At what temperature should many specimens be stored if not tested promptly?

• A. Room temperature
• B. Refrigerated (2-8 C) unless specified otherwise
• C. Frozen (-20 C)
• D. 37 C

Answer: (B)

Specimen stability relies on temperature control to slow chemical and biological changes that can alter test results. For many specimens that aren’t tested promptly, refrigeration at 2–8 °C is the standard because it slows enzyme activity, chemical reactions, and microbial growth, helping preserve analytes until processing. Storing at room temperature can allow degradation or changes that bias results, while freezing (-20 °C) is not appropriate for all samples and can damage some tests or require careful thawing. A protocol note of “unless specified otherwise” recognizes there are exceptions, but the common practice is refrigerated storage to maintain integrity.