The problems of cell freezers on the human body and the environment need to be looked at in different situations:

Effects on the human body:

Lyophilisates containing DMSO:

Potential hazards: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a commonly used protective agent in cellular cryopreservations.DMSO is hazardous to human beings.Direct contact may burn the skin and cause rashes, blisters, and other symptoms; if inhaled inadvertently, it may irritate the respiratory tract and cause coughing, difficulty breathing, and other discomforts; prolonged or large amounts of exposure to DMSO may also pose a risk of carcinogenicity.The use of DMSO is not recommended for human beings. Therefore, when using cell cryopreservative containing DMSO, researchers and other related practitioners should wear gloves and other protective equipment to avoid direct contact.

Normal: During normal cell freezing and recovery, the hazards of DMSO can be controlled to a certain extent if protocols are strictly followed. For example, cryopreservation solutions should be prepared in advance to avoid scalding of cells due to the large amount of heat released when DMSO is dissolved in the culture medium.

DMSO-free cryopreservations: Some newer cellular cryopreservations do not contain DMSO, which is relatively less harmful to humans. However, if the cryopreservative comes into contact with the human body during the process, it may also cause some discomfort, such as possible irritation of the skin or mucous membranes, etc., although the overall level of harm may be lower than that of DMSO-containing cryopreservatives.

Effects on the environment:

Under routine handling: If the cell cryopreservation solution can be properly handled after use, and collected, packaged, transported and disposed of in accordance with the relevant regulations for laboratory waste disposal, then the impact on the environment can be controlled to a lesser extent. For example, the freezing liquid containing DMSO and other components should not be dumped arbitrarily, and need to go through the treatment procedures to prevent pollution of soil, water sources, and so on.

Accidental leakage, etc.: If an accidental leakage of cellular cryopreservative occurs during transport or storage, it may cause some harm to the environment. The leaked cryopreservative may contaminate the soil and water source, affecting the balance of the ecological environment. Moreover, if the cryopreservation solution contains some biologically harmful components, it may adversely affect the surrounding organisms, and may be potentially harmful to the wider ecosystem through the transmission of the food chain.