The transport of biological material requires particular attention from all points of view.
Whether it involves simply moving samples from one area to another of the same hospital or laboratory, or between different places,there are well-codified rules and procedures that must be respected.
If not carried out correctly, the transport of biological material can involve significant risks for the operators who carry it out, from healthcare personnel to simple transport workers,and in some cases also to other people who are in the immediate vicinity.
An incorrect transport, moreover, can also lead to damaging the biological samples which at that point can no longer be used correctly for their purposes,whether medical or analytical.
Let's see what the different phases are for the transport of biological samples and which materials must be used for this purpose.
Types of transport of biological materials
The transport of biological samples from the place where they were collected to an analysis laboratorymust be carried out with great care and with the use of suitable materials, which guarantee the preservation of the sample and the safety of the operators involved as well as the surrounding environment.
This process involves three very distinct phases: packaging,the labelling and the actual transport.
Substantially, two types of transport of biological samples can be identified.
1. Local transport (intra mural): from one hospital department to another, or to an analysis laboratory, or from one laboratory to another,also using a dedicated vehicle.
2. External transportation or shipping: from one facility to another by air, postal, land or naval means.
For both types we start from the assumption that they may be potentially infected biological samples,therefore it is necessary to operate at the maximum security level.
To do this we make use of particular containers and vehicles suitable for transport, as well as specific personal protective equipment for all operators,as well as very specific procedures for sample handling.
These instructions are provided by the Circular of the Ministry of Health n.3 of 8 May 2003 as well as the 1997 World Health Organization Guidelines.
For road transport, reference is made to the ADR regulation (European Agreement for the transport of dangerous goods by road),since 2013 extended by a decree of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport which also regulates international transport.
The biological materials to be transported
The Ministerial Circular 3/2003 distinguishes three different types of biological material that can be transported.
Firstly the productsbiological, finished materials for human and veterinary use, the transport of which requires authorization from the Health Authority.It therefore includes all those materials intended for human or veterinary research or study, or for the experimental treatment of animals.
The second group includes the diagnostic samples, i.e. all those samples of human or animal origin collected for diagnostic purposes.This category includes excreted, blood with its components, tissues and tissue fluids, as well as organs.
Finally there are the infectious substances, the type of material to which to pay more attention during transport.They include microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi or toxins from they products, which may be the cause of some infectious disease in humans or animals.The rule absolutely also applies to samples, human or animal, that contain one of these infectious agents, as well as those coming from patients with serious illness of unknown cause,which health experts can define as infectious.
Containers for the transport of biological material
Circular 3/2003 also defines that for the transport of organic products a triple envelope system must be used.Each sample must be stored in three different containers, each of which is positioned inside the other, and all with certain characteristics.
The primary receptacle contains the infected specimen or substance.They can be test tubes, tubes, ampoules, particular bags for the transport of blood, liquids and organs. However, it is essential that the primary container is made of waterproof material, watertight and that it has a hermetic closure.Furthermore, it must be correctly labelled, reporting information on the contents, and must be wrapped in non-particulate absorbent material, such as bibulous paper or cotton wool,capable of absorbing all the material that may escape from the container.
All this must then be inserted into a secondary container, which is also waterproof, resistant and watertight, suitable in size to protect and contain the primary container.In the case of multiple primary receptacles, these must be placed appropriately and individually wrapped in an absorbent material, which can guarantee stability inside the secondary receptacle.Externally, the secondary container must contain the cards with all the identifying data of the samples contained, as well as the information on the sender and recipient of the sample.
Finally, for external transport or shipments, it is necessary to use an external or tertiary container,the one with which the workers transporting the biological material physically come into contact. One or more secondary containers can be placed inside. Its purpose is to protect other containers from external factors, such as water or other physical agents, impacts and bad weather.It can be made of rigid plastic, wood or other particularly resistant materials.If the content of the primary receptacle exceeds 50 ml, an additional quantity of absorbent material must be inserted between the secondary and external receptacles.
__KEEP_0__, for many years a leader in Italy in the supply of medical products,offers a complete assortment of products for the transport of biological samples, with the right solution for each phase of transport.
We therefore range from tamper-proof bags to sample transport bags,in materials that isolate the primary containers from any external agent, and which also have special spaces to contain the necessary documentation.
A wide choice of test tube holders and absorbent sponges is also available, to hold even more test tubes and containers in a divided and safe way.The sponge test tube holders in particular guarantee rapid absorption of the substance if it were to escape from the primary container.
For transport to other facilities, many models of easily transportable bags are available,both specific for the transport of blood components, and isothermal for the transport of samples, of very different dimensions from each other, as well as bags for home collection,with spaces also suitable for transporting not only the samples but also the material necessary to carry out the samples.
For very particular transports, which also require a suitable temperature, various refrigerating elements are available, to be inserted in the containers,and actual portable refrigerators for the transport of biological samples with certain characteristics, such as vaccines.Finally, there are particular electronic devices such as Data Logger,which allow the operator to always have a clear picture of the temperature and humidity inside the transport containers.
Transports of biological material require quality products
We have seen how the transport of biological samples follows precise regulations and how they areclassified these transports, depending on the material to be moved.
A determining part of the issue is represented by the quality of the materials that are used, for each level and each step of the process.
__KEEP_0__ offers many products of great quality,so that all transport phases can be carried out in total safety.
