Why does one have to be so particular about the type of container used for mailing and/or storage?
Materials such as glass and aluminum foil do not leave any residues that could possibly contaminate the sample and become evident during analysis. Gelatin capsules can leave protein residues, which could complicate an infrared analysis or a binding medium analysis. Many plastics such as vials, ziploc bags, and parafilm covers may contain plasticizers that can penetrate into the sample and confuse the analytical results. If in doubt as to the suitability of your available sample containers, you can consult the scientist to make the appropriate choice for mailing or storing your sample.
