When heated with proper care Laboratory Glasswares will give long and satisfactory service. The following notes assist users in obtaining the maximum life and performance from their Laboratory Glassware.
Glass may suffer damage in three ways:
It may break under thermal stress in the 'steady state'
It may break under sudden heating or cooling
Glass if heated beyond certain temperature,may acquire a permanent stress on cooling which Could cause subsequent failure.
To prevent scratching the inside of a vessel always use a 'policmen' or similar evice on stirring rods.
When using a glass vessel with a magnetic stirrer always uses a severed follower to prevent abrading the inside of the vessel.
Before using galss or metal mechanical stirrer in a glass vessel,predetermine the height of the stirrer to ensure there is no contact between the stirrer blades and the bottom or sides of the vessel.
Never mix sulphuric acid and water inside a glass-measuring cylinder. The heat of reaction can break the base of the cylinder.
Always follow safety measures when working with glassware subjected to pressure of vacuum.
Never use glassware beyond the recommended safe limit.
Gradually apply and release positive and negative pressures and never subject to sudden pressure changes.
When storing glass stopcocks and joints insert a thin strip of paper between joint surfaces to prevent sticking.
Never store stopcocks for long periods with lubricant still on the ground surfaces.
Glass stopcocks on Burettes and Separating Funnels should be lubricated frequently to prevent sticking.
If a ground joint sticks,the use of penetrating oil will often prove useful in helping separation. Carefully rocking the cone in the socket or gently tapping the socket flange on a wooden surface can generally achieve separation.
In using lubricants it is advisable to apply a light coat of grease completely around the upper part of the joint and avoid greasing that part of the joint,which contacts the inner part of the apparatus.
(a).Hydrocarbon grease are commonly used on standard taper joints. Most laboratory solvents, including acetone,can easily removeit. (b).For higher temperature or high vacuum applications, silicon grease is often preferred and it can be removed readily with chloroform. (c).For long term reflux or extraction reactions,glycerin grease is suitable and it is soluble in water.
Wear heavy protective gloves when inserting glass tubing into a bung. The use of water,oil or glycerol is recommended on both tubing and rubber bung while carrying this operation.
To prevent accidents use tongs or asbestos gloves to remove all galssware from heat source.
Follow safety measures.
Before opening Acid bottle,always flush the outside of bottle with water.
All mercury containers should be kept well stoppered. Mercury toxicity is cumulative and element's ability to amalgamate with a number metals is well known.
Never taste or smell chemicals for identification and never drink from a beaker.
When using concentrated acids, alkalies or potentially hazardous materials use mechanical means for pipeting. Avoid pipeting by mouth.
Lable all containers before filling. Never fill unlabeled containers and throw away contents of unlabeled containers.
Do not look down into a test-tube to avoid any type of accident while test tube being heated or containing chemicals.
Do not permit glass-to-metal contact when clamping glassware, and do not excessively tighten the clamps to avoid breakages.
Splattering from acids, caustic materials and strong oxidizing solutions on the skin or clothing should be washed off immediately with large quantities of water
When working with chlorine, hydrogen, sulphide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and other very toxic substances, always use a protective mask or perform these experiments under a fume hood in a well-ventilated area.
In working with volatile materials, remember that heat causes expansion and confinement of expansion result in explosion.
Perchloric acid is especially dangerous because it explodes on contact with organic materials. Do not use perchloric acid around wooden benches or tables. Keep perchloric acid bottles on glass or ceramic trays having enough volume to hold all the acid in case the bottle breaks. When using perchloric acid, always wear protective clothing.
When using hot plates and other electrical equipments, ensure the wire and plugs are in good condition. Never handle electrical connection with damp hands.
Successful experimental results can only be achieved by using a clean apparatus. In all instances laboratory glassware must be physically clean, in nearly all causes it must be chemically clean and in specific cases it must be bacteriological clean or sterile.There must be no trace of grease and safest criteria of cleanliness are the uniform wetting of the glass surface by distilled water. Any prevention of uniform wetting of the surface will introduce errors such as distortion of the meniscus and accuracy of volume.
Experienced personnel must solely undertake. cleaning of glassware,which contain hazardous materials.
Most new glassware is slightly alkaline in reaction. For precision chemical tests,new glassware should be soaked several hours in acid water (1% solution hydrochloric acid or nitric acid) before washing.
Glassware,which is contaminated with blood clots, culture media,etc.,must be sterilized befor cleaning.
If glassware becomes unduly clouded or dirty or contains coagulated organic matter,it must be cleaned with chromic acid cleaning solution. The dichromate's should be handled with extreme care because it is a powerful corrosive.
Wash glassware, as quickly as possible after use but if delays are unavoidable, the articles should be allowed to soak in water.
Grease is removed by weak sodium carbonate solution or acetone or fat solvents. Never use strong alkalis.
Hot water with recommended detergents should be used and if glass is exceptionally dirty a cleaning powder with a mild abrasive action can be applied-provided the surface is not scratched.
During the washing all parts of the article should be thoroughly scrubbed with a brush selected for the shape and size of the glassware.Brushes should always be in good condition to avoid any abrasion of the glassware.
When chromic acid solution is used,the item may be rinsed with the cleaning solution or it may be filled and allowed to stand the amoutn of time depending on amount of contamination on the glassware.
Special types of precipitate material may require removal with nitric acid,aqua regia or fuming sulphuric acid. These are very corrosive substances and should be used only when required.
It is imperative that all soap detergents and other cleaning fluids be removed from glassware before use. This is especially important with the detergents, Slightly traces of which will interfere with serological and culture reaction. After cleaning,thoroughly rinse with tap water ensuring that containers are partly filled water, shaken and emptied several tiems. Finally rinse with demonized or distiled water.
Drying can be undertaken either in baskets or on pegs in air or at a temperature not exceeding 120°C.
Always protect clean glassware from dust by use of temporary closures or by placing in a dust free cabinet. For cleaning Specific type of glassware,please refer the following pages.
Place pipettes tips down, in a cylinder or tall jar of water immediately after use. Gently place it on a pad of cotton or wool to prevent breaking of the tips. Ata Convenient time, The pipettes may then be drained and placed in a cylinder or jar of dissolved detergent or, if exceptionally dirty, in a jar of chromic acid cleaning solution. After soaking fro several hours, or overnight, Drain the pipettes and run tap water over and through them until all traces of dirt are shake out the water and dry.
In laboratories where a large number of pipettes are used daily, it is convenient to use an automatic pipette washer polyethylene baskets and jars may be used fro soaking and rinsing pipettes in chromic acid cleaning solution
After drying, place pipettes in a dust-free drawer. Wrap serological and bacteriological pipettes in paper or place in pipette cans and sterilize in the dry air sterilize in the dry air sterilizer at 160C for two hours. Pipette used fro transferring infectious material should have a Plug of cotton Placed in the mouth end of the pipette before sterilizing.
Remove the stopcock key and wash the burette with detergent and water.
Rinse with the tap water until all the dirt is removed. Then rinse with distilled water and dry.
Wash the stopcock key separately. Before the stopcock key is replaced in the burette,lubricate the joint with a small amount of lubricant. REMEMBER THAT BURETTE STOPCOCK KEYS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE
Always cover burettes when not in use.
Culture tubes, which have been used,previously must be sterilized before cleaning. The best general method for sterlising culture tubes is by autoclaving for 30 minutes at 121°C(15 lb.pressure).Media that solidify on cooling should be poured out while the tubes are hot. After the tubes are emptied,brush with detergent and water,rinse thoroughly with tap water, rinse with distilled water,place in basket and dry.
If tubes are to be filled with a medium,which is sterilized by autoclaving,do not plug until the medium is added. Both medium and tubes are thus sterilized with one autoclaving.
If the tubes are to be filled with a sterile medium or if they are to be sterilized by the fractional method and sterilize the tubes in the autoclaves or dry air sterilizer before adding the medium.
Serological tubes should be chemically clean but need not be sterile. However,specimens of blood,which are to be kept for some time at room temperature,should be collected in a sterile container. It may be expedient to sterilize all tubes as routine.
To clean and sterilize tubes containing blood,discard the cloths in a waste container and place the tubes in a larage basket. Put the basket with others, in a large bucket or boiler. Cover with water, add a fair quantity of soft soap or detergent and boil for 30 minutes. Rinse the tubes and clean with brush, rinse and dry with the usual precautions.
It is imperative when washing serological glassware that all acid,alkali and detergent be completely removed. Both acid and alkali in small amounts destroy complement and in large amounts produce hemolysis. Detergents interfere with serological reactions.
Serological tubes and glassware should be kept seperate from all other glassware and used for nothing except serological procedures
Sterilize and clean as detailed under Culture Tubes.
Wrap in heavy paper or place in a petri dish can.
Sterilize in the autoclave or dry air sterilizer