Glassware that glitters in gold: the price of science

By Boiketlo Lamula

Yes, “not all that glitters is gold”, but glassware is certainly gold for a scientist, especially the chemist. However, the price that comes with it is also golden. Glassware can be exorbitantly expensive to cater for a whole laboratory, but the use of glassware cannot be evaded. Different types of glassware are required for various experiments; in fact, hardly does one run an experiment without using glassware.

A set of glassware on a table. Photo by: Boiketlo Lamula

In a typical science class, from high school up to undergraduate level, you will hardly find a module or a course that focuses specifically on glassware. While an undergraduate chemistry degree will include analytical chemistry, where you learn about various instruments that are used for analyses, glassware is not covered in a broad sense. Therefore, glassware is likely an important yet overlooked topic, and it is significant because we often fail to appreciate the value of this glass.

In Qualitative Analysis and Analytical Chemical Separations, published by the Macmillan company, the author says, “a more striking example of solubility, and one that surprises many graduate chemists, is the case of glass. We all think of glass as an ideal substance for use in making containers, bottles, flasks, etc. It is considered inert (except when in contact with hydrofluoric acid or strong alkalis) and is universally used for storage of chemicals and drugs without thought of possible contamination because of its dissolution.” So, the material that glass is made of was not considered enough a century ago, and today, either.

The price of a little 5ml volumetric flask is at least R800, and that is just one. So, a set of these can go up to as far as R5,000; one Erlenmeyer flask can be as much as R3,000. A typical undergraduate university laboratory will be used by not less than 1,000 students, all of whom make use of the glassware. Therefore, glasses will break here and there, glass vials will accidentally fall and break a bit more often, and many other glass-related accidents cannot be completely avoided. This costs the university a significant amount because it means that glassware needs to be replaced quite often (and the other unmentioned consequences, of course).

While silicon is widely known and used for technological equipment i.e. semiconductors, conductors, chips and microchips, the circuit boards in cameras, it is less widely considered that silicon is also useful to the biologists and chemists. This is because the glassware is typically made of Pyrex – chemically known as borosilicate. The silica here is a derivative of silicon.

As Silicon Valley in the United States has positioned itself as the world leader in technological advancements, Cape Town and Johannesburg appear to be the emerging counterparts of American Silicon Valley. Technological innovations are gaining significant traction in these two cities. This is undoubtedly benefiting South Africa’s economy, as it reduces the need for imports of such products.

A silica mine in South Africa. Photo by: mowcopsilica.co.za

The reason this is worth mentioning is that glassware for laboratories in South Africa, and widely throughout Africa, is imported. The giant chemical conglomerate Merck, under which Sigma Aldrich now operates, is a world leader in laboratory equipment distribution, and it is from them that glassware is ordered. This results in exorbitant prices for simple glassware. And it is not just simple glassware that is used for experiments in the laboratory that is so important, glass is also needed for some analytical equipment that is necessary for advances in prevalent areas like medical research. For example, the glass membrane electrode is used in electrochemistry; it is one of the simplest and most accurate instruments that can be used for pH measurements.

Silicon mining is not straightforward. Metals like quartz and manganese, or sand, must be extracted, followed by a series of purification processes that result in silicon extraction. Additionally, it is important to consider that mining often poses health hazards to the miners, especially in cases involving silica dust, which can cause silicosis. Mining companies tend to prioritize production over human health and well-being. Therefore, it may be plausible to suggest that we should consider manufacturing our own glassware, as we are already engaged in mining. However, if the precious metals that we are currently mining and exporting are not utilized for our benefit and health regulations are not being respected, how can one expect a turnaround with silicon? Furthermore, growth takes time, and it will take even longer for our scientific fields to develop while we invest so much in the background of research, with things as small as having to frequently replace glassware, where we could allocate more resources to the actual research.