Reagent Bottle, Narrow Mouth (Clear Glass)

Quick Answer: A clear glass narrow mouth reagent bottle is a transparent glass bottle with a small neck, used to store liquid reagents when the user needs to see the contents. The clear body shows the liquid level, its colour and any cloudiness or sediment without opening the bottle.

What Clear Glass Shows That Other Bottles Hide

Many reagents announce their own deterioration. Iron(II) sulfate solution turns from pale green to yellow-brown as it oxidises, starch indicator becomes cloudy or grows mould, and a solution that has been contaminated often shows a haze or sediment. In a clear glass narrow mouth reagent bottle these changes are visible from the shelf, so a spoiled reagent can be replaced before it gives a false test result in class.

The narrow neck keeps the pouring stream controlled and cuts evaporation, and glass reagent bottles of this style are usually closed with a stopper; the stopper type for this listing should be confirmed. Glass is also the natural container for most organic solvents, which can soften, or pass slowly through, some plastics.

The trade-off is light. Clear glass gives no protection from sunlight or strong room light, so light-sensitive solutions belong in amber or opaque alternatives. LabEquip also lists a narrow mouth reagent bottle without a stated material, which can be discussed if amber or plastic bottles are needed.

Care & Handling

Keep clear bottles out of direct sunlight; heat and light speed up the decomposition of many solutions even when they are not classed as light-sensitive.
Let hot solutions cool before pouring them in, since a sudden temperature change can crack thick bottle glass.
Clean with warm water and detergent using a bottle brush, rinse with distilled water and dry upside down in a rack.
Inspect the neck and stopper for chips before each use.

Specifications

Item	Narrow-neck reagent bottle for liquids
Material	Clear (transparent) glass, as named in the title; glass type not stated
Visibility	Level, colour and clarity of contents visible without opening
Light protection	None; amber glass is used for light-sensitive reagents
Capacity and stopper type	Confirm at enquiry

Applications

Indicator solutions such as phenolphthalein and methyl orange, where the colour itself confirms the label
Reagents that show spoilage visibly, such as iron(II) sulfate and starch solutions
Organic solvents like ethanol and propanone in small working quantities
Practical examination benches where students must recognise reagents by appearance

Why Choose LabEquip

Chemistry teachers and laboratory assistants choose clear bottles for reagents they need to watch, from indicators to freshly made test solutions. The bottle sits in LabEquip’s chemistry apparatus range; quantities and stopper preferences can be sent through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use clear glass rather than amber glass?

Clear glass lets you check the level, colour and clarity of a reagent without opening the bottle, which helps you spot contamination or decomposition. Amber glass is chosen only when a reagent is damaged by light.

Which solutions should not go in a clear bottle?

Light-sensitive reagents such as silver nitrate, potassium permanganate, iodine in potassium iodide and hydrogen peroxide are better stored in amber glass. If only clear bottles are available, keep them in a closed cupboard.

Can I store sodium hydroxide solution in this bottle?

It can be kept in glass for ordinary teaching periods, but a glass stopper will stick. Use a rubber or plastic stopper, and for long-term storage of strong alkali a plastic bottle is often preferred because alkali slowly etches glass.

How can I tell if a stored reagent has gone off?

Look for a colour change, cloudiness, sediment, crystals around the neck or mould growth. Iron(II) salts turning yellow-brown and starch solution turning cloudy are two common examples in school stores.

Is the bottle suitable for organic solvents?

Glass is generally resistant to common solvents such as ethanol, propanone and hexane, which is why it is preferred over plastic for them. Keep flammable solvents in small quantities and store them in a suitable cabinet away from heat.

How should a clear glass bottle be cleaned between reagents?

Empty it, rinse with tap water, wash with warm laboratory detergent and a bottle brush, then rinse several times with distilled water. Dry it inverted and remove every trace of the old label before relabelling.

Last Updated: September 2026

Reagent Bottle, Narrow Mouth

Quick Answer: A narrow mouth reagent bottle is a laboratory storage bottle with a small neck opening, normally closed by a stopper, used to store liquid reagents and pour them in a controlled stream. The narrow neck limits evaporation and spillage compared with a wide-mouth bottle.

Why Liquids Go in Narrow-Necked Bottles

Liquids are poured, not scooped, so a liquid reagent does not need a wide opening. The narrow mouth reagent bottle takes advantage of that. Its small neck gives a thin, steerable stream when pouring into a beaker or measuring cylinder, and the small exposed surface means less evaporation of volatile liquids such as ethanol or dilute ammonia solution, and less moisture pick-up by hygroscopic liquids like concentrated sulfuric acid.

This listing does not name the bottle material or colour, and LabEquip lists a clear-glass version separately as the Reagent Bottle, Narrow Mouth (Clear Glass). Narrow-mouth reagent bottles are generally made in clear glass, in amber glass for light-sensitive solutions, or in plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene, so state which you need when ordering.

The choice matters chemically. Amber glass protects silver nitrate and potassium permanganate solutions from light; plastic is required for hydrofluoric acid, which dissolves glass; and glass is preferred for most organic solvents. Many school reagent shelves are organised as one set of narrow-mouth bottles in mixed materials, each matched to its contents.

Applications

Bench reagent sets for qualitative analysis, one bottle per test solution
Storing dilute acids and alkalis for school practicals
Keeping volatile liquids such as ethanol with little evaporation between lessons
Holding light-sensitive solutions when an amber version is chosen

Specifications

Item	Reagent bottle with a narrow neck for liquids
Neck	Narrow mouth for controlled pouring and reduced evaporation
Suited contents	Liquid reagents: dilute acids, alkalis, salt solutions, solvents
Related listing	Clear-glass version listed separately
Material, colour, closure and capacity	Confirm at enquiry

Care & Handling

Keep glass stoppers out of bottles of sodium hydroxide or other alkalis; alkali creeps into the ground joint and cements the stopper. Use a rubber or plastic closure instead.
Hold the bottle with the label towards your palm when pouring, so drips run down the unlabelled side.
Set a removed stopper down on its flat top, never on its tapered side, so it does not pick up contamination from the bench.
Never return unused reagent to the bottle; pour out only what you need.

Why Choose LabEquip

School and college chemistry departments buy narrow-mouth bottles in sets to stock reagent shelves and side-bench kits. LabEquip keeps them in the Chemistry Lab Equipments category alongside wide-mouth bottles for solids; send the material, colour and sizes required through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a narrow mouth and a wide mouth reagent bottle?

The narrow mouth bottle is meant for liquids, which pour in a controlled stream through a small neck and evaporate less. A wide mouth bottle is meant for solids such as crystals and pellets, which need to be scooped out with a spatula.

Which reagents need an amber bottle?

Solutions that decompose in light, such as silver nitrate, potassium permanganate, iodine solutions and hydrogen peroxide, are normally kept in amber glass. Clear bottles are fine for most acids, alkalis and salt solutions kept away from direct sunlight.

Can hydrofluoric acid be stored in a glass reagent bottle?

No. Hydrofluoric acid attacks glass, so it must be kept in a bottle made of a resistant plastic such as polyethylene. Concentrated alkalis also etch glass slowly over long storage.

Why is my glass stopper stuck?

Stoppers usually seize when alkali or dried salt solution gets into the ground joint. Try warming the neck gently in warm water and tapping the stopper with a wooden block. Do not force it with pliers, and wear gloves and eye protection.

How do I prevent contamination of stock reagents?

Pour a small amount into a clean beaker and work from that, rather than dipping a pipette or dropper straight into the stock bottle. Any portion left over is discarded, not poured back.

What should I specify when ordering?

Give the capacity, the material or colour you want (clear glass, amber glass or plastic) and the closure type, along with quantities. LabEquip can then say which version is supplied against this listing.

Last Updated: September 2026

Reagent Bottle With Screw Cap

Quick Answer: A reagent bottle with screw cap is a laboratory storage bottle closed by a threaded cap instead of a ground-glass stopper. It holds prepared solutions, buffers and stock reagents with a closure that stays put when the bottle is carried, shaken or kept for weeks.

How a Threaded Closure Changes Reagent Storage

A reagent bottle with screw cap solves a problem that stoppered bottles leave open. A push-in stopper can lift when a bottle is tipped, and a ground-glass stopper can freeze in its neck. A threaded cap is tightened by hand and released by hand, so the bottle can travel from the preparation room to a class bench, or be shaken to mix its contents, without the closure working loose.

Caps on laboratory bottles of this kind are normally plastic, and many carry a liner or a drip-free pouring ring. Neither the thread size, the cap material nor the body material is stated in this listing, so these should be confirmed when ordering, particularly if the bottle will hold organic solvents, which can soften some cap plastics, or will be sterilised in an autoclave.

In teaching and research laboratories the screw-cap bottle is usually the working container for anything made up in bulk and used over several sessions: buffer solutions, standardised acids and alkalis, indicator solutions and culture media. A clear label with name, concentration, date and initials turns it into a traceable stock rather than an anonymous jar.

Specifications

Item	Reagent bottle with a threaded screw cap
Closure	Hand-tightened screw cap; cap material not stated in the listing
Intended use	Storage and transport of prepared solutions and stock reagents
Typical contents	Buffers, standard solutions, indicators, culture media
Capacity, thread size and body material	Confirm at enquiry

Applications

Keeping standardised sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid for a run of titration practicals
Storing the buffer solutions used to calibrate pH meters
Holding prepared media or rinsing solutions in microbiology and biochemistry work
Sending measured reagents from a central preparation room to several laboratories

Care & Handling

Before autoclaving any screw-cap bottle, loosen the cap by about a turn; a tightly closed bottle heated in steam can build pressure and crack.
Wipe the thread clean before closing, since dried salt or syrupy residue on the thread makes the cap stick and stops it sealing.
Check caps and liners from time to time for cracking or swelling, especially where solvents or strong oxidisers are stored.
Keep heavy filled bottles on low shelves with the label facing outwards.

Why Choose LabEquip

Laboratory technicians and school preparation rooms order screw-cap bottles when a solution is made once and used for weeks. LabEquip lists this bottle in its chemistry lab equipment range together with stoppered patterns such as the narrow mouth reagent bottle; tell us the capacities and quantities you need through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I choose a screw cap instead of a glass stopper?

Choose a screw cap when the bottle will be carried, shaken or stored for long periods, or when the contents are alkaline. A ground-glass stopper can seize on alkali solutions and can fall out if the bottle tips, whereas a threaded cap stays in place and opens without force.

Can a screw-cap reagent bottle be autoclaved?

Only if both the bottle and the cap are rated for steam sterilisation, which should be checked for the version supplied. When autoclaving, loosen the cap so pressure can escape, and tighten it only after the bottle has cooled.

Is the cap suitable for organic solvents?

Cap plastics differ. Polypropylene caps handle most aqueous acids and alkalis but may swell or soften over time with some solvents, such as chlorinated or aromatic liquids. For solvent storage, a cap with a chemically resistant liner is the usual choice.

How full should a stock solution bottle be filled?

Leave some headspace, roughly a tenth of the volume, so the liquid can expand with temperature and the bottle can be shaken to mix. Completely full bottles are harder to pour from and more likely to leak at the thread.

Why does a sodium hydroxide solution change on storage?

It slowly absorbs carbon dioxide from air, forming sodium carbonate and lowering its strength. A well-closed screw cap reduces this, but the solution should still be restandardised before accurate titrations if it has been stored for some time.

How do I label a stock solution properly?

Write the name of the reagent, its concentration, the date it was made, the preparer’s initials and any hazard warning. Place the label on the side opposite the one you pour from, so drips do not wash it off.

Last Updated: September 2026

Gas Washing Bottle

Quick Answer: A gas washing bottle is a glass bottle with a head carrying two tubes: a long inlet that releases gas beneath a liquid and a short outlet above it. Bubbling a gas through the liquid dries it, removes impurities or tests it, as when chlorine is dried with concentrated sulfuric acid.

How Gas Washing Works

Gas enters through the long inlet tube, leaves its tip under the liquid and rises as bubbles. Whatever the liquid absorbs or reacts with stays behind, and the cleaned gas gathers in the head space and leaves by the short outlet tube. Contact improves with smaller bubbles and a slower flow, which is why some designs end the inlet in a sintered glass disc. The same apparatus is often called a Drechsel bottle.

Connecting it the right way round matters more than anything else. If gas is fed into the short tube, pressure builds above the liquid and drives it up the long tube and into the next piece of apparatus, which is dangerous when the liquid is concentrated sulfuric acid. Mark the inlet before assembly, and place an empty bottle as a trap wherever suck-back is possible.

Several bottles are often run in series, for example water first to remove hydrogen chloride from chlorine, then concentrated sulfuric acid to dry it. Upstream, a Woulf bottle can serve as the gas generator, and downstream a gas jar with ground flange collects the washed gas.

Applications

Drying chlorine, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide or oxygen by passing them through concentrated sulfuric acid
Removing hydrogen chloride from chlorine with water, or from carbon dioxide with sodium hydrogencarbonate solution
Testing for carbon dioxide by bubbling a gas stream through limewater in respiration or combustion experiments
Absorbing an acidic exit gas in sodium hydroxide solution so it does not escape into the room
Serving, empty, as a safety trap that catches liquid drawn back from a later vessel

Specifications

Design	Bottle with a head carrying a long inlet tube and a short outlet tube
Inlet tip	Not stated in the product name (plain tube or sintered disc)
Material	Glass; glass type not stated in the product name
Capacity and joint size	Confirm at enquiry
Connects to	Rubber or silicone tubing from a gas generator; outlet to a gas jar, a further washing stage or an absorber

Care & Handling

Clamp the bottle to a retort stand: filled with sulfuric acid it is heavy, and a tug on the tubing can topple it.
If the head fits on a ground joint, grease it lightly and secure it so gas pressure cannot lift it.
Dispose of spent concentrated sulfuric acid by adding it slowly to a large volume of water, never the reverse, and follow your laboratory waste procedure.
Back-flush a sintered inlet with water after use so salts do not dry in the pores.

Why Choose LabEquip

Gas washing bottles are bought mainly by school and college chemistry departments for gas-preparation practicals, and by laboratories that need to dry or scrub a gas stream. LabEquip lists this item in its Lab Glassware category; state the capacity and inlet type you need via the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which tube is the inlet on a gas washing bottle?

The inlet is the long tube reaching almost to the bottom, so incoming gas has to bubble up through the liquid. The outlet is the short tube ending in the head space. Connected the wrong way round, gas pressure pushes the washing liquid out through the long tube into the next piece of apparatus.

What liquid should go in the bottle?

It depends on the job: concentrated sulfuric acid to dry gases such as chlorine, oxygen or carbon dioxide; water to absorb hydrogen chloride carried over with chlorine; sodium hydrogencarbonate solution to remove hydrogen chloride from carbon dioxide; and limewater to test for carbon dioxide.

Which gases should not be dried with concentrated sulfuric acid?

Ammonia, because it is a base and reacts with the acid, and hydrogen sulfide, which the acid oxidises. Ammonia is usually dried over quicklime (calcium oxide) in a drying tower instead.

How full should the bottle be?

Add enough liquid to cover the end of the inlet tube by a few centimetres and leave generous head space above it. Overfilling lets bubbles carry liquid into the outlet, while too little liquid lets gas pass through with poor contact.

What is suck-back and how is it prevented?

If gas generation slows or a heated flask cools, the pressure falls and liquid can be drawn backwards into the generator, sometimes violently when concentrated acid meets water. Fit an empty trap bottle between generator and washer, and disconnect the delivery tube before removing the heat.

Does it matter whether the inlet has a sintered disc?

Yes. A sintered (fritted) inlet breaks the gas into fine bubbles and improves contact, but it can clog with precipitate and needs back-flushing, while a plain tube is easier to clean. The product name does not say which this listing has, so mention your preference when you enquire.

Last Updated: September 2026

Dropping Bottle (Clear Glass)

Quick Answer: A clear glass dropping bottle is a small reagent bottle in colourless glass with a closure that releases liquid drop by drop. It is chosen for indicators and test solutions that are stable in light, where seeing the level and colour of the contents is useful.

Why Clear Glass Rather Than Amber

Colourless glass is the sensible choice whenever light does no harm to the contents. A technician can see how much reagent remains, whether an indicator still has its expected colour, and whether sediment, crystals or mould have appeared, all without opening the bottle. On a class reagent shelf that is refilled between lessons, that visibility saves time and catches a spoiled solution before it reaches students.

Amber (brown) glass exists to filter out the light that breaks down photosensitive reagents. Silver nitrate darkens and permanganate slowly decomposes in bright light, so those belong in amber. Phenolphthalein, methyl orange, universal indicator, dilute acids and most salt solutions are well suited to clear glass.

Note that “clear glass” in the product name describes colour, not composition, so it should not be read as borosilicate. For room-temperature dispensing that makes little difference, but the bottle is not meant for heating. The general dropping bottle listing covers buyers who have not yet settled on colour, and the glass dropper bottle is an alternative style for similar reagents.

Applications

Titration indicators placed at each student bench, where the colour doubles as a quick identity check
Universal indicator for estimating pH against a printed colour chart
Bromothymol blue for showing carbon dioxide uptake or release by aquatic plants and small animals
Dilute hydrochloric acid for the carbonate test and similar light-stable test solutions

Specifications

Glass	Clear (colourless) glass; composition not stated
Closure	Drop-dispensing closure; style not stated in the product name
Light protection	None: use amber glass for light-sensitive reagents
Capacity	Confirm at enquiry
Service	Room-temperature storage and dispensing

Care & Handling

Keep clear bottles away from sunny windowsills: even light-stable solutions evaporate faster when warm, and alcoholic indicator solutions lose solvent.
A pink tinge in phenolphthalein or an unexpected shift in universal indicator usually means contamination; empty, wash and refill rather than topping up.
Clean the inside with a small bottle brush and rinse with distilled water, and clean the pipette or stopper separately.

Why Choose LabEquip

Colourless dropping bottles are a routine order for school and college chemistry and biology departments setting up bench reagent sets. LabEquip lists them in its Lab Glassware category; mention the capacity and closure you prefer on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose clear glass rather than amber for a reagent bottle?

Clear glass shows the liquid level, the colour of the solution and any cloudiness, sediment or mould at a glance, so you can see when a reagent needs replacing. Amber glass is needed only when light degrades the contents.

Which indicators work well in clear bottles?

Phenolphthalein, methyl orange, universal indicator, bromothymol blue and litmus solution are all light-stable enough for clear glass, and their colour helps confirm which bottle is which. Keep them closed, as indicator solutions made up in ethanol lose solvent by evaporation.

Is clear glass the same as borosilicate glass?

No. “Clear” describes the colour, not the composition, and clear bottles may be soda-lime or borosilicate glass. For room-temperature dispensing the difference matters little, but do not heat or autoclave the bottle unless its glass and closure are rated for it.

How do I remove indicator stains from the bottle?

Rinse first with the solvent the indicator was made in, often ethanol, then wash with warm water and laboratory detergent. A dilute acid rinse removes alkaline residues. Clean the dropper separately and replace any rubber teat that has become sticky or cracked.

How should a set of reagent bottles be labelled?

Mark every bottle with the reagent name, concentration, date prepared and any hazard symbol, placed where hands will not rub it away. Clear glass lets you see the colour, but the label still matters, because many test solutions are colourless and look identical.

How do I dispense one drop at a time?

Hold the bottle or pipette vertically with the tip just above the receiving vessel, then squeeze the teat or tilt the bottle slowly so drops form and fall one by one. A drop that forms on the side of a wet tip is larger than usual, so keep the outside of the tip clean and dry.

Last Updated: September 2026

Dropping Bottle

Quick Answer: A dropping bottle is a small reagent bottle whose closure releases liquid one drop at a time. It is used to dispense indicators, stains and test reagents at the bench without measuring each portion with a pipette.

Two Common Dispensing Designs

Laboratory catalogues use the name for two different closures. In the first, a glass pipette passes through a cap or stopper and carries a rubber teat; squeezing the teat draws liquid up and releasing it lets drops fall. In the second, a ground-glass dropping stopper has a groove along one side. Turning the stopper lines the groove up with a matching channel in the neck, so tilting the bottle lets drops run out, and a further turn closes it again.

Each suits different reagents. A teat pipette is quick for classroom use and is the safer choice for alkalis, which can cement a ground-glass stopper in place. A ground dropping stopper avoids rubber, which organic solvents swell and iodine or strong oxidising solutions slowly degrade. The product name of this listing does not say which closure it uses, or whether the glass is clear or amber, so state your preference when you enquire. If colourless glass is what you need, the clear glass version is listed separately, and a loose laboratory dropper can replace a lost or perished pipette.

Typical Uses on the Reagent Shelf

Acid-base indicators such as phenolphthalein and methyl orange, added a few drops at a time before a titration
Qualitative test reagents: silver nitrate for halides, barium chloride for sulfates, sodium hydroxide for metal-ion precipitates
Biology food tests, for example iodine solution for starch and biuret reagent for protein
Stains such as methylene blue when preparing cheek-cell or onion-peel slides
Microscale chemistry, where a whole experiment runs on a few drops in a spotting tile

Specifications

Item	Small reagent bottle with a drop-dispensing closure
Closure	Not stated in the product name (teat pipette or ground dropping stopper)
Glass colour	Not stated (clear or amber)
Capacity	Confirm at enquiry
Service	Room-temperature storage and dispensing of reagents

Care & Handling

Label each bottle with the reagent name, concentration and date of preparation.
Keep every pipette or stopper with its own bottle: a swapped closure carries one reagent into another, and a ground stopper from a different bottle may not seal.
Replace rubber teats that turn sticky, hard or cracked.
Keep the set in a tray on the reagent shelf, out of direct sunlight.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools and colleges usually order these bottles in sets to stock bench reagent shelves for chemistry and biology practicals. LabEquip lists them in its Lab Glassware category; tell LabEquip the quantity, closure style and colour you need through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What closures do dropping bottles use?

Two designs are common. One has a glass pipette with a rubber teat that is squeezed to draw up and release drops. The other has a grooved ground-glass stopper; turning it lines the groove up with a channel in the neck, and tilting the bottle then releases drops.

Which reagents need an amber bottle?

Solutions that break down in light, such as silver nitrate, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide and iodine solutions, are usually kept in amber (brown) glass. Most acid-base indicators, salt solutions and dilute acids are stable in clear glass, which shows the level and any contamination.

Can sodium hydroxide solution be kept in a dropping bottle?

Dilute solutions can, but not under a ground-glass stopper, because alkali attacks the glass surfaces in the joint and can seize the stopper. Use a closure with a rubber teat or a plastic cap, and keep it closed, since sodium hydroxide also absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.

How do I avoid contaminating the reagent?

Hold the dropper tip just above the mouth of the test tube rather than inside it, never lay the pipette on the bench, and return it only to its own bottle. Do not pour unused reagent back into the bottle.

How many drops make one millilitre?

There is no fixed number. Drop size changes with the tip diameter, the angle the bottle is held at, and the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid, so drops are not a unit of volume. Use drops for indicators and test reagents, and a pipette or burette when the volume matters.

What should I specify when ordering?

The product name does not give capacity, colour or closure type, so state all three when you enquire. For a bench reagent set, small bottles are typical, with amber glass reserved for light-sensitive solutions and teat closures preferred for alkalis.

Last Updated: September 2026

Canada Balsam Bottle

Quick Answer: The Canada Balsam Bottle is a small glass bottle for storing Canada balsam, the resin mountant used to seal coverslips on permanent microscope slides. A Canada balsam bottle keeps the balsam free of dust and slows the loss of solvent, so it stays at a usable thickness.

Canada Balsam and Permanent Slides

Canada balsam is a natural resin from the balsam fir, dissolved in xylene for use as a mounting medium. Its refractive index is close to that of glass, so stained tissue mounted in it looks clear under the microscope. In the classic method, a stained section is dehydrated through increasing strengths of alcohol, cleared in xylene, and a drop of balsam is placed on it before the coverslip is lowered at an angle to push out air. As the solvent evaporates the balsam hardens, sealing the slide for years.

Balsam’s weakness is how easily it thickens. Left open, the solvent evaporates and the resin turns stiff and stringy, and any dust that falls in ends up on slides. A dedicated bottle solves both problems. Balsam bottles are commonly made with a cover or cap over the neck, and many carry a glass rod through the stopper so a drop can be lifted out and applied directly. The listing does not describe the design of this bottle, so check whether a rod and cap are included.

Synthetic mountants such as DPX have replaced balsam in many labs because they yellow less, but the same kind of bottle suits them. Finished slides can be compared with those in the prepared slides range; sections are often stained in a Coplin jar before mounting.

Using and Cleaning the Bottle

Keep the Canada balsam bottle closed between uses so the solvent does not evaporate and dust stays out.
If the balsam becomes too thick, thin it with a little xylene in a fume hood rather than warming it over a flame.
Wipe the rod and neck with a xylene-dampened tissue before closing, so the stopper does not stick.
Work with xylene-based mountants in a ventilated area, wearing gloves, and keep them away from flames.

Specifications

Item	Bottle for Canada balsam or other resin mountants
Purpose	Dust-free storage and application of mounting medium
Common design features	Cap over the neck; glass rod for applying drops
Used in	Permanent slide preparation in histology and botany
Capacity, rod and cap details	Confirm at enquiry

Applications

Mounting stained plant and animal sections as permanent slides in college practicals
Making whole mounts of small organisms and insect parts
Holding DPX or other synthetic mountants at the slide-making bench
Mounting thin sections of rocks and minerals in geology labs

Why Choose LabEquip

Botany, zoology and histology departments that still prepare their own permanent slides need a dedicated bottle at the mounting bench. LabEquip lists it in Biology Lab Products; ask about the design and size through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Canada balsam used for?

It is a natural resin mountant used to fix a coverslip over a stained specimen on a microscope slide. Its refractive index is close to glass, so it keeps the specimen clear and preserves the slide for years.

Why does balsam need its own bottle?

Balsam thickens quickly as its solvent evaporates and collects dust easily. A covered bottle with an applicator rod keeps it clean and fluid and lets you apply a single drop without spills.

How do I apply balsam when mounting a coverslip?

Place one drop on the cleared specimen, touch one edge of the coverslip to the slide and lower it slowly so the balsam spreads without trapping air bubbles.

What should I do if the balsam has become too thick?

Stir in a small amount of xylene until it flows again, working in a fume hood. Do not heat it over a flame, because the solvent is flammable.

Can the bottle be used for DPX?

Yes, it suits DPX and other resin mountants. Keep one bottle for each mountant, label it clearly and do not mix different media.

How do I clean the bottle?

Dissolve resin residues with a little xylene in a fume hood, then wash with detergent and water and dry fully before refilling. Dispose of solvent waste according to your laboratory’s rules.

Last Updated: September 2026

B.O.D Bottles

Quick Answer: B.O.D Bottles are glass bottles used in the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) test, which measures how much dissolved oxygen microbes use while breaking down organic matter in water. BOD bottles have a stopper shaped to shut out air, so the oxygen in the sample can be measured before and after incubation.

How BOD Bottles Are Used

In a BOD test, a water sample, diluted if necessary with aerated dilution water, is filled into two or more bottles right to the top so that no air bubble is trapped. The stopper, which is usually tapered to a point, pushes out excess liquid as it is inserted. Dissolved oxygen is measured in one bottle straight away and in another after incubation in the dark, commonly for five days at 20 °C. The difference, corrected for dilution, is the BOD, a standard indicator of organic pollution in rivers, lakes and sewage.

The flared lip around the neck holds a little water above the stopper, a water seal that stops air entering during incubation; some bottles also take a plastic cap over it. Oxygen is read either by Winkler titration, which fixes the oxygen as a precipitate inside the same bottle, or with a dissolved oxygen meter using a probe made to fit the neck.

Biology students also use these bottles for the light and dark bottle method. Pond water is sealed in a clear bottle and a blackened one and suspended in the pond: oxygen falls in the dark bottle through respiration only, and changes in the light bottle through photosynthesis and respiration together, so gross and net primary productivity can be calculated. A 300 ml BOD bottle is listed separately; the capacity of these bottles is not stated.

Applications

BOD testing of river, lake, well and wastewater samples in environmental science labs
Monitoring treatment plant performance in college and municipal practicals
Light and dark bottle measurement of primary productivity in ecology fieldwork
Winkler dissolved oxygen practicals in chemistry and biology classes

Cleaning and Handling

Keep each stopper with its own bottle, because a ground stopper may not seal well in another bottle; number both with a marker that survives washing.
Clean the bottles thoroughly and rinse them well; traces of detergent or organic matter use up oxygen and raise results.
Store bottles with a strip of paper between stopper and neck so they do not seize.
Handle filled bottles by the body, not the stopper, when moving them to and from the incubator.

Specifications

Item	BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) incubation bottles
Stopper	Designed to exclude air when inserted
Neck	Flared lip for a water seal
Main methods	BOD test; light and dark bottle productivity studies
Capacity and stopper style	Confirm at enquiry

Why Choose LabEquip

Environmental science departments, public health labs and ecology teachers buy these bottles in sets, because every sample needs at least two. LabEquip lists them in Biology Lab Products; send the quantity and capacity you require through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do BOD bottles have a pointed stopper?

The tapered tip pushes excess sample out as it is inserted, so no air bubble is trapped under the stopper. Any trapped air would add oxygen and spoil the measurement.

What is the flared lip for?

It holds a small amount of water above the stopper as a water seal, which stops air from entering the bottle during incubation.

How long are samples incubated in a BOD test?

The common standard is five days in the dark at 20 °C, reported as BOD5. The dark prevents algae in the sample from producing oxygen by photosynthesis.

What is the light and dark bottle method?

Water from a pond or lake is sealed in a clear bottle and a darkened bottle and incubated in the water body. Oxygen change in the dark bottle shows respiration, and in the light bottle the net result of photosynthesis and respiration, giving primary productivity.

How should the bottles be cleaned?

Wash with laboratory detergent, rinse thoroughly with tap water and then with distilled water. Any residue of detergent or organic matter consumes oxygen and gives falsely high BOD readings.

What capacity are these bottles?

BOD bottles are commonly made in 300 mL, the volume used in many standard methods, but other sizes exist and this listing does not state the capacity, so confirm it when you enquire.

Last Updated: September 2026

Aspirator Bottles, Screw Cap with Socket Outlet

Quick Answer: The Aspirator Bottles, Screw Cap with Socket Outlet are reservoir bottles with a screw cap on top and a ground-glass socket at the bottom outlet. An aspirator bottle with socket outlet accepts a stopcock with a matching ground cone, so liquid is dispensed straight from a tap on the bottle.

What a Socket Outlet Adds

A socket outlet is a ground-glass female joint formed at the base of the bottle. It is made to accept a stopcock, or tap, whose outlet ends in a matching male cone. Because the ground surfaces fit closely, the tap seals without rubber bungs or tubing, and it can be removed for cleaning or replaced if it breaks. Joint sizes are standardised, so the size of the socket must match the cone on the tap.

This design gives cleaner, more controlled dispensing than a tubulation with tubing. There is no rubber to perish or taint the contents, the liquid meets only glass and the tap key, and a turn of the key starts or stops the flow directly over a beaker or flask. The screw cap on top keeps the reservoir closed between uses; loosen it or use a vented cap when dispensing so air can replace the liquid.

The listing does not say whether a stopcock is supplied, what joint size is used, or the capacity and glass type. The aspirator bottle with tubulation is the simpler alternative when tubing is preferred.

Specifications

Item	Aspirator bottle with screw cap and socket outlet
Outlet	Ground-glass socket for a stopcock with matching cone
Top closure	Screw cap
Typical uses	Tap dispensing of distilled water and reagents
Joint size, stopcock, capacity and glass	Confirm at enquiry

Looking After the Ground Joint

Apply a thin film of suitable grease to a glass stopcock cone, or use a PTFE key that needs none, so the joint neither leaks nor seizes.
Secure the stopcock with a joint clip if it tends to work loose.
Remove the tap before washing the aspirator bottle with socket outlet, and never leave alkaline solutions standing in a ground joint, as they can make it stick.
Store the bottle with the tap removed or loosened, with a strip of paper in the joint.

Applications

Bench reservoirs of distilled water dispensed directly by tap into beakers and flasks
Stock solutions for titration benches and staining stations where rubber contact is undesirable
Reagent supply in teaching labs where students dispense their own aliquots
Water supply for rinsing electrodes and glassware

Why Choose LabEquip

Laboratories that dispense water or reagents many times a day prefer a tap fitted directly to the bottle, and a ground socket makes that tap replaceable. LabEquip lists these bottles in Biology Lab Products; send the joint size and capacity you need through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a socket outlet on an aspirator bottle?

It is a ground-glass female joint at the bottom outlet. A stopcock with a matching ground male cone fits into it, forming a seal without rubber bungs or tubing.

How is a socket outlet better than a tubulation?

A ground socket gives a leak-tight, removable glass connection and avoids rubber tubing that can perish or contaminate the contents. A tubulation is cheaper and more flexible where liquid must be led away through tubing.

Does the stopcock need grease?

A glass key usually needs a thin film of stopcock grease to seal and turn smoothly. PTFE keys are normally used without grease.

Why has the stopcock seized in the socket?

Alkaline solutions and dried residues can bond ground glass surfaces together. Soak the joint in warm water, tap it gently with a piece of wood, and in future remove or loosen the tap before storage.

Can a different tap be fitted?

Yes, if its cone matches the socket size. Ground joints are made in standard sizes, so check the size marked on the socket before buying a replacement.

Is a stopcock supplied with the bottle?

Some bottles are sold with a matching stopcock and others as the bottle only. The listing does not say which applies, so confirm it when you enquire.

Last Updated: September 2026

Aspirator Bottle (Clear Glass)

Quick Answer: The Aspirator Bottle (Clear Glass) is a transparent glass bottle with an outlet near the base for drawing off liquid. A clear glass aspirator bottle lets users see how much liquid is left and whether it is still clean, which opaque or amber bottles hide.

Why Clear Glass for a Reservoir

Stored liquids change over time, and in a transparent bottle those changes are visible. Distilled water left standing in light can develop a green film of algae or cloudy bacterial growth, solutions may form crystals or sediment, and a dispensing reservoir can run low without warning. With clear walls, the level, colour and clarity can be checked at a glance before any liquid is used.

Glass also resists most aqueous reagents and does not leach plasticisers, so it suits water for sensitive work such as staining, where residues could spoil results. The trade-off is light: clear glass protects nothing from it, so light-sensitive reagents belong in amber bottles, and water reservoirs should be kept away from windows to slow algal growth. The listing says ‘clear glass’ without stating whether it is borosilicate or soda-lime glass, which matters mainly for how the bottle tolerates hot liquids and repeated sterilisation.

Capacity and the outlet fitting are also not given. The general aspirator bottle page explains the respiration experiments these bottles are used for.

Keeping the Bottle Clear

Empty, rinse and refill the clear glass aspirator bottle regularly rather than topping up old water.
Place it away from windows and strong light to slow algal growth in stored water.
Remove film or deposits with a bottle brush and a laboratory detergent, then rinse with distilled water.
Check the glass for chips around the outlet before refilling.

Applications

Reservoir of distilled water for rinsing slides and glassware
Visible supply of saline or buffer for teaching practicals
Demonstration set-ups where students must watch the water level fall, such as respiration or gas displacement experiments
Short-term storage of prepared solutions that must be checked for sediment before use

Specifications

Item	Aspirator bottle, clear glass
Wall	Transparent, so level and clarity are visible
Outlet	Near the base, for a tap or tubing
Suited to	Water and solutions that are not light-sensitive
Glass type, capacity and outlet fitting	Confirm at enquiry

Why Choose LabEquip

Teaching labs and small research labs that want to see their stored water at a glance choose clear glass over plastic or amber. LabEquip lists this bottle in Biology Lab Products; ask about glass type and capacity through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose clear glass over amber or plastic for this bottle?

Clear glass shows the liquid level and any cloudiness, growth or sediment at a glance, and glass does not leach plasticisers. Choose amber only when the contents are sensitive to light.

Why does green growth appear in stored distilled water?

Light and a few airborne cells are enough for algae to grow slowly, even in distilled water. Keeping the bottle away from light and changing the water regularly prevents it.

Can hot liquids be poured into the bottle?

That depends on the glass. Borosilicate glass tolerates temperature changes much better than soda-lime glass, and the listing does not say which is used, so fill it only with liquids at room temperature unless the rating is known.

How do I clean deposits from the inside?

Use a long bottle brush with laboratory detergent, rinse several times with tap water and finish with distilled water. Mineral scale can be loosened with a dilute acid rinse followed by thorough rinsing.

Is it suitable for light-sensitive reagents?

No. Clear glass lets through the light that degrades reagents such as silver nitrate and some vitamin and dye solutions. Store those in amber bottles.

What size is the bottle?

Aspirator bottles are made in several capacities and the listing does not state this one, so confirm the size and outlet fitting when you enquire.

Last Updated: September 2026