I would like to ask a little question?? - but very big problem for me.. T.T (Jun/17/2009 )

I worked my reseach about antimicrobial susceptibility testing..

So I used many many tubes with wrapping parafilm on the caps..

when I finished my work, I steriled (before washing) tubes and didn't remove parafilm on tubes..

Now my caps of tubes are covered with parafilm..

I would like to remove it...

what should I do??

please help me!!!



Tan"

ps.. I try to use detergent wash it, but it's difficult to wash..

If these are glass tubes, then chloroform will likely dissolve the parafilm. If they are plastic, the chloroform might also dissolve the tubes. A wash with a series of chloroform baths will remove most of the residue, I would think. I haven't tried this. Xylene, acetone, MEK might also work. Do this in a fume hood, of course.

start over

You can easily peel melted parafilm off glass tubes.....a lot of work, though.

Burn it off?

Don 't think so Homebrew. It will only char. Acetone or xylene would prob work - consider paraffin as the substance.

Good point.

Thanks in advance for your great answers..

but I would like to remove parafilm on plastic cap..

i'm not sure, plastic cap will resist to acetone, xylene and chloroform???

Polypropylene is resistant. Polystyrene, polyethylene, are not. You're the scientist, and have many of these. Do the experiment.