X-Message-Number: 6022 Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 13:21:41 -0800 (PST) From: Doug Skrecky <> Subject: brain freeze-drying as an economical alternative Freeze-drying a brain should reduce storage costs quite significantly since liquid nitrogen cryostats would no longer be needed for storage. How much would it cost to freeze-dry a brain? Probably not very much as the following information shows. In his book "Freeze-Drying Biological Specimens: A Laboratory Manual" Rolland O. Hower from the Smithsonian Institution details his experiences in freeze-drying a wide variety of biological specimens. Freeze-drying of a formalin fixed 1386 gram human took just 14 days at -30 C. Weight loss was 463.2 grams or 79.9 percent. Considering its size the human brain seems to be remarkablely quick and easy to freeze-dry. A barred owl weighing 1369 grams took 130 days to freeze-dry at -20 C. A tortoise took 132 days, while an alligator took 9 months at -20 C. The absence of either a thick epidermis or bone which can act as vapour barriers may be the reason why the human brain was so quick to dry. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6022