Packaging and Shipping of NMR Samples

Samples can be shipped to Acorn NMR for analysis via FedEx, UPS, Airborne, courier, drop-off or any other convenient means.  Analyses are performed on a first-come basis, but we will always try to accommodate an urgent request.  Customers are encouraged to send email to nmr@acornnmr.com when samples are shipped.  This allows us to plan the next day's work, and puts your samples higher in the queue.

Dos and Don'ts of sample packaging:  
Samples should be placed into small vials, with the top secured with parafilm
Place the vials in a ziplock bag or equivalent, in case of leakage 
Use sufficient packing material to guard against breakage 
A sample submission form must be included, but please do not put it into the ziplock bag containing samples 

Please * do not use *  the cardboard overnight shipping envelopes designed for documents - we suspect these packages are processed on a conveyor belt using giant rollers, because glass sample vials are reduced to powder in the process.

To protect sample vials from being crushed, we suggest packing them in 50 ml centrifuge tubes (available from VWR, http://www.vwrsp.com/catalog/product/index.cgi?object_id=0007157&class_id=5003668) or in VWR's Fiberboard Mailing Cylinders (http://www.vwr.com/catalog/product/index.cgi?object_id=1203321 ).  Then put the tube or cylinder into a "PAK" (large plastic shipping envelope provided by FedEx, UPS, Airborne, etc).

If the sample is to be dissolved in CDCl3, please use glass vials with teflon-lined caps.  To prepare the sample, solvent is added directly to the vial, and CDCl3 will leach components out of plastic, contaminating the sample.  The same is true of white rubber which is used to line the caps of some vials.

Amount of sample: (these are rough guidelines, assuming a low MW material and standard 1D experiments)
1H and 19F: a few mg is usually sufficient 
13P: 10-20mg, more if small impurities are to be quantitated
13C: preferably 20mg or more, but possible with less
We can work with less material, but that may require longer data acquisition, resulting in higher cost.  In all cases, the amount of sample submitted should dissolve in .5ml of the specified solvent.  

Sample Pickup and Delivery Services: Acorn NMR can arrange for sample pickup and delivery service in the San Francisco Bay Area using an outside courier service. The courier service provides overnight and same-day delivery.  This is an additional cost item and is added to the customer billing.  Samples can also be sent via UPS, FedEx, Airborne or similar. 

 

Acorn NMR Inc.
7670 Las Positas Rd BLU_BALL.GIF (152 bytes) Livermore, CA 94551
(925)456-1020 BLU_BALL.GIF (152 bytes) FAX (925)456-1024 BLU_BALL.GIF (152 bytes)

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Last update for this page: 02/18/03