| Abstract: | Small glass shell vials (12 × 35 mm minivials), containing 2.0 ml of a dioxane-based scintillation solution plus a 14C-labeled sample, were placed in a conventional glass, 20-ml count vial and assayed in a scintillation spectrometer. Statistical comparison of counts recorded from 14C samples prepared both in the minivial system and conventional 20-ml count vials indicated that the two systems were equivalent with sample volumes of 10 and 100 μliters (1600-cpm solution) and 10 μliters (60-cpm solution). Conventional 20-ml glass or plastic count vials were both acceptable as containers for the minivials.There were no significant differences in the counts from samples in minivials placed on-center and off-center in the container vial. Cost per sample was reduced from 24.8 cents (conventional glass vials) to 4.7 cents (minivial system). |
