______ and ______ should not be stored in the same refrigerator.

______ and ______ should not be stored in the same refrigerator.

• A. drinking water samples, food
• B. drinking water samples, food and drinks
• C. chemical solutions, samples
• D. Chemical solutions, reagents

Answer: (C)

In a lab fridge, you want to prevent cross-contamination and chemical interactions that could alter a sample’s composition. Chemical solutions can leak, off-gas, or react with the sample or its container, which can change the sample’s integrity and lead to inaccurate test results. Keeping chemical solutions separate from samples avoids these issues and helps ensure safe handling as well. Storing drinking water samples with food or drinks could risk microbial contamination or odors affecting the sample, but the specific risk highlighted here is chemical incompatibility and contamination, which is why pairing chemical solutions with samples is avoided.

In a lab fridge, you want to prevent cross-contamination and chemical interactions that could alter a sample’s composition. Chemical solutions can leak, off-gas, or react with the sample or its container, which can change the sample’s integrity and lead to inaccurate test results. Keeping chemical solutions separate from samples avoids these issues and helps ensure safe handling as well.

Storing drinking water samples with food or drinks could risk microbial contamination or odors affecting the sample, but the specific risk highlighted here is chemical incompatibility and contamination, which is why pairing chemical solutions with samples is avoided.