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Antiserum Storage and Handling

The most common problem of storing antibody solutions is microbial contamination. Contamination can be avoided by the addition of the preservative sodium azide (0.1%). It is recommended that sodium azide be added for long-term storage of sera. Serum containing antibodies should be stored at -20°C. Antibody solutions should not be frozen and thawed repeatedly as this can lead to the loss of activity. It is recommended that sera be stored in convenient working aliquots at -20°C. Antibodies should be stable for years when stored at this temperature. Serum that is sterile or stored at -70°C does not require the addition of preservatives.

Antibody solutions will often generate an insoluble lipid component with prolonged storage. The lipid layer can be removed by centrifugation at 10,000 x g. If the lipids form a layer above the aqueous phase, remove the aqueous phase and store as suggested above. The formation of a lipid layer in antibody solutions containing sodium azide is not indicative of a microbial contamination.