[NHCOLL-L:1741] Re: container troubles

[Greg Schneider]

About five years ago I had some questions about plastics and performance
(regarding HDPE open head drums for storage of ethanol).  I was able to get
some very helpful information from the American Society of Testing and
Materials; specifically, the people with the ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics.  

Greg Dohrer, Chairman of Section D20.12.01 on Polyethylene:
Texas Eastman
Building 30-9
Post Office Box 7444
Longview, TX  75607     Phone/Fax  903-237-6830/6847
 
or

Chairman of Subcommittee D20.12 on Olefin Plastics

Debra Wilson
Union Carbide
Westhollow Research Center
Post Office Box 4685
Houston, TX 77210

Phone/Fax - 281-560-1644/1670

and 

Pat Brennan, Chairman of ASTM subcommittee D20.50 on permanence properties
Q Panel Co.
26200 First Street
Westlake, Ohio 44145
phone 216 835 8700
fax 216 835 8738

Perhaps they can help you or refer you to someone who can.  I would be
interested to hear.






At 11:50 AM 10/23/02 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear fellow listers, 
>
>We are having some trouble with platic containers and are hoping that 
>someone out there might have some information or experience with this
thatthey can share. 
>
>Our mammalogist currently uses Fisher brand clear polystyrene containers
with white opaque lids to hold skeletal materials.  I think the lids are
polystyrene as well; it doesn't specify otherwise in the catalog.  These
containers and the lids are stored in plastic bins to keep them clean until
used. I don't know what kind of plastic the bins are made of, they are the
inexpensive plastic storage bins with snap-on lids that you can pick up at
any discount store. 
>
>Our problem is that the lids to the specimen containers have become 
>brittle and snap and break when you open the containers.  Even lids that
are only a couple of years old are breaking with one time use.  The
containers are not breaking. 
>
>Is this a problem with polystyrene containers/caps in general?  Could this
have been accelerated by storing them in closed plastic bins?  Has anyone
else had this happen?  If so, did you figure out why? 
>
>We do not use pesticides/insecticides in the collections storage units so
there should be no interaction with added chemicals to trigger a reaction.
There are also no chemicals used in the specimen prep process.  Tags in the
containers are archival/acid free.  The containers and lids are stored in a
dark closet until used then as they are filled they are stored in closed
specimen cabinets so there is very little exposure to UV.  The storage
closet is in a temp controlled lab area so there should be only normal temp
fluctuation to affect the containers/lids. 
>
>Can anyone think of any other factors that might affect the longevity of
these lids?  Has anyone else been using them and, if so, what is your life
expectancy with them? 
> 
>Thanks for any help you can offer. 
> 
>Elizabeth Moore 
>
>_________________________________________________________________ 
>Dr. Elizabeth Moore 
>Curator of Collections and Archaeology, Assistant Director for Science and
Learning 
>Virginia Museum of Natural History 
>1001 Douglas Avenue 
>Martinsville, VA 24112 
>emoore at vmnh.org 
>www.vmnh.org 
>


Greg Schneider
Division of Reptiles & Amphibians
Museum of Zoology
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079

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