X-Message-Number: 3532
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 1994 21:03:31 -0500 (EST)
From: 
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS re: Arrhenius equation and also microbes

Date sent:  24-DEC-1994 21:00:31 


>Keith F. Lynch states:

>
>Organic material decomposes even without the actions of bacteria or
>fungi.  Otherwise, food kept in sterile conditions could be stored at
>room temperature indefinitely.  It can't.
>
>Viruses have nothing to do with decomposition, as they can only infect
>living cells.

>The radiation necessary to kill bacteria would also kill every cell
>in the patient.  It's possible that nanotechnology could reverse this
>radiation damage, but why take the chance?  Nothing is to be gained
>by it, since bacteria, viruses, and fungi are completely inactive at
>liquid nitrogen temperatures.

My response:

1) Organic material in a vacuum at a higher temperature than LN but less
than -30 C may last a very long time and be safer than that stored directly in
LN.

2) You are right about frozen micro organisms. It is not the activity of living
micro organism that should concern me but the chemicals released by these
organisms before the freezing. I can not think of a way to prevent that right
now.

Jan (John) Coetzee


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