title: Loss of preservative from a tuberculin solution in rubber stoppered vials fastened with different seals.
abstract: A tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) solution containing 0.3% phenol as a preservative was dispensed in glass vials closed with rubber stoppers fastened in three different ways, namely with Tear-off seals, Flip-off seals and partial seals. After various times of storage at 5 degrees C and 37 degrees C, the phenol content in the tuberculin solution was determined. It was found that the Flip-off seals allowed the phenol to escape at a faster rate than the Tear-off seals and that vials closed with partial seals showed the highest loss of phenol. Although these losses were much more pronounced at 37 degrees C than at 5 degrees C, the phenol content at the latter temperature was, over a period of three years, within the limits of acceptability for tuberculin products capped with Tear-off or Flip-off seals. A loss of phenol also occurred from tuberculin solution stored at -28 degrees C in vials capped with either Tear-off or partial seals. In addition to the Tear-off and Flip-off seals other seals such as the "controlled score' Flip-off seal and the Alcoa Steri-Twist cap were evaluated for their imperviousness to air. Except for the Alcoa Steri-Twist cap none of the seals we have investigated were air tight and hence entirely satisfactory to prevent losses of phenol by evaporation from tuberculin products.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D004349:Drug Packaging; D004356:Drug Storage; D019800:Phenol; D010636:Phenols; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D012408:Rubber; D012996:Solutions; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D012996:Solutions; D014373:Tuberculin; D019800:Phenol; D012408:Rubber