<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Sarah,<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I agree with Dirk that the problem is internal pressure cause by temperature fluctuations. Leaving more headspace (air space) between the top of the liquid and the lid should solve the problem (because air is more compressible than fluid). <br><br>That said, Randy also makes a good point. Instead of using screw-cap vials, rehouse the specimens in straight-sided vials (shell vials) plugged with polyester fiber and submerged in a larger jar of ethanol with a screw-cap lid. I like polyester better than cotton because it has greater regain and when done right, makes a better plug. Limit the number of vials you put in each jar to make it easier to find the individual vials you need and to minimize handling--keep just one layer of vials per jar, not two. The advantages of housing several vials in a larger jar include an improved specimen volume to fluid volume ratio, easier inspection for loss of fluid, and you only have to worry about the seal on one closure (the jar) rather than several closures.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">--John<br> </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">John E. Simmons<br>Museologica<br>128 E. Burnside Street<br>Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010<br><a href="mailto:simmons.johne@gmail.com" target="_blank">simmons.johne@gmail.com</a><br>303-681-5708<br><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.museologica.com&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=24rgsj9csc1Tg7hfofIuOkRJL9KJl2uDg2aUQlsy8Mo&s=hLNkLEWKh6SDy5l4zcvl_Ce-O7iiyIze0kY7IAXYZ4Y&e=" target="_blank">www.museologica.com</a><br>and<br>Adjunct Curator of Collections<br>Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery<br>Penn State University<br>University Park, Pennsylvania<br>and<br>Instructor, Museum Studies<br>School of Library and Information Science<br>Kent State University<br></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 8:42 AM, Sarah K. Huber <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:skhuber@vims.edu" target="_blank">skhuber@vims.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:Tahoma;color:#000000;font-size:10pt">
<div>
<p>We are having some problems with our glass vials (2-dram, 4-dram, and 6-dram) cracking, breaking, and in some cases exploding. In one instance the top of the vial snapped and shot up a few inches in the air about 5 minutes after sealing the vial (very exciting).
However, most vials that break are found during routine (monthly) checks. In some cases, the vials have been fine for a year, and then will break. In other cases, they break a week or two after fillign. Breakage occurs several ways: a clean break along the
neck, a clean break along the bottom, or spider cracks along the whole vial. Has anyone else had this problem or know of a solution (e.g., do we need higher quality glass vials, are we screwing down the lids too tight, etc.)?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We use Kimble™ Screw-Thread N-51A Borosilicate Glass Sample Vials with Closed-Top Black Phenolic Caps with Rubber Liners. Vials are filled with ethanol (either 70% or 95%) and larval fishes. Vials are stored in cardboard vial trays with dividers between
vials, and vial trays are stored in wooden drawers in sealed metal cabinets. The room has minimal fluctuations in humidity, but can fluctuate in temperature by about 5 degrees. Once the vials are stored they are relatively undisturbed, so there is little to
no bumping or moving of the vials.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Any thoughts or recommendations of other vial manufacturers would be appreciated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Sarah</p>
<p> </p>
<div style="FONT-SIZE:13px;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:13px;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:13px;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma"><font size="3" color="#000000">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:13px;FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma"><br>
</div></font><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt"><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt"><font size="3" color="#000000">Sarah K. Huber, Ph.D.</font><br>
</span></font></span></font><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt"><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt"><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt">Curatorial Associate, VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection<br>
</span></font></span></font></span></font><font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt">Office <a href="tel:(804)%20684-7104" value="+18046847104" target="_blank">804.684.7104</a>
<span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt">| Collection 804.684.</span>7285<br>
<a href="mailto:skhuber@vims.edu" target="_blank">skhuber@vims.edu</a> <font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt">| <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.vims.edu&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=24rgsj9csc1Tg7hfofIuOkRJL9KJl2uDg2aUQlsy8Mo&s=FvwDCJ5cKPOmP7CqTLFqpqkoL0Az9-HSmHEJpS02ULg&e=" target="_blank">www.vims.edu</a></span></font></span></font><br>
<font size="2"><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt">PO Box 1346 | 1375 Greate Rd., Gloucester Pt., VA 23062</span></font></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
Nhcoll-l mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://mailman.yale.edu/<wbr>mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l</a><br>
<br>
______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of<br>
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose<br>
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of<br>
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to<br>
society. See <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=CwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=24rgsj9csc1Tg7hfofIuOkRJL9KJl2uDg2aUQlsy8Mo&s=4CE6qpys69fHSfIMEZuhDi19JK3OJ461_LteUueB6UA&e=" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.spnhc.org</a> for membership information.<br>
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.<br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div>