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Ethylene loss from the gas phase of container‐seal systems
Author(s) -
NELSON NEIL D.,
ISEBRANDS J. G.,
RIETVELD WILLIS J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1980.tb03296.x
Subject(s) - ethylene , silicone rubber , vulcanization , seal (emblem) , natural rubber , materials science , neoprene , vial , composite material , silicone oil , chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , art , visual arts , catalysis
Ethylene losses from the gas phase of various container‐seal systems were studied to develop acceptable methods for containing ethylene during experiments. Ethylene at an initial amount of 104 μI I ‐1 was stored in glass vials at near atmospheric pressure for 20 h at 25–27°C and at 35% relative humidity external to the vials. Crimped serum vials sealed with saturated (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 solution, neoprene rubber septa, nitrile rubber (Hycar) septa, butyl rubber septa, and brown translucent silicone rubber septa lost ethylene at the rate of 1.8, 10.2, 16.2, 16.5, and 40.2 nl m ‐2 s ‐1 , respectively, over the 20‐h period. Screw‐capped reaction vials sealed with white silicone rubber septa lost ethylene at the rate of 30.2 nl m ‐2 s ‐1 . The (NH4) 2 SO 4 solution was utilized as a seal by inverting a vial so that the salt solution covered the internal surface of the vial septum. Saturated (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 solution is an effective seal. Silicone rubber should be avoided as a seal in systems for containing ethylene. Ethylene production values in the literature may be underestimates where silicone rubber seals have been used.