Ultra-Clean Vials??
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:43 pm
Are the super clean vials and caps that Waters has been advertising really different from other vials, or is that a marketing gimmick to charge higher prices?
Specially cleaned vials opens up a real can of worms. The vials are cleaned and tested to ensure certain compounds are at extremely low levels. If the compounds tested for are the same or similar to the compounds you are determining, then the special vials may give better results, especially if you are working at trace or ultratrace concentrations.
If you are looking at other analytes, there is not an easy answer. The easiest way to find out is to buy some of the vials, try them out, and see if you see a difference in the results that justifies the higher price. In most cases the super clean vials, septa, and caps are made of higher quality materials that will decrease background when determining trace and ultratrace levels, but this is somewhat analyte dependent.
If you are running high concentration samples you are more than likely throwing away money with special vials, it is doubtful you will see any difference, but the only way to be sure is to try.