problem with 70% ethanol - (Oct/14/2008 )
Dear All,
We prepare 70% ethanol for sterilization purpose in our cell culture lab and some thing funny has been happening for some time. This 70% ethanol is leaving white traces all over. When i spray it on t75 flasks, or on the gloves or when droplets fall on the floor, it leaves white marks once the ethanol dries up..
We prepare it in lab by using 99.9% ethanol(merck) and dilute with milliQ water. I am pretty sure that am making 70% dilution and not any thing else.
We also tried changing the brand of our gloves and ethanol but the problem remains. Did any one out here face a similar problem??
I would be very grateful if you can share your experiences here. Thank u 
are you maybe using powdered gloves?
No, not really. We are using VWR Powder free latex examination gloves....But thanks for dropping in your question........
We prepare 70% ethanol for sterilization purpose in our cell culture lab and some thing funny has been happening for some time. This 70% ethanol is leaving white traces all over. When i spray it on t75 flasks, or on the gloves or when droplets fall on the floor, it leaves white marks once the ethanol dries up..
We prepare it in lab by using 99.9% ethanol(merck) and dilute with milliQ water. I am pretty sure that am making 70% dilution and not any thing else.
We also tried changing the brand of our gloves and ethanol but the problem remains. Did any one out here face a similar problem??
I would be very grateful if you can share your experiences here. Thank u
it seems to contain some impurities; do you use plastic bottles which are not suitable for organic solvents such as 70% ethanol?
We prepare 70% ethanol for sterilization purpose in our cell culture lab and some thing funny has been happening for some time. This 70% ethanol is leaving white traces all over. When i spray it on t75 flasks, or on the gloves or when droplets fall on the floor, it leaves white marks once the ethanol dries up..
We prepare it in lab by using 99.9% ethanol(merck) and dilute with milliQ water. I am pretty sure that am making 70% dilution and not any thing else.
We also tried changing the brand of our gloves and ethanol but the problem remains. Did any one out here face a similar problem??
I would be very grateful if you can share your experiences here. Thank u
it seems to contain some impurities; do you use plastic bottles which are not suitable for organic solvents such as 70% ethanol?
Wow, thats a interesting point. I will check it and get back. Thanks a ton !!!!
I see the same white marks, but only in places where I've touched things with my latex gloves after spraying them with ethanol. Are you using Nitrile or Latex gloves?
We are using Latex gloves...
we use latex glove too...
but we never have such problem.
what kind of ethanol you purchase?
maybe some impurities contained inside ethanol that react with your glove.
why not change another brand (or borrow from next door) and see?