oil in ALK vials is visually distinct

[drbeefsupreme]

I recently purchased some ALK SEV 1020S (I believe without the Flurotec coating but I'm not 100% sure - seems that has the SKU 1020S-FLUR). I filtered in some Test U and Primo from two different vendors into two different vials. ALK sterile vials

In both cases for the ALK vials, when you swirl the vial the oil leaves behind a slowly descending "curtain" that takes a few seconds to rejoin the bulk of the oil below. But this is not the case in the original vials: all of the oil flows together, leaving behind no curtain.

So since I think there is no Flurotec coating, this must be due to some other standard they pass, like USP <660>, <1231>, or <1663>/<1664> https://www.sterilevialsolutions.com/download/ALK_USP_Infographic.pdf

Anybody know what this means? I am pleased that I can actually see a difference buying these expensive vials at least, lol, even if the actual health benefit at the end of the day is unknown to me. Any other vial brands that leave behind a "curtain"?

 

[Ghoul]

I recently purchased some ALK SEV 1020S (I believe without the Flurotec coating but I'm not 100% sure - seems that has the SKU 1020S-FLUR). I filtered in some Test U and Primo from two different vendors into two different vials. ALK sterile vials

In both cases for the ALK vials, when you swirl the vial the oil leaves behind a slowly descending "curtain" that takes a few seconds to rejoin the bulk of the oil below. But this is not the case in the original vials: all of the oil flows together, leaving behind no curtain.

So since I think there is no Flurotec coating, this must be due to some other standard they pass, like USP <660>, <1231>, or <1663>/<1664> https://www.sterilevialsolutions.com/download/ALK_USP_Infographic.pdf

Anybody know what this means? I am pleased that I can actually see a difference buying these expensive vials at least, lol, even if the actual health benefit at the end of the day is unknown to me. Any other vial brands that leave behind a "curtain"?

TLDR ALK pharma grade is ultra smooth (1nm) precision polished and washed, USP certified contaminant free surface creating a uniform high contact angle surface the thin layer of oil has to overcome so it forms a slow moving sheet.

Cheap chinese vials 10-100x rougher, pitted surface, along with contaminants break the "curtain" into fast moving rivulets that flow quickly.

Contents of a cheap "sterile" vial, to take up permanent occupancy on the filter membrane or in your body, whichever you prefer.

 

[drbeefsupreme]

Nice, so the roughness breaks the surface tension allowing the oil to better flow. That is digging up some distant memories. I once worked in a 2D turbulence lab when I was like 19-20. I didn't really understand all the experiments, mostly just wrote code.

 

[Ghoul]

Nice, so the roughness breaks the surface tension allowing the oil to better flow. That is digging up some distant memories. I once worked in a 2D turbulence lab when I was like 19-20. I didn't really understand all the experiments, mostly just wrote code.

Yeah, the narrower broken "streams" are heavier, so they overcome the resistance to flow that the thinner curtain can only do more slowly.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I recently purchased some ALK SEV 1020S (I believe without the Flurotec coating but I'm not 100% sure - seems that has the SKU 1020S-FLUR). I filtered in some Test U and Primo from two different vendors into two different vials. ALK sterile vials

In both cases for the ALK vials, when you swirl the vial the oil leaves behind a slowly descending "curtain" that takes a few seconds to rejoin the bulk of the oil below. But this is not the case in the original vials: all of the oil flows together, leaving behind no curtain.

So since I think there is no Flurotec coating, this must be due to some other standard they pass, like USP <660>, <1231>, or <1663>/<1664> https://www.sterilevialsolutions.com/download/ALK_USP_Infographic.pdf

Anybody know what this means? I am pleased that I can actually see a difference buying these expensive vials at least, lol, even if the actual health benefit at the end of the day is unknown to me. Any other vial brands that leave behind a "curtain"?

pics...

 

[drbeefsupreme]

I'll do my best to take some pics later tonight.

 

[drbeefsupreme]

Here it is. Clear one is Primo from K4L, yellowish one is Test U from Pharmaqo.

 

[drbeefsupreme]

For the Primo 100, the curtain can take up to 10 seconds to fall. For the Test U 250 its more like 3 seconds.

 

[AlexDavis43]

For the Primo 100, the curtain can take up to 10 seconds to fall. For the Test U 250 its more like 3 seconds.

In wine-speak they're called legs not curtains

 

[Photon]

Any idea if the vials from MedLabSupply come with flurotec coating?
All it writes is butyl stopper, nothing about any coating.

 

[drbeefsupreme]

I don't think they do because the lack the `-FLUR` postfix in their SKU. But they also don't write the correct USP's on the listings for ALK vials so I wouldn't take that as a sure sign it doesn't have it. The ones I got were listed on ebay and the SKU printed on the box does not have the `-FLUR` postfix.

 

[Ghoul]

The coating is used on stoppers. not the glass.

 

[Photon]

Any idea if the vials from MedLabSupply come with flurotec coating?
All it writes is butyl stopper, nothing about any coating.

Just to answer my own question.

These 4 SKU codes from ALK come with flurotec coated stoppers.
SEV1020S-FLUR
SEV30-FLUR
SEV50-FLUR
SEV100-FLUR

Anything else uses normal chlorobutyl stoppers.

I mainly use Ultra Spec and Ks-Tek vials.
Ultra Spec for longer term storage (100ml), Ks-Tek for shorter term.
Ultra Spec comes with Teflon coated chlorobutyl rubber stopper.

Does anyone know what the SKU codes from MLS are for ALK?

I don't think they do because the lack the `-FLUR` postfix in their SKU. But they also don't write the correct USP's on the listings for ALK vials so I wouldn't take that as a sure sign it doesn't have it. The ones I got were listed on ebay and the SKU printed on the box does not have the `-FLUR` postfix.

I've seen ones with -FLUR on ebay before.