In lipidomics studies, preserving sample integrity is essential for generating robust and reliable data. Lipids are particularly vulnerable to oxidation and can undergo modifications from the earliest stages of the pre-analytical workflow. These early alterations may affect the measured lipid profile and introduce discrepancies between the sample’s true physiological state and the analytical results obtained.

This instability is primarily driven by the activity of free radicals naturally present in the blood. From the moment of collection, these reactive species can interact with lipid molecules and initiate oxidation reactions that may affect their structure and abundance. In fields such as metabolism, cardiovascular research, neuroscience, and inflammation studies, controlling these processes is crucial to ensuring data quality and analytical reproducibility.

To address these challenges, Bertin Bioreagent has developed blood collection tubes coated with crystals of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a well-established antioxidant known for its ability to neutralize free radicals. By limiting oxidation from the moment of collection and throughout sample handling and storage down to -80°C, these tubes help preserve lipid stability and improve the reliability of analytical results. Our detailed overview illustrates the mechanisms involved in lipid oxidation and highlights the benefits of BHT tubes compared with standard collection tubes for securing lipidomics analyses.