Sniffity
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Reagent Bottles! (OCD)
Hey,
So I've recently started to really research into reagent storage bottles.
Now, what I'm trying to find here is the best way to properly store chemicals in a lab, formality taken into account. I'm aware that there are some
improvised methods, but I don't believe them to be as effective as the following.
What I've boiled it down to is two possibilities for storing reagents:
1.- Using amber bottles sold at some chemical stores. These bottles are pretty much the same quality you get when you buy reagents. The big problem
they have is the lid, which is not perfect. What I do is store my reagents in these bottles, fit a teflon seal into the cap, and then close them and
seal reagents for long term storage with teflon tape around the cap. This effectively prevents vapours from coming out.
2.- Schott-Duran bottles. These seem to be the best option, with perfect caps, which are also replaceable and whatnot.
So, my question is: What's your opinion on this? Say you wanted to store ALL reagents in your lab in the same brand of bottle (as in, all Schott-Duran
bottles, but using amber when apropiate etc, or using all the first kind of bottles I mentioned above).
Would it be apropiate to use Schott-Duran bottles for everything, long term storage?
I kind of remember reading somewhere that these were not meant for long term storage, is this true?
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Texium
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It wouldn't be
appropriate for your wallet!
They're fine for storing most things long term, though. I even keep bromine in one, stored in the freezer.
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j_sum1
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expensive ocd.
I have a significant number of jam jars and repurposed / reused containers. And for some chems (eg, sodium bicarbonate) what else do you need?
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Cryolite.
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I use old instant coffee bottles for solids which can handle a bit of air exposure. (sodium thiosulfate, sodium carbonate) My rule of thumb is if it
came in a single plastic bag, it is suitable for storage in one of these.
For solids which cannot handle air exposure (hygroscopic things, mostly), I use some tightly-sealing pill bottles, which do an acceptable job of
keeping air out. If I am feeling paranoid, I put the bottle in a plastic bag to further keep air out.
I store nonreactive liquids in amber glass bottles, much as you describe. If you want to prevent leakage over time, some teflon tape to seal the
threads works well enough. I even store diethyl ether in one of these bottles, except I keep it in the freezer to keep evaporative losses down.
Most solvents can be stored in the bottle that they came in. I count sulfuric acid in this category too, even though it slowly damages the HDPE bottle
it comes in over a few months.
However, reactive liquids like nitric acid and bromine, as well as dichloromethane, really should be kept in a Schott-Duran style bottle, as they will
escape or chew through almost anything else.
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Dr.Bob
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Media bottles can be used for many things, with the right lid and amber bottle. They are more expensive and really designed for mostly biology
solutions, but better caps can handle others. I have a few left, they are great for solutions, like 1 - 6 N HCl, ethanol, and aqueous buffers and
other biologicals.
Better still, for liquids are narrow mouth reagent bottles with PTFE lined caps. The lids are smaller, so less sealing area to leak. And amber is
good for many halogenated compounds, or other light sensitive compounds.
If you want a reasonable price, I have some new 60 ml qorpak amber bottles with PTFE lined caps, plus medium wide mouth bottles in 60 (lots), 120 and
250 ml (a few), ($2 ea) as well as some used 120 ml ($2) and new plastic coated 120 ml amber narrow mouths ($3) with PTFE lined caps as well. They
will handle almost everything fine, bromine, solvents, acids, etc.
I have wide mouths for solids in 100 and 250 ml as well, plus many others. I have been selling a mixed medium flat rate box of them for $55, postage
included, which can be from 20-50 bottles, depending on what sizes you want. Or you can get a sample of one of each, or whatever mix that you want.
But you cannot buy just the PTFE caps from qorpak for what I am asking. So if you want fancy reagent bottles, you can get them for under $2 each
from me, and afford to buy chemicals to put in them. :-)
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Sniffity
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Hey,
Thank you all for your input!
@Dr.Bob sent you a U2U! 
A specific question regarding highly, highly volatile solvents. Things like bromine or ethers come to mind: For these kind of compounds would a
Schott-Duran bottle be better than a narrow mouth bottle? I've heard opinions for both (even in this thread!). Anyone else care to add their input?
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Dr.Bob
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Media bottles were designed to store biological media liquids (liquid that cells live in). Those tend to be aqueous, at least on planet Earth, but
the bottles are designed to be autoclaved to sterilize them, which is why the caps are designed a certain way. The normal caps are not designed to
handle solvents or corrosives. You can get better caps with PTFE seals, but the best ones cost $10+ apiece, which is crazy. I have a few left with
white PTFE caps, but they are really not ideal for organics and acids.
The amber ones are used by most chemical companies for liquids, acids, solvents, and most corrosives. Not all chemicals are light sensitive, but many
are, more so for liquids, which are generally more reactive than solids due to diffusion and other issues, so most people use amber for liquids and
clear for solids, as a very general rule of thumb. As a rough guide, many amines, low mw acids, aldehydes, and reactive halogenated chemicals (acid
chlorides, benzyl halides, etc) are air, light and water sensitive, so the better sealed they are, the better.
If anyone wants to see an assortment of bottles to look over, I can sell one of each that I have for about $2 each plus postage, there are several
varieties, round, square, clear or amber, narrow, medium or wide mouth, and more, about a dozen types of bottles left now, plus smaller vials in about
5 styles/sizes. If you are looking at 50-60 ml volumes, the smaller narrow mouth are ideal, and if you want many, I can sell you a bunch for less
than $2 each, if you want 100-120 ml, I have a few used (but clean and in great condition) 120 ml ones for $2 each or new plastic coated ones for $3
each (great for bromine, acids, etc).
See this post for some photos and links:
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=15667&...
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Sniffity
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So what I gather is:
Obviously, the bottle cap is important, and it's an extemely important factor in determining if the bottle will hold or not.
The issue is: If you have two EQUAL caps, both PTFE lined, and you have to choose between a Boston round bottle;
see: http://www.labdepotinc.com/p-12699-boston-round-bottles-ambe...
And a Duran bottle, see:
http://www.duran-group.com/en/products-solutions/laboratory-...
Three questions (once again, asuming you've got the appropriate cap)
1.- Ignoring cost: Which is better and why?
2.- Considering cost: Which is better and why?
3.- Can both bottles, with the appropriate cap handle nasty things like bromine? Or is one better for this than the other?
Opinions on this appreciated!
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Dr.Bob
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Companies have sold bromine, methyl iodide, TFA, and many other chemicals in both Boston rounds and Media bottles. Acros still sells some chemicals
in hybrid bottle (mix of Boston and media shape) with a GL45 type cap, aka Media bottle cap. So both can work fine for most any chemical with the
right cap.
Media bottles are made of borosilicate glass, so you can heat them, autoclave them, and even run reactions in them, I used to do it for some large
reactions. But they cost more, the caps are more expensive, and the seals on them fail slightly more often than Boston type caps in my hands. But
the difference is minor. Media bottles are shorter and wider than boston rounds, so they don't pack as many easily in a cabinet, so if you have
limited space, I like Bostons, the Bostons bottles are quite a bit cheaper as are their caps (in my experience), and I like the pouring from the
Boston rounds, as the narrow mouth is easier to pour into a small opening. But either will work fine, and it really comes down to preference.
I prefer clear Media bottles for solutions and things I want to see (most of mine are clear at work, I do have a few amber ones, but they are rarer).
Easy to tell if everything dissolved.
Anyone else have an opinion?
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