Illinois Administrative Code › Title 77 - PUBLIC HEALTH › Part 465 - CERTIFICATION AND OPERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORIES › Subpart B - MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SAMPLES › Section 465.340 - Laboratory Glassware, Plastic Ware and Metal Utensils

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) Except for disposable plastic ware, items
				shall be resistant to effects of corrosion, high temperature, and vigorous
				cleaning operations. Metal utensils made of stainless steel are preferred.
				Plastic items shall be of inert, non-toxic material and shall retain accurate
				graduations or calibration marks after repeated autoclaving. Glassware that is
				used for purposes that may subject it to damage from heat or chemicals shall be
				of borosilicate glass. All glassware shall be free of chips, cracks, or
				excessive etching.
b) Graduated
				cylinders for measurement of sample volumes and precalibrated sample containers
				shall have a tolerance of 2.5 % or less.
c) Media-preparation utensils shall be of
				borosilicate glass or stainless steel, and shall be clean and free from foreign
				residues or dried medium.
d)
				Micropipettors (also referred to as Mechanical Pipettors or Pipettors) shall
				meet the specifications set forth in "Standard Methods for the Examination of
				Water and Wastewater." Pipets delivering volumes of 10 mL or less shall be
				accurate to within a 2.5% tolerance. Micropipettors shall be fixed volume and
				calibrated. Micropipettors shall be used with tips that are sterile. Containers
				for glass pipets shall be of either stainless steel or aluminum. Opened
				packages of sterile disposable pipets shall be securely resealed between uses.
				A pipet aid shall be used when using pipets; mouth pipetting is prohibited. The
				pipet shall be clean and dry. Pipet aids used to pipet outside of the certified
				water microbiology testing laboratory shall not be used.
e) Culture dishes shall be sterile and shall
				be of the tight-lid or loose-lid plastic or loose-lid glass type. In addition,
				culture dishes shall be of 100 mm x 15 mm (for Plate Count), 50mm x 12 mm, 60
				mm x 15 mm, or other appropriate size (for membrane filter methods), and shall
				be clear, flat bottomed, and free from bubbles and scratches. To maintain
				sterility, containers for glass culture dishes shall be of aluminum or
				stainless steel, or glass culture dishes shall be wrapped in heavy aluminum
				foil or char-resistant paper. Open packages of sterile disposable culture
				dishes shall be securely resealed between uses. Loose-lid dishes shall be
				incubated in a tight-fitting container, e.g., a plastic vegetable crisper
				containing a moistened paper towel, to prevent dehydration of membrane filter
				and medium.
f) Culture tubes shall
				be of borosilicate glass or other corrosion-resistant glass, and shall be of
				sufficient size to contain culture medium, as well as the sample portions
				employed, without being more than three-fourths full. Culture tube closures
				shall be loose-fitting stainless steel, or plastic caps, or aluminum caps, or
				plastic screw caps with non-toxic liners. Cotton plugs and foam plugs shall not
				be used.
g) Dilution bottles shall
				be of borosilicate glass or other corrosion-resistant glass or autoclavable
				plastic and shall be free of chips and cracks at the lip. A graduation level
				shall be distinctly marked on the side of dilution bottles at 99 mL. Dilution
				bottle closures shall be plastic screw caps with leak-proof liners and shall
				not produce toxic substances during the sterilization process.
h) Sample bottles shall be sterile, of
				plastic or hard glass, and wide mouthed, and shall have a capacity of at least
				120 mL (4 oz.) to allow at least a 1-inch head space. Reusable sample bottle
				closures shall be glass stoppers or screw caps (metal or plastic), capable of
				withstanding repeated sterilization, with leak-proof liners, and shall not
				produce toxic substances during the sterilization process. Glass-stoppered
				bottle closures shall be covered with aluminum foil or char-resistant paper for
				sterilization. Metal caps with exposed bare metal on the inside shall not be
				used. Presterilized containers including bags, with or without a dechlorinating
				reagent, may be used.