Industries Information

 Vials are small glass or plastic bottles used for storage.  Depending on supplier they can be supplied in amber or clear glass, plastic, with or without markings and in various configurations of features and sizes.  Vials can be used for media, diagnostic, storage, display and sample collection applications.  Vials have different mouth and cap styles to accommodate different types of applications.  The mouth of a vial can either be a standard size or wide mouth for facilitation of adding and dispensing samples.  The connection type for vials is typically one of five standard types, screw thread, crimp, snap seal, snap ring and RAM for robotics.  A screw thread connection is an external threaded connection.  A crimp style connection is not threaded; a cap would "crimp" on.  A snap seal connection is a special style of crimp that allows a seal to snap on.  A snap ring connection is a special style of crimp that allows a ring to snap on to the vial.  RAM for robotics is a special style of thread designed for robotic applications.

Important parameters to consider when specifying vials are volume, drams, outer diameter and height.  The volume of the vial is the maximum amount of sample that the vial can hold.  A dram is a unit of fluid measurement common to laboratory applications; one dram is about 3.7 mL.  The outer diameter of the vial is important in applications where an autosampler would be used.  The height of the vial is important in applications where an autosampler would be used.

Features important in specifying vials include limited volume inserts, high recovery, shell vial, marking spots, and self-centering springs.  Limited volume inserts are used to limit the volume that the vial can contain.  High recovery vials allow for a maximum amount of the sample to be recovered.  A shell vial is an inexpensive thin walled cylinder.  Marking spots are square or graduated spots to denote volumes.  Self-centering springs allow for re-centering when used with an autosampler.

 Plastic labware and glass labware includes any article made of glass or plastic that is intended for laboratory use, including, but not limited to beakers, bottles, petri dishes, flasks, funnels, jars, tubes and stoppers.

Types of plastic glassware and laboratory glassware covered in this area include: adapters are devices for connecting two parts (as of different diameters) of an apparatus.  A beaker is an unrestricted or simple restricted vessel with high height-to-orifice diameter ratios.  A boiling flask is a container used to distill a liquid.  Another type of boiling flask is a Claisen flask.  A bottle is a rigid or semi-rigid container typically of glass or plastic having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth and usually no handle.  A burette is a graduated glass tube with a small aperture and stopcock for delivering measured quantities of liquid or for measuring the liquid or gas received or discharged.  A column is a tube or cylinder in which a chromatographic separation takes place.  A condenser is an apparatus in which gas or vapor is condensed.  A cylinder is a tall narrow container with a volume scale used especially for measuring liquids.  An Erlenmeyer flask is a flat-bottomed conical laboratory flask.  A funnel is a utensil that is usually a hollow cone with a tube extending from the smaller end and that is designed to catch and direct a downward flow.  A joint is used to join two pieces of tubing.  A petri dish is a small shallow dish of thin glass or plastic with a loose cover used especially for cultures in bacteriology.  A reaction vessel is a vessel that contains a chemical transformation or change.  A separatory funnel is a funnel used for the separation of media.  Stirring rods are a piece of hollow or solid glass tubing used to stir materials or used to spread media on a petri dish.  Stoppers are used to plug the opening of the listed labware.  A test tube is a plain or lipped tube usually of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology.  Volumetric flasks are used to make up a solution of fixed volume very accurately.  Watch glasses have all kinds of uses. They are concave "dishes" that can be used as beaker lids; to hold protists and other invertebrates for viewing under a microscope; or to dissolve materials such as crystals and powders.  There are also many other unlisted types of labware that can be included.

The most important specification for plastic and glass labware is the volume of the specific piece under consideration.  Plastic labware can be one of many types of plastics.  These include, Ethylene propylene (EPDM), fluoroelastomer (FKM) Neoprene, Nitrile (NBR - Buna-N), Nylon or polyamide, polyethylene (PE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polypropylene (PP), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyurethane or urethane, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).  Glass labware can one of many types of glasses.  These include fused silica, borosilicate glass, and quartz glass.  Other materials may be available from specific suppliers.

Microplates are small plastic reaction vessels.  Microplates, by design, are trays or cassettes that are covered with wells or dimples arranged in orderly rows.  These wells are used to conduct separate chemical reactions. The large number of wells, which typically number 96 or 384, depending upon the size of the microplate, allow for many different reactions to take place at the same time. This can be useful if the goal is to determine a statistical basis for research results, to test for aberrations in an expected result, or to run a number of unrelated reactions at the same time.  Microplates are ideal for high-throughput screening and research. They allow miniaturization of assays and are suitable for many applications including drug testing, genetic study, and combinatorial chemistry.  

While most microplates are of standard manufacture, specialized microplates are available including clear bottom types, UV treated microplates, fluorescence microplates, and luminescent styles.  Clear bottom microplates are ideal for fluorometric applications as well as cell and tissue culturation.  UV treated microplates are for use with protein and nucleic acid concentrations, and research involving DNA testing or sequencing.  Fluorescence microplates are available with black or white pigments to reduce background signals or enhance reflectivity.  Luminescent vessels provide high reflectivity, medium binding and low cross talk.  Additional designs include microplates that are designed to resist corrosives or solvents.

While some reactions may lead the researcher to discard associated microplates, in general, microplates are designed for reuse.  Specialized microplate washers are available for laboratory and research settings where extensive use of microplates is expected.

Ceramic and metal labware is used in applications where standard glass or plastic devices are inadequate. This includes fusion, reaction, or incineration of samples for chemical analysis or material synthesis. Ceramic labware includes boats, crucibles, trays dishes, and discs. Crucibles are cup-shaped pieces of laboratory equipment used to contain chemical compounds when heating them to very high temperatures. The receptacle is usually made of porcelain or an inert metal. One of the earliest uses of platinum was to make crucibles. More recently, metals such as nickel and zirconium have been used. Crucibles are commonly used with a high temperature-resistant crucible cover (or lid) made of a similar material. Ceramic and metal labware is very important part of a chemical laboratory.

Crucibles, which are the most important ceramic and metal labware, are generally made of metals. A high purity alumina crucible is ideal for high temperature applications. Re-crystallized alumina is used in crucibles because it offers the best thermal shock resistance due to the larger grain size (up to 200mm is advantageous). A platinum crucible allows strong heat to be applied without danger of reaction of the charge with the crucibles. The alternatives are nickel and porcelain crucibles, which are much cheaper but cannot be used at higher temperatures, and react more readily with a charge. Graphite crucibles can be taken to high temperatures without melting, but are reactive and are even consumed through heating in air. A metal crucible is placed into a furnace and, after the liquid is melted, the metal is taken out of the furnace and poured into a mold. Refractory materials retain their strength at high temperatures. They are used to make crucibles and to make refractory linings, which line furnaces, kilns, and incinerators. Refractories must be chosen according to the conditions they will encounter. For example, acidic refractories cannot be used in a basic environment and basic refractories cannot be used in an acidic environment because they get eroded when used improperly. Another important labware is a funnel. A funnel is a conically shaped pipe, employed as a device to channel liquid or fine-grained substances into containers with a small opening. Industrial funnels are usually made of either stainless sheet metal or ceramics. Ceramic and metal labware is manufactured to meet most industry specifications.

Ceramic and metal labware are used in many applications. Examples include their use in chemical analysis and ash content determination. Ceramic and metal labware must be strong at high temperatures, resistant to thermal shock, chemically inert, and have low thermal conductivities and coefficients of expansion.

Biological indicators are used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of sterilization. They are designed for use with ethylene oxide gas, dry heat, steam or radiation. Ethylene oxide gas is used to kill bacteria, mold and fungi in medical supplies such as bandages and food stuffs such as spices. Dry-heat sterilization uses an oven to raise the temperature of items that are wrapped in foil or fabric. Steam sterilization uses an autoclave, a self-locking machine that sterilizes its contents with steam under pressure. Biological indicators that are suitable for use with gamma and electron beam radiation techniques are also available.

Biological indicators are available in many different forms. Examples include strips, discs, suspensions, test tubes and ampoules. Spore strips are biological indicators that are packaged in a pouch made of glassine, a paper that is resistant to moisture and air at ambient temperatures and pressures. Spore discs are usually made of borosilicate paper or stainless steel. Spore suspensions are diluted aliquots that are derived from a primary batch of spores. Test tubes are available in a variety of sizes and are usually made of expansion-resistant glass. Ampoules are small, self-contained, vials which are hermetically sealed with a flame. They have a score mark around the neck so that the sealed top can be snapped off by hand. Typically, ampoules are used to contain hypodermic injection solutions.

Specifications for biological indicators vary by product form and may carry different certifications. For example, spore strips and spore discs are specified in terms of shelf life, strip size, and package size. Specifications for spore suspensions include quantity, population, culture media, incubation period and temperature. Spore strips, ampoules and suspensions at common population levels are often provided with multiple certifications that include D value confirmation, survival/kill analysis and population verification. Biological indicators that meet US Pharmacopoeia (USP) standards are also available.