Autoclaving Vials

[Carolina Spanky]

Does anybody have a suggestion on the best way to do this? And I guess more specifically, does anybody know if vials can be autoclaved upright if 2-3mls of water is left in each vial? (I know autoclaving them upright and empty will create air pockets and not properly sterilize them)(my thinking with this is that when the water vaporizes in the vial it may remove the air with it). And 2, does anybody know of some vial holding apparatus that holds the vials inverted but leaves space between the vial and autoclave tray to ensure that steam can enter the vial? If there’s another way to do it better than I’m all ears to that as well.. Autoclaving them on there side just takes up too much space. Thanks in advance!!

 

[bigrobbie]

Does anybody have a suggestion on the best way to do this? And I guess more specifically, does anybody know if vials can be autoclaved upright if 2-3mls of water is left in each vial? (I know autoclaving them upright and empty will create air pockets and not properly sterilize them)(my thinking with this is that when the water vaporizes in the vial it may remove the air with it). And 2, does anybody know of some vial holding apparatus that holds the vials inverted but leaves space between the vial and autoclave tray to ensure that steam can enter the vial? If there’s another way to do it better than I’m all ears to that as well.. Autoclaving them on there side just takes up too much space. Thanks in advance!!

Autoclaving Laboratory Glassware

Maybe this will help

 

[jstarks11]

Well, not sure you style autoclave, but once upon a time I had Tuttnauer autoclave and it had trays in it that had holes in the bottom of the trays, LOTS of holes, and I just put them TOP down and that is it. Ran them for the cycle, then would let them sit for some time, cannot remember how long. 15 min I think. When pulled them out they would be totally dry and perfect. Never any infections, never any milky moisture in vials after brewing.

 

[Carolina Spanky]

@jstarks11 thanks for the info again. That’s what I’ve been doing. Thinking that’s what I’ll keep doing. I’m gonna figure out some way to “box” the circles in. Maybe small metal wire perpendicular both ways in the tray to hold the vials in place. That’s the only problem I’m having with that method is it’s super easy for the vials to slide off the holes when putting the tray in. Thanks again sir

 

[jstarks11]

Yeah, no problem. I'm having a hard time understanding what the vials are sliding off of. Why don't you post a pic of this tray. The tray I had for mine, there was nothing sliding off of them. They had raised edges.





Nothings falling over in this. Fill it to the max, use what you need. Reautoclave the remainder next time. It's practically free once the invesments paid for.



But this tray like this above works PERFECT. This is the one I used and never had things fall off.

 

[master.on]

A test tube drying rack would work fine
many are autoclaveable
just make sure the vials don't rest flat on the bottom, so steam can get in and out of them.