Healthcare & Pharma
Refrigeration for laboratory and research
Laboratories store reagents, test kits, culture media, enzymes, samples and standards, each with its own temperature written on the label or in the protocol. A diagnostic lab, a college research lab, a food-testing lab and a quality-control lab all depend on refrigerators and freezers that hold temperature reliably, are monitored, and keep different materials apart. In India, power cuts and summer heat in rooms that are not always air-conditioned add to the challenge. This page explains equipment choices and good practice; follow your protocols, accreditation body and safety officer for specific requirements.
What the equipment has to cope with
- Reagents, samples and standards each have storage conditions from their manufacturer or protocol, and mixing them in one cabinet compromises some of them.
- Some protocols specify −80 °C storage; a −60 °C freezer is not a substitute where −80 °C is required.
- Flammable solvents must never be stored in an ordinary refrigerator, because its internal electrical parts can ignite vapour.
- Power cuts and hot, non-AC rooms can push units out of range, sometimes overnight or over weekends.
- Accreditation and audits expect temperature records, calibration of thermometers and documented responses to excursions.
Typical temperatures
| Reagents, test kits, culture media | +2 to +8 °C, as labelled |
|---|---|
| Enzymes and many stock solutions | −20 °C, as labelled |
| Biological samples, short to medium term | −20 °C or colder, per protocol |
| Samples requiring ultra-low storage | About −60 °C, per protocol |
| Flammable solvents | Only in flammable-rated storage |
Equipment
What to buy, and why.
A typical lab has a solid-door upright for reagents and test kits, undercounter units at benches for working reagents, a chest or upright freezer at −20 °C for enzymes and samples, and an ultra-low chest freezer where protocols call for around −60 °C. Each unit should be used for one category, labelled clearly, monitored with a calibrated thermometer or data logger, and connected to backup power. Keep food and drink out of lab refrigerators. Flammables go only in equipment designed for them, as your safety officer specifies.
- +2 to +8 °CReach-in RefrigeratorA solid-door upright for reagents, test kits and culture media at +2 to +8 °C, organised by category with monitored, stable temperature.Set-up guide
- +2 to +8 °CUndercounter RefrigeratorA bench-height unit for working reagents and kits in use, so technicians do not walk to the main refrigerator during runs.Set-up guide
- −18 to −60 °CDeep FreezerChest freezers for enzymes, stock solutions and samples at −20 °C, and ultra-low chest freezers for samples whose protocol calls for around −60 °C.Set-up guide
Questions
- Can a −60 °C freezer replace a −80 °C freezer?
- Only if your protocol allows −60 °C. Many samples and reagents can be held at −60 °C, but some protocols specify −80 °C, and a −60 °C freezer is not a substitute in those cases. Check your protocol and accreditation requirements.
- Can flammable solvents be stored in a lab refrigerator?
- Not in an ordinary refrigerator. Its internal lights, switches and thermostats can ignite solvent vapour. Flammables need storage designed and rated for them; follow your safety officer's guidance.
- How should lab refrigerators be monitored?
- Use an independent, calibrated thermometer or data logger in each unit, record readings at least daily, and fit alarms on units that hold irreplaceable samples. Keep calibration certificates and records for audits.
Before you buy
All guides- Commercial Refrigerator Buying Guide (India)9 min read
- Commercial Refrigerator Maintenance Checklist6 min read
- Ultra-Low Freezer Guide: −40, −60 and −86 °C6 min read
- Pharmacy Refrigerator Buying Guide7 min read
- Vaccine Refrigerator Buying Guide7 min read
- Laboratory Refrigerator and Freezer Guide7 min read
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