Röhrchen

Röhrchen is the diminutive form of the German word Röhre and refers to a small cylindrical tube that is hollow and usually made of glass or plastic. Röhrchen are designed to contain, transport, or measure liquids, gases, or solid samples. They come in various sizes and can have open or closed ends, with or without caps, depending on their intended use.

Material and design features vary by application. Traditional Röhrchen were made of glass, but today most laboratory Röhrchen are fabricated from plastics such as polypropylene or polystyrene, which are often autoclavable and sterile. Common caps include screw caps, snap caps, or rubber stoppers. Some Röhrchen have graduation marks for volume measurement, while others are plain containers. In medical and biological contexts, sterile Röhrchen are standard for sample collection and storage, and many are supplied as sterile, ready-to-use units.

Common types and uses include microcentrifuge tubes (often called Mikroröhrchen) used for small-volume samples and centrifugal separation, capillary tubes (Kapillarröhrchen) for precise, tiny-volume measurements, test tubes or Reagenzröhrchen for chemical reactions and culturing, and Röhrchen for blood, urine, or other clinical samples. Röhrchen also appear in laboratories for storage, transport, and organization of reagents and specimens.

Handling and safety considerations emphasize sterility, proper labeling, and appropriate disposal. Materials may be autoclavable and free from RNase/DNase contamination for molecular biology work. In everyday language, Röhrchen can also refer to small tubes used outside laboratories, such as cosmetic or consumer product applicator tubes, though the technical sense is primary in scientific contexts.