Laboratory glassware as a contaminant in silicate analysis of natural water samples

When glassware is used for the storage of water samples, reagents and standard solutions, dissolution of silicate from the glass containers can contaminate the samples. Experimental results demonstrate that dissolution from glassware can introduce micromolar silicate within a few hours. The extent of dissolution depends upon contact time, salinity and pH of the solution, and the size and shape of the containers.