Yard Sale Find, 6L Erlenmeyer flask

I got this massive 6000ml Erlenmeyer flask from a yard sale this past weekend for $5. The guy said it had been used in a dark room, developing photos many years ago.

My question is do you think it would be safe to use for yeast starters after a PBW soak, StarSan bath and a vigorous boil. It looks pretty clean & has no obvious defects in the glass (other than some minor scratches on the bottom).

 

Personally I would clean it like crazy but I would use it. Not sure maybe someone has a more definitive answer.

 

Wash it REALLY well!!! Photography uses some pretty nasty chemicals. I don't thing glass will hold onto any, but be safe.

Maybe someone more familiar with glass and chemicals has better info than I do.

 

Ya, I plan to clean & sanitize this thing to a degree that I've never reached in three years of homebrewing.

 

Clean well, and obviously, boil water in it. Do you know what kind of glass it is?

 

All it says is "KIMAX"

 

Nice. It's definitely a quality flask then. Would cost well over $100 new.

Should be borosilicate (like Pyrex labware), and quality at that, so boiling won't be a problem.

 

Thanks emjay, I was defiantly curious about that

 

and i would also soak it for a week or more in large amount of water, just to make sure that if there is anything has time to escape. Grats on lucky find

 

Most photographic chemicals are quite water soluble. If you decide not to use it.. I'll make a deal with you.. I'll double your money and pay shipping.

 

I'm jealous! VERY nice!

 

Some photographic chemicals are quite toxic. Not all are water soluble either. Try getting preciptated fixer residue out of a bottle. Not gonna happen.

At the minimum, I would wash thoroughly with hot water and dish soap, then soak in a citric acid solution or a solution made from Bar Keeper's Friend (contains oxalic acid), then wash with soap and water again. Even at that, I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable using the flask for a starter without knowing what was mixed in it.

The old laboratory standard glassware cleaner that rinses out completely was a saturated solution of potassium dichromate in sulfuric acid. However, this cleaner is dangerous to mix and use. Both the dichromate and the sulfuric acid pose inhalation and contact risks. Not recommended unless you have lab training.

Alconox is a laboratory detergent that is very safe to use. That might be another option, although I'm not certain that it will be effective on darkroom chemical residue. You can get it on Amazon.

 

PBW and Saniclean/SanStar and you should be good to go.

 

You are fine. PBW, boiling water, rinse and repeat a few times. No need to bother with star san until you go to use it because SS won't do anything for cleaning the photo chemicals.

 

I have one of those- it's a terrarium that has housed the same population of plants for over 30 years. If I'm going to get a flask for brewing, it'll be something else. I couldn't bear to disrupt that little ecosystem under glass.

As far as really cleaning glass, there's a recipe in the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics that involves mixing concentrated sulfuric acid and potassium dichromate in an æqueous solution. This will clean anything. Anything. This includes the flesh from off your bones.

I list the link below, which details how to compound this solution, as well as the protective equipment necessary. Please note that this stuff will remove anything from glass, but has the potential to be extremely hazardous if you are not used to working with concentrated acids. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/MANUALS/ACIDGLAS.PDF

 

I personally wouldn't use the sulfuric acid potassium dichromate. Not worth the risk. Don't even know chemists that would use that anymore.

 

I use a 6-liter Pyrex Erlenmeyer flask.

Here's a pic I sent to a buddy, explaining the system. The Iodophor soaked cotton I use during the wort cool-down. It prevents any nasties from getting sucked in. It really doesn't need to be there during this part of the process.

My goal is agitation and aeration. It rocks!

 

Yes, and you will notice that I was VERY copious and redundant in my warnings, e.g., "This will clean anything. Anything. This includes the flesh from off your bones." I think that's explicit enough, although I've heard a few anecdotes in the forums that might make me doubt this.....

 

its glass it should be fine try vinager and salt should get any film off and boil again ITS GLASS it is fine

 

Crap. I forgot to mention that the really cool thing about the 6 liter flask is that one of those two-holed orange carboy caps fit like a charm on them. It got lost in the editing attempt!

 

That and it is also hex chrome- that would be its biggest danger. Majorly toxic.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I'm gonna hang on to it

 

Interesting for sure, but think I'm gonna take a pass on this. Thanks anyways though.

 

Thanks I suppose I'm gonna have to look at getting a quality stir plate as well now.

How do you boil in the flask? Double Boiler Method?

 

Darn.... my loss.. I guess I didn't twist hard enough...

 

No, double boiler would take forever, and wouldn't result in a full boil.

If you have a gas stove, you can heat it right over the flame.

 

I don't have a gas stove and personally wouldn't risk putting it on the electric burner coil so I place it on top of a cast iron tortilla griddle... they also make burner heat diffusers/tamers that you could use.

 

Wish I had a gas stove, but this looks like it should work nicely.

 

I had mentioned this in my previous post too. In fact, it is what I use to clean trays and glassware in my darkroom when they get really grungy. I didn't give the formula or process on purpose though. That document you linked to doesn't mention what concentration of sulfuric acid to use. No one should be messing with concentrated sulfuric acid at home. It is just too dangerous. I use battery acid from the auto parts store. It's about a 35% concentration, and it works fine to make a glassware cleaner with potassium dichromate.

 

Nice find! I am definitely jealous!

Your cleaning regimen should be more than sufficient. I am reminded about how relatively [not] thorough military decontamination after neurological chemical attack is... and a number of those enemy nerve agents are oily, caustic, and extremely deadly... Your plan for this flask will make it "right as rain" (and then some) - enjoy!

Thanks or posting! This gives me hope for great finds in the future!

 

This is a nice dodge- particularly as the sulfuric acid can be used straight, avoiding the mixing with water, which is where a lot of people unused to lab procedures get into trouble.

 

Hey rico, I'm not sure what you mean by "nice dodge". I'm not trying to dodge anything. The cleaner formula you posted is fine, but it is dangerous to mix an use. You are still mixing acid into water, you know, there is no avoidance of that. Check your formula again.

People should know what they are getting into. This glass cleaner is carcinogenic and corrosive. Here is an MSDS for a cleaner of this type: ACID - DICHROMATE CLEANING SOLUTION

I do something simpler. It is a weaker glass cleaner and less effective, but it's safer to mix and use than standard "chromic acid" cleaner. On the other hand, it's adequate for the types of contaminants left by darkroom chemicals, and it is easier to rinse out.

I mix 9.5 grams of potassium dichromate in a liter of water, then add 35 ml of battery acid (35% sulfuric acid), stirring constantly. If using concentrated sulfuric acid, use 12 ml. Always add acid to water. Wear nitrile gloves, eye protection, skin protection, lab apron, old clothes, and preferably a fume hood or mix outdoors.

Yes, you can use concentrated sulfuric acid, but greater precautions are necessary because the reaction with water is exothermic.

To be honest, the acid dichromate glass cleaner is dangerous to mix and use, carcinogenic, corrosive, contains hexavalent chromium, is bad for the enviroment if disposed of improperly, and most likely unnecessary for this application.