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Page 18 of 25 SPEX SamplePrep LLC 9.24.07
6.32 Opening the Vials
To open a vial, slip the open end of the appropriate Extractor/Vial Opener over a threaded end-
plug, align the pegs in the end-plug with the slots in the Extractor, and turn the knob clockwise
until the end-plug is drawn out. If the end-plug is drawn out within a millimeter or two of the
end of the center cylinder and stops, rock the Extractor gently to dislodge the end plug. Always
be careful that the vial does not fall and spill its contents.
If the Extractor/Vial Opener jams with the end-plug part way out, let the vial warm up before
removing the end plug. Forcing out the end-plug can damage the Extractor or break the
polycarbonate center section. The best way to prevent the Extractor from jamming is to make
sure both the Extractor and the threaded end-plugs are dry and clean before you use them.
If the Extractor/Vial Opener jams when being threaded into a cold end plug, this is probably due
to water condensing on the extractor screw. The water freezes when it contacts a cold end plug.
If this happens, make a habit of wiping off the screw with a paper towel before each use. Note
that the end of the screw is tooled with an “X” cut to help remove any ice that forms on the end
plug, but this is not always effective. Chilled vials can also be opened easily and quickly with the
6814 Auto-Extractor (page 22), an optional motorized accessory for opening Small and Large
Freezer/Mill vials.
Rarely an end plug will stick in the vial when cold, even if the Extractor screw and end plug
threads are dry and clean. If this happens do not force the end plug out, as you may damage the
vial and/or the Extractor. First warm up the vial. The vial can be allowed to warm up gradually,
wrapped in several layers of cloth or paper towels, or a hair-dryer or running hot water can be
used to warm up the stuck end-plug more rapidly. Once the vial is warm, the stuck end plug can
be drawn out by hand or with a pair of pliers. When using pliers to extract an end-plug, rotate
the end-plug and pull gently, as if you were trying to unscrew a bottle-cap. Forcibly rocking the
end-plug from side to side can stress the polycarbonate tube and crack it.
Caution: pressure can develop inside a Freezer/Mill vial as it is warming. This is most likely
caused by some liquid nitrogen having been introduced into the vial when it was being loaded,
so try to avoid this. As pressure builds, an end plug can pop out and the sample can be lost. For
this reason we recommend handling vials with care when forcefully warming them, and
wrapping them in toweling if they are being warmed up gradually.
6.33 Emptying the Vials
As soon as an end plug is removed from a cold vial, empty the contents of the vial into a suitable
container: the quicker the better as condensation on a cold sample occurs rapidly. Often it is
helpful to tap the closed end of the vial to release the ground sample. Remember that the
impactor may slide out ahead of the contents or with them, and that the longer the sample is
exposed to air, the more water it will acquire from condensation. Samples which were tacky,
squishy, etc., at room temperature will also return to that state as they warm up, and may
agglomerate.