What Exactly Does Amber Glass Do?
Posted on: 3 April 2019
Vials and other glass containers in catalogs have amber versions with all the same features as clear glass, and they generally cost the same as clear, too. If you're a new student in a lab and see these images of amber vials, you might not understand why that option is offered, especially because the amber color, if dark enough, can obscure the materials in the vials. The amber glass does have a specific purpose, however. If your lab deals with liquids that are photosensitive, you'll find out quickly just why you need the darker glass.
Protection Against UV Light and Resulting Degradation
Amber glass has one special property that clear glass doesn't have: the ability to protect what's inside the vial from UV light. Ultraviolet light can cause materials to degrade rather quickly, resulting in negative effects from losing potency as with essential oils to breaking down solutions to fading solid materials. If you're working with liquids that are photosensitive or that need to be protected from light, an amber vial is one of the best protective items you can get.
Dark Blue Doesn't Work as Well
You may also see cobalt glass that is dark blue. This does not offer the same amount of protection. While amber or dark brown glass blocks most UV light, blue doesn't block that much at all. Depending on the source you look at, it may block very little UV light. Cobalt glass looks very pretty in a windowsill, but as a protective vial for photosensitive materials, it's not that helpful unless you know the vial will be kept in a dark location and that the liquid inside will be used up quickly.
You'll Still Need a Mix of Clear and Colored Glass
When ordering 20ml headspace vials or glass in other sizes, you may now think that getting all amber glass is best. However, that's not necessarily true. You'll still need some clear vials so that you can see the liquids inside the vials as you perform measurements or experiments. One strategy you might consider is using amber for storage but decanting the liquids into clear vials for the actual experiment or procedure. Talk to the lab manager about that before making any purchases.
Amber glass is an essential tool for protecting liquids and other materials from UV light. Your lab should keep some on hand even if you're not currently dealing with photosensitive materials simply because you never know when you might suddenly need the amber glass.
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