells in the blood, leading to a decrease in the number of viable cells. This can affect the effectiveness of the blood in performing its functions.

How long can blood be safely frozen?

Blood can be safely frozen for up to 10 years if stored properly in a controlled environment with a temperature of -80 degrees Celsius or lower. After this time, the quality of the blood may begin to deteriorate.

Can frozen blood be thawed and used again?

Yes, frozen blood can be thawed and used again. However, the quality of the blood may be compromised after being frozen and thawed multiple times. It is recommended to use freshly collected blood for transfusions.

What is the purpose of freezing blood?

The main purpose of freezing blood is for long-term storage. It allows for the preservation of blood components for future use in transfusions or medical treatments. Frozen blood can also be used for research purposes.

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