Conservation of chemicals
6 de November de 2023The shelf life of chemicals is a basic factor to consider in laboratories and industrial settings to ensure safe, accurate results in analytical and synthetic procedures. However, important questions arise regarding the stability and shelf life of these products once the containers have been opened and about the correct storage of chemicals.
One group of chemicals that generates the most doubts are volumetric solutions, as users are often worried about their stability once they are opened. However, it is important to understand that the shelf life of any chemical only applies to the period before opening the container. Once the packaging has been opened, the manufacturer can no longer guarantee or accurately determine how long the product will remain stable. This is because the manufacturer does not have any information about how the product will be stored and used once opened, nor how often it will be used. This applies to a wide range of chemicals and is an important consideration to bear in mind when working with them.
Shelf-life of reagents
The expiry date indicated on chemicals refers to the period from the date of manufacture to the moment the container is opened or until the expiry date is exceeded, whichever occurs first. Once the container has been opened, the expiry date is no longer applicable and cannot be guaranteed.
For Scharlau chemicals, the date of manufacture is a valuable piece of information that is indicated on each batch’s Certificate of Analysis, which can be downloaded from this section. As such, users can find out the age of the product and make informed decisions about its use and storage.
Once the expiry date has been exceeded for a Scharlau chemical, if a user decides to use a product beyond this date, then they do so at their own risk. This is why we recommend a thorough assessment of the chemical’s suitability for the intended use.
Although users are free to carry out their own tests to determine the suitability of an expired product, Scharlab assumes no liability for the use of products beyond the expiry date indicated on the official Certificate of Analysis. Safety and accuracy are paramount considerations when dealing with chemicals, and they should guide any decisions about the handling and usage of expired chemicals.
Storage temperature
Temperature can interfere with a product’s shelf life, which is why some products must be stored at temperatures other than ambient temperature. All of this information can be found on the product’s Safety Data Sheet. Ambient temperature is defined as ranging between 15 and 30°C.
For further information or to enquire about other products or services, please write to helpdesk@scharlab.com.
