Water Environment Federation (WEF) Discussion ForumsWater Environment Federation (WEF) Discussion Forumshttp://www.wef.org/TechnicalDiscussions/jfuller@wef.orgTue, 14 Oct 2008 09:04:40 GMT20http://www.wef.org/TechnicalDiscussions/Topic6017-5-1.aspxFor safety reasons, we are considering different options to using glass containers for dilution water, HPC agar, and other various solutions that are autoclaved and then transported to a countertop or water bath for cooling purposes. We are considering the use of 1L polycarbonate Erlenmeyer flasks with screw-on lids that could be tightened during the transporting process. Does anyone have any experience with such containers - durability of autoclaved polycarbonate containers, bacteria growth problems within the containers, etc.?</P><P>We run large numbers of HPC samples and prepare 2 - 1L Erlenmeyer flasks of agar covered with glass beakers (one flask is used for temperature control in the water bath). The flasks are a tight fit in the autoclave and thus they are tilted upon removal from the autoclave, creating the possibility of the analyst being scalded with media and/or steam. There is also the possibility of the flasks breaking.</P><P>We are looking at different options - 1) using SimPlate HPC system from IDEXX, 2) using three smaller containers for the agar, 3) using an autoclavable basket in which to place the containers when transporting them. Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:03:13 GMTYuba City Tech