Silly question: is DMSO sterile by itself, to add it to cells? - Lab stock bottle could be used? (Aug/22/2005 )

I just wonder, could i use for the purpose of cell freezing DMSO, which is standing on the lab shell, or I should buy a new bottle and to use it only for cell culture, or I could sterilize DMSO?

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Hi

I don't think there is likely to be much that could grow in DMSO, however, to be on the safe side, you should buy a bottle just for cell culture. Otherwise you can filter sterilise it with a 0.2 micron filter, but it is pretty thick so it can be a bit of an effort.

bob

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When I was inexperienced, one of my very mistakes was to filter sterilise DMSO without diluting it. To my horror, the filter dissolved! So, what I do now is to dilute the DMSO (for common lab use should be OK) in my culture media to achieve the final concentration, and then filter sterilise the mixture. Just some advice in case you were planning to filter it straight.

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i just sterilised DMSO at 121℃ for 30mins

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For filter sterilisation of DMSO, use of nylon membrane filters (0.2 u) are recommended, they are DMSO safe.

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We normally sterile filter the 'freezing medium' containing DMSO. This is done by using 0.2Um filter - "STERIFLIP"

I think it is good to filter because, I once found something floating in the freezing medium when I tried to use it as such. Then I checked DMSO - there were some particles floating - just like in FBS!

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So far I never heard of any organism growing in pure DMSO.

You don't need to sterilze DMSO and I would not filter the pure solvent. But you should filter the medium/DMSO solution.

The only problem with DMSO I ever had is that an old bottle got 'oxidised' by air oxygen. Then you get problems with the pH. So always check the pH of your medium (colour of indicator).

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