Autoclave glass tips

[wightbees]

Hi, Can I wrap glass tips in foil to Autoclave? I'm a bit worried about the finest point of the tips snapping.. Any info would be most welcome. Thanks

 

[beebopper]

Hi, Can I wrap glass tips in foil to Autoclave? I'm a bit worried about the finest point of the tips snapping.. Any info would be most welcome. Thanks

Yes I used to autoclave this was in a pressure cooker. Maybe put some kind of plastic wrap to protect tips or be very careful. Never done fine tip though but cannot see why it would be a problem.

 

[wightbees]

Hi, thanks

 

[beebopper]

Just remembered this. Not sure if you are using autoclave tape. It’s like masking tape but make a black striped pattern when autoclave has been sufficient to kill microbes. Google it if you have not come across this

 

[B+.]

Can I wrap glass tips in foil to Autoclave?

Yes
If you are worried, soak them in ethanol then flush with distilled water

 

[wightbees]

Just remembered this. Not sure if you are using autoclave tape. It’s like masking tape but make a black striped pattern when autoclave has been sufficient to kill microbes. Google it if you have not come across this

I will look this up. Is it necessary to have tape?

 

[wightbees]

Yes
If you are worried, soak them in ethanol then flush with distilled water

Would this be instead of autoclave?

 

[Beefriendly]

I will look this up. Is it necessary to have tape?

No, but the tape is a visual illustration that they have been fully sterilised. As long as you are confident that they were at 21lbs/15minutes they are sterile.

 

[B+.]

Would this be instead of autoclave?

As an alternative. Yes.
However, you will find a build up of protein after use. I think Alexander Waccholz sells a cleaning powder that you dissolve to clean it. I had words with him about putting warning labels, etc on it so I hope he's done that now as it didn't comply with EU safety law. If you use this, it needs good ventilation as you don't want it getting in your lungs.
You can also use an ultrasonic cleaner if that's of any help to you. Of course, this is just to clean the tips. You would still have to sterilize them

 

[Karol]

Yes
If you are worried, soak them in ethanol then flush with distilled water

Sorry B+ but this is incorrect. Anhydrous ethanol is not effective. The optimum concentration for killing vegetative state microbes is 70% v/v ethanol in water. Even then it will not be sporicidal.

 

[beebopper]

I will look this up. Is it necessary to have tape?

No but it tells you that it has reached temperature or long enough to kill all microbes.

 

[Karol]

No, but the tape is a visual illustration that they have been fully sterilised.

All the tape does is show that a temperature of 115°C has been attained. It does not and cannot confirm sterility.

As long as you are confident that they were at 21lbs/15minutes they are sterile.

Rubbish. Depends on what temperature setting you are running at.

 

[Beefriendly]

Oh WOW God is back and writing his usual rubbish.

I don't think any sane person would disagree with those figures (Go google 15lbs per square inch and 15 minutes).

 

[Karol]

I will look this up. Is it necessary to have tape?

Not necessary to use an autoclave. If you definitely need them to be sterile as opposed to sanitized then I would suggest you can sterilize in an oven by heating for two hours at 160°C. You have to make sure the oven properly reaches temperature before you start the timer.

 

[beebopper]

Sorry B+ but this is incorrect. Anhydrous ethanol is not effective. The optimum concentration for killing vegetative state microbes is 70% v/v ethanol in water. Even then it will not be sporicidal.

The level of microbes on glass tips, assuming they have been prepared carefully, would be so low that even at a ‘pure’ ethanol I guess would be good enough although less efficient. From a practical point of view it would probably work.
I would autoclave though. Easy and can do lots in one go.

 

[B+.]

Sorry B+ but this is incorrect. Anhydrous ethanol is not effective. The optimum concentration for killing vegetative state microbes is 70% v/v ethanol in water. Even then it will not be sporicidal.

I'm using 95%. My wife (who has a M.Sc in Medicinal Chemistry) tells me that's enough. Is she wrong?

 

[beebopper]

All the tape does is show that a temperature of 115°C has been attained. It does not and cannot confirm sterility.


Rubbish. Depends on what temperature setting you are running at.

OMG! You are just so pedantic it unreal.
Autoclaving is a well accepted method to prepare ‘sterile’ equipment in the lab. Fact.

Please don’t PM or I will get my lawyers on to you for Harassment.

 

[wightbees]

OK.. I'm going to autoclave them, wrap in a bit foil and hope for the best thanks for the info all.

 

[beebopper]

OK.. I'm going to autoclave them, wrap in a bit foil and hope for the best thanks for the info all.

A good decision. Ignore the rubbish in thread - somebody just trying to be clever and show he has bigger you know what than anybody else.

 

[B+.]

The level of microbes on glass tips, assuming they have been prepared carefully, would be so low that even at a ‘pure’ ethanol I guess would be good enough although less efficient. From a practical point of view it would probably work.
I would autoclave though. Easy and can do lots in one go.

The tips are just micro-pipette glass (I make them myself) but the hooks have plastic(?) leur fittings on them. I wasn't sure how they'd stand up to a pressure cooker which is why I suggested ethanol.
I know the queen holder doesn't like ethanol (it discolours) but this doesn't need to be absolutely sterile as it just has to hold the queen in place while she's anesthetized.