Let’s understand the basic concepts of Chromatography Vials and How you can Choose the Right Vial for Chromatography
What are Chromatography Vials?
Chromatography vials are receptacles that transport your specimen matrix to the instrument before injection. The most common materials for chromatography vials are clear glass or plastic. These chromatography vials are basically containers that are utilized as a temporary means of storing samples for subsequent gas chromatography (GC) or liquid chromatography (LC) analysis.
Consider the following factors to choose the right chromatography vial for your applications:
Contemporary chromatography liquid autosamplers generally accept 12 x 32mm vials, so we'll assume a 12 x 32mm vial is compliant with your autosampler (Headspace autosamplers accept 20mm wide autosampler vials). We've highlighted the simple steps for selecting the best chromatography vial for your analysis below:
Step 1 Decide the style of Vial Closure
(A) Vials for Screw Thread
For HPLC and LCMS analysis, screw thread vials are commonly used. Screw thread vials don't really necessitate any additional tools to attach or remove the cap.
(B) Crimping Vials
Crimp Vials are prevalently used as gas chromatography (GC) Vials. When it comes to sample evaporation, Crimp Vials are the gold standard. When chain-of-custody or tamper-proof closures are considered necessary, crimp vials are also necessary. We strongly advise the electronic vial crimper for ergonomic crimping of your GC vials when using crimp vials.
(C) Snap-On Vials
Snap-Top Vials are more convenient for lab technicians than screw thread vials and are sometimes preferred. Snap Top vials are commonly used for HPLC or LCMS analysis, and the completion is simply pressed against the vial to create a seal.
Step 2 Decide the volume of the vial
If you only have a few samples, a 2mL autosampler vial with a compatible vial insert will suffice. If you have an abundance of samples but want to be able to re-inject numerous times, we suggest high-recovery chromatography vials.
Step 3 Determine the material of the vial
(A) Glass Vials for Autosamplers
The most common type of Autosampler vial is the Type 1 Borosilicate Glass, which represents the least reactive glass. With a Coefficient of Expansion of 33 for clear and 51 for amber, Type 1 glass has the least pH shift and the fewest leaching characteristics.
(B) Plastic Autosampler Vials
Plastic vials are a cost-effective option when you only need a small volume vial. Polypropylene (PP) is most frequently used in plastic vials. Acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, isobutyl alcohol, and methyl ethyl ketone can all be put in polypropylene vials without causing any damage. Cyclohexane, ethers, dichlorobenzene, pentanes, methylene chloride, and trichlorobenzene are incompatible with them.
Step 4 Choose between Amber or clear vial
Most standard vials are clear ones. With light-sensitive samples, amber glass vials or black polypropylene vials should be used.
Conclusion
As mentioned above there are multiple factors that facilitate the decision to choose the suitable vial type for your application. Each category serves a different purpose therefore you need to ensure you make the right choice depending upon your application requirement.
