Vessel for reduction of extractable material into contained fluent substances

Abstract

A method of storing a fluent substance within a plastic vessel halogenated to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance.

1 . A method of storing a fluent substance, comprising the step of: containing a fluent substance within a plastic vessel halogenated to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance. 
   
   
       2 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of assessing said amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance. 
   
   
       3 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 2 , further comprising the step of adjusting extent of halogenation of said plastic vessel effective to reduce said amount of extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said fluent substance to a pre-determined amount of said at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said fluent substance. 
   
   
       4 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of reducing said amount of extractable material in said fluent substance contained within said plastic vessel to an amount substantially comparable to said fluent substance contained in a glass vessel. 
   
   
       5 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 4 , wherein said plastic vessel halogenated to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance comprises a plastic vessel having a halogenated plastic material selected from the group consisting of: a high density polyethylene, a low density polyethylene, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polystyrene, a polyvinyl chloride, a butadiene, and a nylon. 
   
   
       6 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 4 , wherein said plastic vessel halogenated to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance is halogenated by contact with a halogen gas selected from the group consisting of: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. 
   
   
       7 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 4 , wherein said plastic vessel halogenated to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance comprises a plastic vessel of high density polyethylene halogenated with a fluorine gas at temperature above self supporting to an extent effective to reduce an amount of at least one extractable material transferred from said plastic vessel to said contained fluent substance. 
   
   
       8 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 7 , wherein said fluorine gas has a concentration of between about 0.01 percent by volume and about 15 percent by volume in an inert gas. 
   
   
       9 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 8 , wherein said inert gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       10 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of contacting said plastic vessel of high density polyethylene with said fluorine gas at temperature above self supporting for a period of time in the range of about fifteen seconds to about 120 seconds. 
   
   
       11 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 5 , wherein said halogenated plastic material is generated by contacting said plastic vessel at temperature above self supporting with fluorine gas having a concentration in the range of about 0.5 percent by volume and about 1.0 percent by volume in carbon dioxide for a duration of time in the range of about fifteen seconds to about 120 seconds. 
   
   
       12 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 1 , wherein said fluent substance is selected from the group consisting of: an amount of a biological fluid, an amount of urine, an amount of blood, an amount of plasma, an amount of serum, an amount of an organic solvent, an amount of alcohol, an amount of acetonitrile, an amount of dichloromethane, an amount of dimethylformamide, and an amount of an aqueous solution. 
   
   
       13 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 2 , wherein said fluent substance is selected from the group consisting of: an amount of a biological fluid, an amount of urine, an amount of blood, an amount of plasma, an amount of serum, an amount of an organic solvent, an amount of alcohol, an amount of acetonitrile, an amount of dichloromethane, an amount of dimethylformamide, and an amount of an aqueous solution. 
   
   
       14 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 3 , wherein said fluent substance is selected from the group consisting of: an amount of a biological fluid, an amount of urine, an amount of blood, an amount of plasma, an amount of serum, an amount of an organic solvent, an amount of alcohol, an amount of acetonitrile, an amount of dichloromethane, an amount of dimethylformamide, and an amount of an aqueous solution. 
   
   
       15 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 4 , wherein said fluent substance is selected from the group consisting of: an amount of a biological fluid, an amount of urine, an amount of blood, an amount of plasma, an amount of serum, an amount of an organic solvent, an amount of alcohol, an amount of acetonitrile, an amount of dichloromethane, an amount of dimethylformamide, and an amount of an aqueous solution. 
   
   
       16 . The method of storing a fluent substance as described in  claim 7 , wherein said fluent substance is selected from the group consisting of: an amount of a biological fluid, an amount of urine, an amount of blood, an amount of plasma, an amount of serum, an amount of an organic solvent, an amount of alcohol, an amount of acetonitrile, an amount of dichloromethane, an amount of dimethylformamide, and an amount of an aqueous solution. 
   
   
       17 - 19 . (canceled)