The Technical Vault
By SOSCleanroom
WHEATON 986568
20 mL
Borosilicate Glass
24-400 Thread
White Urea Cap
PE Disc Liner
28 x 61 mm Capped
Non-Sterile
Not Autoclavable
500/Case
WHEATON 986568: Technical Overview and Exact Configuration
WHEATON® 986568 is a 20 mL clear borosilicate glass liquid scintillation vial from DWK Life Sciences, supplied with a white urea 24-400 screw cap attached to the vial and a polyethylene disc liner. The manufacturer specifies 28 mm diameter, 57 mm height without cap, and 61 mm overall height including cap.
DWK describes its liquid scintillation glass-vial family as offering consistent, low background counts and high ultraviolet transmission. The exact 986568 configuration is identified as non-sterile and not autoclavable, with no marking spot. Each case contains 500 vials with the specified caps and liners.
The key selection features are the 24-400 screw thread and flat polyethylene disc liner. WHEATON 986548 uses the same named 20 mL glass, white urea cap, and PE disc liner but has a 22-400 thread. WHEATON 986562 uses 24-400 and a white urea cap but has a metal foil/cork liner instead.
Operations takeaway: Specify 986568, 20 mL clear borosilicate glass, 28 x 57 mm without cap / 28 x 61 mm capped, 24-400 white urea cap attached, polyethylene disc liner, 500/case. This SKU is non-sterile and not autoclavable. Confirm the complete glass/urea/PE-disc system is compatible with the intended sample and scintillation cocktail.
Exact-SKU Specifications for Purchasing, SOPs, and Receiving
- Manufacturer / brand: DWK Life Sciences / WHEATON®
- Catalog number: 986568
- Product type: Glass liquid scintillation vial with attached screw cap
- Nominal capacity: 20 mL
- Vial material: Clear borosilicate glass
- Glass family: Type I borosilicate glass tubing
- Vial outside diameter: 28 mm
- Vial height without cap: 57 mm
- Overall height with cap: 61 mm
- Neck and closure finish: 24-400
- Cap included: Yes, attached to vial
- Cap body material: Urea
- Cap color: White
- Cap liner: Polyethylene disc
- General liner material: LDPE, per DWK Closure Liner Guide
- Marking spot: No
- Supplied sterile: Non-sterile
- Autoclavable: Not autoclavable
- Scintillation background: Manufacturer-described low, consistent counts
- Optical characteristic: Manufacturer-described high UV transmission
- Primary application: Liquid scintillation counting
- Purchase unit: Case
- Manufacturer case quantity: 500
- Replacement-cap reference: WHEATON 240818, 24-400 white urea/PE disc; sold separately
- Calibrated volumetric accuracy: Not established
- Certified leakproof or vapor-tight rating: Not established
- Numerical cap-tightening torque: Not established
- Numerical background and UV-transmission data: Not established for this exact SKU
- Specific instrument compatibility: Must be verified
- Country of origin: Not verified
- Shipping weight / carton dimensions: Not verified
- Inner tray or subdivision count: Not confirmed from exact-SKU DWK product record
Specification boundary: The 20 mL capacity is nominal rather than a calibrated analytical volume. The 61 mm overall height includes the supplied cap. A 24-400 finish identifies the closure geometry but does not establish certified sealing performance.
Polyethylene Disc Liner: Construction, Uses, and Limitations
DWK identifies the liner on WHEATON 986568 as a polyethylene disc. Its general Closure Liner Guide lists a Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Disk manufactured from polyethylene and identifies distilled water, analytical standards, and reagents as example applications.
A PE disc is a flat liner configuration, distinguishable from a cone-shaped liner that forms contact at the inside diameter of a vial neck. The disc also differs from three-ply foamed PE, aluminum foil/pulp, and metal foil/cork configurations.
The closure's actual effectiveness depends on the condition of the glass neck, cap threads, disc liner, sample chemistry, temperature, and application procedure. DWK recommends testing closure liners for their intended use. The reviewed exact-SKU information does not publish a numerical leak rate, measured vapor-transmission rate, or universal solvent-compatibility rating for the completed 986568 system.
| Attribute |
Manufacturer-supported information |
| Exact liner |
Polyethylene disc |
| General material |
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) disc |
| Shape |
Disc style, not a cone or foam construction |
| General example applications |
Distilled water, analytical standards, reagents |
| Application guidance |
DWK recommends appropriate liner testing |
| Specific scintillation cocktail compatibility |
Not certified for all formulations |
| PTFE facing |
Not specified |
| Autoclave suitability |
Exact 986568 finished product is not autoclavable |
Material selection warning: PE disc is not PTFE-faced, and general suitability for water and analytical reagents is not proof of compatibility with every solvent. Qualify the complete vial and closure for the intended sample, cocktail, and storage conditions.
PE Disc vs. PE Cone, Foamed PE, and Foil-Backed Liners
Several WHEATON 20 mL scintillation-vial products share a glass material and similar dimensions but use different cap liners. These constructions have distinct manufacturer descriptions and should not be substituted solely because they contain polyethylene or metal foil.
| Liner |
Construction |
Technical distinction |
| Polyethylene disc |
LDPE disc |
986568 liner; general guidance for water, standards, reagents |
| Polyethylene cone |
LDPE wedge-style cone |
Contacts top and inside neck; cone-specific sealing description |
| Foamed polyethylene |
Foam core between solid LDPE layers |
Compressible foam; DWK warns of poor hydrocarbon-solvent resistance |
| Metal foil / pulp |
Aluminum foil bonded to pulp board |
General organic solvent resistance; not good for acids or alkalis |
| Metal foil / cork |
Manufacturer-designated foil/cork |
Different from foil/pulp; exact chemical ratings not established |
DWK's general Closure Liner Guide provides different descriptions for LDPE discs, PE cones, foamed PE, and foil/pulp. The properties of one liner should not be transferred to another construction. For instance, the cone's wedge-type contact and torque-retention description are not verified characteristics of the flat PE disc on 986568.
Substitution rule: Specify the exact liner type required by the analytical method. A matching thread finish does not establish equivalent chemical resistance, liner seating geometry, analytical cleanliness, or sealing performance.
24-400 vs. 22-400: WHEATON 986568 Compared with 986548
WHEATON 986568 uses a 24-400 thread finish. WHEATON 986548 uses 22-400. Both have a nominal 20 mL clear borosilicate glass vial and white urea cap with polyethylene disc liner.
DWK's closure guidance states that the thread finish of the cap and container must match. Although the two SKU configurations share a published 28 mm diameter and 61 mm capped height, those outside dimensions do not establish identical neck and cap engagement.
| Feature |
986568 |
986548 |
| Thread finish | 24-400 | 22-400 |
| Capacity | 20 mL | 20 mL |
| Vial material | Borosilicate glass | Borosilicate glass |
| Cap material | White urea | White urea |
| Liner | Polyethylene disc | Polyethylene disc |
| Capped dimensions | 28 x 61 mm | 28 x 61 mm |
| Case quantity | 500 | 500 |
Thread compatibility warning: A 22-400 cap is not a substitute for the 24-400 closure specified on WHEATON 986568. Check the complete manufacturer SKU when matching an existing vial or instrument-approved product.
Matching Replacement Screw Cap: WHEATON 240818
DWK separately identifies WHEATON 240818 as a 24-400 white urea screw cap with a polyethylene disc liner. This replacement cap has a solid-top cap style, is not autoclavable, and is offered separately in cases of 1,000 caps.
This cap-only SKU is useful when verifying the correct closure materials and thread finish. It should not be confused with WHEATON 240817, the corresponding 22-400 urea/PE-disc cap.
- Replacement-cap SKU: 240818
- Thread: 24-400
- Material: White urea
- Liner: Polyethylene disc
- Cap style: Solid top
- Autoclavable: No
- Separate purchase unit: Case of 1,000 caps
- Included with 986568 as additional spares: No; 986568 already includes its specified attached caps
The manufacturer-matched thread and named materials do not establish universal chemical compatibility, sealing performance, or a cap torque. Replacement and reuse procedures should follow laboratory requirements.
Liquid Scintillation Counting: Background, UV Transmission, and Method Controls
Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is an analytical technique used to measure appropriate radioactive samples. The sample is combined with a suitable scintillation cocktail, and energy deposited in the mixture generates light that the counting instrument detects.
The vial is an important part of the counting system. Its optical characteristics, background contribution, dimensions, sample composition, closure materials, and compatibility with the counter can influence measurement quality.
DWK describes the WHEATON glass scintillation-vial family as having consistent low background counts and high UV transmission. These are qualitative manufacturer claims. The current exact-SKU product record does not provide a numerical counting background rate or UV spectral transmission percentage.
- Background measurement: Use appropriate analytical blanks and instrument background checks.
- UV transmission: Manufacturer describes it as high but does not publish an exact 986568 percentage.
- Counting efficiency: Depends on the radionuclide, cocktail, sample matrix, counter, and validated procedure.
- Quench correction: Follow laboratory-specific instrument and method requirements.
- Vial geometry: Verify the accepted 28 mm diameter and 61 mm capped height.
- Working volume: Use method-defined sample and cocktail amounts rather than the nominal capacity.
- Quality controls: Apply standards, blanks, and instrument checks as specified by the laboratory.
Analytical limitation: WHEATON 986568 is a laboratory sample container, not a calibrated radiation-measuring device. It does not independently establish isotope-specific counting efficiency, minimum detectable activity, or an absolute background count rate.
Borosilicate Glass: Material Characteristics and Qualification
The exact WHEATON 986568 SKU specifies borosilicate glass. The broader WHEATON liquid scintillation vial family is described as manufactured from Type I borosilicate glass tubing, with material characteristics suitable for the intended scintillation-vial application.
Borosilicate glass offers useful general chemical durability for laboratory use. However, resistance is not universal. Hydrofluoric acid and certain strongly alkaline solutions can attack glass. For a completed 986568 vial, compatibility must also account for the white urea cap and polyethylene disc liner.
Historical WHEATON scintillation-vial literature discusses low-potassium borosilicate glass. Low potassium is relevant to low-background counting because naturally occurring potassium includes potassium-40. Historical family references should not be treated as a current lot-specific certificate, a numerical potassium assay, or a guaranteed background specification for 986568.
- Current SKU material: Borosilicate glass.
- Family manufacturing description: Type I borosilicate glass tubing.
- Historical material reference: Low-potassium WHEATON scintillation glass.
- Exact potassium concentration: Not established for current SKU or lot.
- Glass chemical compatibility: Verify for aggressive reagents.
- Lot-specific documentation: Request current manufacturer certificates when required.
- Thermal processing: The complete 986568 assembly is explicitly not autoclavable.
Chemical Compatibility: Glass, Urea Cap, and LDPE Disc
WHEATON 986568 contains three principal material components: a borosilicate glass vial, a white urea screw cap, and a polyethylene disc liner. Sample liquids and solvent vapors may expose these materials differently during preparation, measurement, and storage.
DWK's general liner guidance identifies LDPE discs for distilled water, analytical standards, and reagents. However, the actual scintillation cocktail may contain organic solvents, salts, surfactants, buffers, or other additives. The laboratory should assess the complete mixture rather than rely on an ingredient category alone.
| Exposure type |
Application qualification checkpoint |
| Distilled water / aqueous standards |
General LDPE disc use described by DWK; confirm full analytical requirements |
| Reagents and buffers |
Evaluate pH, concentration, exposure duration, and liner compatibility |
| Organic scintillation cocktails |
Check every solvent component against glass, urea, and LDPE |
| Hydrocarbon-based mixtures |
Do not assume compatibility without specific material data or testing |
| Volatile organic solvents |
Assess evaporation, solvent vapor contact, cap integrity, and containment |
| Strong acids / strong alkalis |
Evaluate glass, urea cap, and PE disc; some aggressive solutions attack glass |
| Trace-sensitive samples |
Check analytical blanks, potential extractables, recovery, and carryover |
| Cleaning solutions |
Confirm compatibility of cleaning chemicals with all assembly components |
The table is an application-evaluation framework, not a manufacturer-certified chemical compatibility chart for the finished 986568 vial. Consider concentration, temperature, contact duration, sample stability, and possible vapor exposure.
Chemical compatibility warning: A polyethylene disc liner is not automatically resistant to every organic solvent, and it does not have the chemical properties of PTFE. Review the actual sample and cocktail safety documentation and perform application testing when needed.
Vial Dimensions, 24-400 Closure, and Instrument Fit
DWK publishes separate uncapped and capped height values for WHEATON 986568. The 57 mm height is the vial without the screw cap, whereas 61 mm includes the supplied cap. The outside diameter is 28 mm.
| Specification |
Practical significance |
| 20 mL capacity | Nominal size classification; not a calibrated working fill |
| 28 mm diameter | Sample holder, rack, and carousel compatibility |
| 57 mm vial height | Glass container excluding screw cap |
| 61 mm total height | Overall capped assembly clearance |
| 24-400 finish | Requires matching closure; differs from 22-400 |
| No marking spot | Use an approved separate labeling or barcoding method |
A matching nominal capacity or outer vial size does not guarantee compatibility with every liquid scintillation counter. Check the instrument manufacturer's required glass-vial geometry, accepted cap profile, and sample-loading mechanism.
Related WHEATON Glass Liquid Scintillation Vial Configurations
DWK identifies multiple 20 mL glass scintillation-vial configurations. The following part numbers differ by liner, cap body, thread finish, or cap-packing arrangement. They are separate manufacturer catalog numbers, not automatically qualified substitutions.
| WHEATON SKU |
Cap / liner |
Thread |
Presentation |
| 986568 |
White urea / PE disc |
24-400 |
Attached |
| 986548 |
White urea / PE disc |
22-400 |
Attached |
| 986562 |
White urea / metal foil-cork |
24-400 |
Attached |
| 986561 |
White PP / metal foil-pulp |
24-400 |
Attached |
| 986560 |
White PP / foamed PE |
24-400 |
Attached |
| 986546 |
White urea / PE cone |
22-400 |
Attached |
| 986542 |
White urea / metal foil-cork |
22-400 |
Attached |
| 986590 |
White PP / foamed PE |
24-400 |
Caps packed separately |
| 986591 |
White PP / metal foil-pulp |
24-400 |
Caps packed separately |
The manufacturer's vial guide lists the glass configurations above at 20 mL nominal capacity and 500 units per case. WHEATON 986568 is specifically the 24-400 PE-disc configuration with caps attached.
Procurement distinction: 986548 is the 22-400 PE-disc version. 986562 changes the liner to foil/cork. 986560 and 986561 use polypropylene caps. Do not substitute these configurations without checking the exact laboratory requirement.
Non-Sterile and Not Autoclavable: Exact Manufacturer Restrictions
DWK explicitly lists WHEATON 986568 as non-sterile and not autoclavable. These exact-SKU designations apply to the complete vial-and-cap configuration and should not be overridden by general glassware sterilization guidance.
The assembly includes the white urea cap and PE disc liner in addition to the borosilicate glass vial. Even when the glass material has useful thermal resistance, that does not qualify the assembled product for steam sterilization.
- Supplied sterile: No; manufacturer explicitly lists non-sterile.
- Autoclavable: No; manufacturer explicitly lists not autoclavable.
- Validated steam cycle: Not established for WHEATON 986568.
- Other sterilization procedures: No validated exact-SKU process confirmed.
- Generic glass properties: Do not establish a processing temperature for the assembled vial.
- Sterile workflow requirements: Select a separately qualified product if needed.
Do not autoclave WHEATON 986568. The manufacturer specifies the finished product as not autoclavable. Do not assign an unsupported 121°C steam cycle or assume the cap and liner can withstand glassware sterilization conditions.
Closure Handling, Seal Integrity, and Vapor Control
The white urea 24-400 cap and polyethylene disc liner provide a manufacturer-specified closure configuration. Actual seal performance depends on proper thread engagement, the condition of the vial rim, liner integrity, cap handling, and the physical and chemical properties of the contents.
The current public product specifications do not establish a numerical cap-tightening torque, a certified leakproof seal, a vapor-tight rating, or a pressure-containment rating.
- Inspect the glass rim and screw threads for cracks, chips, or contamination.
- Check the urea cap and PE disc liner for damage or deformation.
- Use the correct 24-400 closure finish.
- Follow the approved laboratory capping procedure.
- Do not apply an invented cap-torque value.
- Evaluate evaporation and vapor exposure when using volatile cocktails.
- Apply ventilation, secondary containment, and spill-control procedures.
- Do not treat ordinary scintillation vials as certified pressure or hazardous-material shipping containers.
Recommended Laboratory Preparation and QC Checklist
- Verify exact identity: Confirm WHEATON 986568, 24-400, white urea cap, and PE disc liner.
- Confirm quantity: Verify the manufacturer case of 500 vial-and-cap units.
- Inspect components: Check the glass, rim, threads, cap, and disc liner for defects.
- Assess chemical compatibility: Review the complete sample formulation and scintillation cocktail.
- Check instrument fit: Verify 28 mm diameter and 61 mm capped height.
- Use approved liquid volumes: Follow the method-defined sample/cocktail ratio and headspace.
- Close correctly: Follow the laboratory's cap-application method and required seal testing.
- Identify samples: Use suitable labeling or barcoding; no marking spot is provided.
- Run analytical QC: Include appropriate blanks, standards, background and quench controls.
- Apply safety procedures: Follow solvent, chemical, radiological, ventilation, and waste requirements.
- Do not autoclave: The manufacturer explicitly lists 986568 as not autoclavable.
- Maintain records: Retain applicable manufacturer, lot, sample, instrument, and quality-control information.
Cleaning, Inspection, and Reuse Considerations
DWK provides general recommendations for cleaning and caring for laboratory glassware. For WHEATON 986568, the cleaning and reuse procedure must also account for the white urea cap, polyethylene disc liner, and prior sample or cocktail exposure.
- Confirm that reuse is permitted by the analytical method.
- Assess chemical, radioactive, or biological contamination before handling.
- Use cleaning materials compatible with glass, urea, and polyethylene.
- Avoid abrasive brushes, mechanical impacts, and damage to the vial rim or threads.
- Rinse and dry according to the approved laboratory method.
- Inspect glass, cap, and liner for residue, cracks, or deformation.
- Apply background or carryover acceptance testing if reuse is permitted.
- Do not autoclave the assembled product.
- Store vials safely to minimize breakage or contamination.
Used liquid scintillation vials may contain chemical or radioactive residues. Reuse, decontamination, storage, and disposal must comply with laboratory procedures and applicable requirements.
Controlled Laboratory and Cleanroom Qualification
WHEATON 986568 may be evaluated for appropriate analytical and research laboratories, but it is explicitly non-sterile. The reviewed exact-SKU specification does not establish an ISO 14644 cleanroom class, certified cleanroom processing, sterile barrier, validated endotoxin limit, DNase/RNase-free designation, or specified particle-release performance.
For controlled-environment work, follow the facility's procedures for material introduction, sample handling, labeling, contamination control, and documentation. The Type I borosilicate glass-family description and low scintillation background claim do not independently establish suitability for sterile compounding or aseptic processing.
Qualification boundary: Do not treat this non-sterile, non-autoclavable product as sterile-ready or ISO-classified without separately documented qualification.
Important Limitations and Unsupported Assumptions
- Non-sterile: Exact-SKU manufacturer designation.
- Not autoclavable: Exact-SKU manufacturer designation.
- Not 22-400: The correct thread finish is 24-400.
- Not a polypropylene cap: The specified cap body is white urea.
- Not PE cone: The liner is polyethylene disc.
- Not foamed PE: The liner has a different construction.
- Not PTFE-faced: No PTFE facing is specified.
- No universal chemical-resistance approval: Test the exact sample and cocktail.
- No certified leakproof or vapor-tight performance: No exact-SKU numerical rating established.
- No universal counting-instrument compatibility: Confirm model-specific fit.
- No calibrated 20 mL measurement: Capacity is nominal.
- No marking spot: Use appropriate sample labeling.
- No numerical background guarantee: Low-background description is qualitative.
- No verified exact UV spectral curve: Do not invent a transmission percentage.
- No current lot-specific low-potassium certificate: Request documentation when required.
- No verified inner-packaging breakdown: Confirm particular packing requirements with DWK.
- No certified hazardous-material shipping approval: Ordinary vial packaging is not a transport qualification.
Technical FAQs
What is WHEATON 986568?
A 20 mL clear borosilicate glass liquid scintillation vial with an attached white urea 24-400 cap and polyethylene disc liner.
Are the caps included?
Yes. DWK identifies caps attached to the vials. Each manufacturer case contains 500 units.
What is the thread size?
24-400. It differs from 22-400 on WHEATON 986548.
What is the difference between 986568 and 986548?
986568 uses 24-400, while 986548 uses 22-400. Both use 20 mL borosilicate glass, white urea caps, and polyethylene disc liners.
What material is the cap?
White urea, not polypropylene.
What is the liner made of?
Polyethylene disc. DWK's general liner guide identifies LDPE discs.
Is a polyethylene disc the same as a PE cone?
No. The disc and cone have different geometries; the cone has a wedge-type sealing design.
Is the liner PTFE-faced?
No PTFE facing is specified. The manufacturer identifies polyethylene disc.
What general applications does DWK identify for LDPE discs?
DWK lists distilled water, analytical standards, and reagents as example applications. Specific chemical compatibility requires verification.
Is the closure guaranteed leakproof?
No. A certified exact-SKU leakproof or vapor-tight rating was not established.
Are these vials sterile?
No. DWK explicitly lists WHEATON 986568 as non-sterile.
Can WHEATON 986568 be autoclaved?
No. DWK explicitly lists the exact product as not autoclavable.
What are the vial dimensions?
28 mm diameter, 57 mm height without the cap, and 61 mm height including the cap.
Is the 20 mL capacity calibrated?
No calibrated tolerance is specified. Use the working volume established by the analytical method.
Does the vial have a marking spot?
No. Use an appropriate sample-labeling method.
What is WHEATON 240818?
A separately sold 24-400 white urea solid-top replacement cap with polyethylene disc liner, supplied 1,000 per case. It is not an additional item included with 986568.
What is the difference between 986568 and 986562?
Both use 24-400 white urea caps, but 986568 has a polyethylene disc liner, while 986562 has a metal foil/cork liner.
Is 986568 compatible with all scintillation counters?
Not automatically. Verify dimensions, cap clearance, and the counting instrument's approved vial requirements.
Are background counts and UV transmission quantified?
DWK describes consistent low background and high UV transmission but does not provide exact numerical values in the reviewed product record.
How many vials come in one case?
500 vials with their specified caps and liners.
Manufacturer Technical References
These links lead only to DWK technical-information pages rather than manufacturer product-detail pages, catalogs, or shopping pages. General technical information does not override WHEATON 986568's explicit non-sterile and not autoclavable restrictions.
For quotations or product questions, email Sales@SOSsupply.com or call (214) 340-8574.
SOSCleanroom can assist with WHEATON exact-SKU sourcing, 24-400 closure identification, polyethylene liner selection, case quantities, and applicable manufacturer documentation.
Technical insight: Liquid scintillation vial selection depends on the counting instrument, sample chemistry, optical and background characteristics, and the complete glass-and-closure assembly. A 24-400 polyethylene-disc closure must be qualified for the intended application.
Last updated: October 27, 2026
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