Application Notes

Wildlife forensics and conservation research require precise sample preparation techniques for analyzing biological materials such as pangolin scales, elephant teeth and skulls, and tiger skin and hair. These biological specimens are essential for forensic investigations, species identification, and conservation initiatives because they provide genetic, isotopic, and structural information that can help trace the origin of animals, determine cause of death, and identify victims or perpetrators in wildlife trafficking cases. Due to the hardness and thermal sensitivity of these materials, traditional grinding methods often result in sample degradation, DNA shearing, or inconsistent particle sizes.

ABSTRACT Processing polymers into fine particles is critical for consistent performance in research, manufacturing, and recycling. However, traditional grinding methods at room temperature generate heat, leading to material degradation, inconsistent particle sizes, and potential contamination issues. Cryogenic grinding, or cryo-milling, addresses these issues by using very low temperatures to embrittle polymers, enabling cleaner fracture and more controlled size reduction while preserving the sample’s composition.

Application: Sample Preparation Introduction The following procedures are provided as a basic guideline for cannabis and hemp sample preparation and are in no way required or absolute validated methodologies. Spex makes no claims in regard to instrument parameters and environmental conditions related to the specific physical and chemical properties of individual samples. Spex SamplePrep does not perform analytical testing and results are based on customer research publications or limited in-house studies.

Application: Cryogenic Grinding of Crab Legs to Enhance Soil Fertility and Encourage Plant Growth Introduction Cryogenic grinding, also know as cryomilling, utilizes liquid nitrogen or other cryogens to cool materials to extremely low temperatures. This process induces brittleness in the materials, thereby enhancing grinding efficiency and minimizing thermal degradation and contamination. By exploiting the unique physical properties of materials at cryogenic temperatures, this technique finds applications across scientific research, industrial processes, and medical advancements.

Application: Cryogenic Grinding of Deer Antler for DNA Analysis Introduction Deer horn poaching, also known as deer antler poaching, refers to the illegal hunting and harvesting of deer antlers for various purposes, which includes extraction for traditional medicine, aphrodisiac beliefs, trophy hunting, etc. Wildlife forensics is recognized as a key enforcement tool to combat this trade. Our Freezer/Mill, model CG-400, aids the process.

Application: Cryogenic Grinding of Elephant Tusk for DNA Analysis Introduction The illegal ivory trade continues to drive elephant poaching. Large ivory seizures in Africa and Asia are still commonplace. Wildlife forensics is recognized as a key enforcement tool to combat this trade.