[Nhcoll-l] Storage-grade containers

[Callomon,Paul]

In our recent discussions of alcohol storage containers, we didn't touch on the distinction between lab-grade containers and storage-grade ones. In the field and lab, scientists often use containers that are not storage-grade, such as:

- glass vials and jars that have snap-on plastic lids
- glass shell vials with push-in plastic lids
- Eppendorf and other plastic sample tubes with push-on or screw-on lids
- Nalgene and similar flexible plastic bottles

None of these is storage-grade - that is, proven to be durable over longer terms (10 years plus). When consigning samples to the collection, therefore, they must be transferred to storage-grade containers. If you are handed several trays of field samples in plastic tubes for the collection, getting them into individual screw-top glass vials with proper lids and placing them in racks on shelves can cost hundreds of dollars. Attempting to bill scientists for this or persuading them to proactively add storage expenses to their grant budgets can be a lively conversation.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
prc44 at drexel.edu<mailto:prc44 at drexel.edu> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170



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