{"id":16555,"date":"2022-05-20T13:52:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T11:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?p=16555"},"modified":"2026-06-18T15:21:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:21:10","slug":"laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/","title":{"rendered":"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#What_Is_a_Fanta-type_ointment_motar\" title=\"What Is a Fanta-type ointment motar?\">What Is a Fanta-type ointment motar?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#Which_Mortar_Material_Prevents_Cross-Contamination\" title=\"Which Mortar Material Prevents Cross-Contamination?\">Which Mortar Material Prevents Cross-Contamination?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#Characteristics_of_Grinding_Mortars\" title=\"Characteristics of Grinding Mortars\">Characteristics of Grinding Mortars<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#Types_of_Lab_Mortars\" title=\"Types of Lab Mortars\">Types of Lab Mortars<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#Where_Laboratory_Mortar_is_Used\" title=\"Where Laboratory Mortar is Used\">Where Laboratory Mortar is Used<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#How_Are_Lab_Mortars_Used_in_Pharmaceutical_Manufacturing\" title=\"How Are Lab Mortars Used in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing?\">How Are Lab Mortars Used in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#Can_You_Use_a_Mortar_bowl_in_the_Kitchen\" title=\"Can You Use a Mortar bowl in the Kitchen?\">Can You Use a Mortar bowl in the Kitchen?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><!-- ======================================================================== EN TRANSLATION \u2013 \"Laboratory mortar \u2013 more than just a simple lab supply\" Stage: Step 2 (full DE>EN translation). QA + H3 structural editing follow.\nBritish English. Active voice. Sentences kept under ~20 words.\n\nOPEN ITEMS FOR HERR SLABY\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------\nAll internal links still point to \/de\/ paths. EN paths must be confirmed\nbefore WPML deployment \u2013 do NOT assume \/en\/ by simple substitution.\n\nLinks to map to their EN equivalents:\n1. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\/pistillen-und-moerser\n2. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\/pistillen-und-moerser\/reibschale-moerser\n3. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\/pistillen-und-moerser\/pistill\n4. \/de\/laborbedarf\n5. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\n6. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\/schaufeln-loeffel-spatel-und-pinzetten\n7. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbesteck\/schaufeln-loeffel-spatel-und-pinzetten\/spatel-aus-edelstahl-mikro\n8. \/de\/laborbedarf\/laborbehaelter\n9. \/de\/laborbedarf\/ruehren-und-mischen\n\nNOTE: temperatures carry a \u00b0F equivalent as standard.\n========================================================================\n--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Look up the word \u201emortar\u201c and you find more than one meaning. In military terms, it once described an older type of gun. Today it often means a shell-launching mortar<sup>[1]<\/sup>. In chemistry and pharmacy, a laboratory mortar is a bowl-shaped grinding vessel with a club-shaped rod. This rod is called a pestle. Together they crush and grind substances into pastes or powders.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The word \u201emortar\u201c traces back to the Latin \u201emortarium\u201c. The Romans used this term for a ceramic grinding bowl.<\/p>\n<div class=\"box info  \"><div class=\"box-inner-block\"><i class=\"fa tie-shortcode-boxicon\"><\/i>\n\t\t\tArchaeologists have found mortars several thousand years old in tombs across Egypt and Central and South America.\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They mainly served to extract pigments from plants and minerals for paintings and cosmetics. Early mortars were simple stone blocks. People crushed minerals, nuts, seeds and grain in them again and again. Over time, this wore a hollow into the stone \u2013 the first mortar shape.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">German pharmacy separates three forms: the Fanta dish, the grinding vessel and the laboratory mortar. English simply calls them all \u201emortars\u201c. Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\/pestles-and-mortars\">pestles and mortars<\/a> come in many materials, such as porcelain, stainless steel or melamine resin.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Fanta-type_ointment_motar\"><\/span>What Is a Fanta-type ointment motar?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fanta-type ointment motar, also called a paten, belongs to every pharmacy\u2019s standard equipment. It takes its name from its inventor, the Czech pharmacist Max Fanta (1858\u20131925). He received a patent for this \u201enew type of ointment mortar\u201c in 1903.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Fanta-type modell has thin walls and a smooth inner surface. Pharmacists use it to make ointments, creams and gels.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Mortar_Material_Prevents_Cross-Contamination\"><\/span>Which Mortar Material Prevents Cross-Contamination?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The choice of material decides how safely the dish performs. Until 2014, pharmacies mainly used white ointment motar made of melamine resin. Melamine resin does not break easily. Repeated use, however, creates fine scratches and microcracks. Substances can lodge in these gaps. At the next use, the dish may release them again and cause cross-contamination. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\/pestles-and-mortars\/29927\/mortar\">Melamine bowls<\/a> also lack acid resistance. They withstand heat only up to about +70 \u00b0C (158 \u00b0F), so you cannot autoclave them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For these reasons, Germany\u2019s Association of Pharmacy Councils (APD) acted in 2014. The group demanded that pharmacies also keep stainless steel or glass Fanta-type motar and pestles.<\/p>\n<p><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\/pestles-and-mortars\/29926\/pestle\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7685 size-full\" title=\"Pestles for the laboratory mortar\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill.jpg\" alt=\"pestles for the laboratory mortar\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7686 size-full\" title=\"Grinding mortar\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Reibschale-Moerser.jpg\" alt=\"grinding bowl\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Reibschale-Moerser.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Reibschale-Moerser-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/center><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Glass and stainless steel weigh more than melamine resin, so they stand more firmly. Glass breaks more easily, yet it brings one clear benefit: it is transparent. This lets the user check the preparation by eye. Stainless steel bowls do not suit very hard substances such as bentonite. Bentonite is a mix of clay minerals and a common cosmetic ingredient. Grinding it can produce metal abrasion. Strongly oxidising acids also attack stainless steel. This rules it out for solutions that treat wart or acne scars and contain trichloroacetic acid.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Characteristics_of_Grinding_Mortars\"><\/span>Characteristics of Grinding Mortars<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A grinding bowl has a rough inner surface. The grinding face of the pestle is rough as well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"box success  \"><div class=\"box-inner-block\"><i class=\"fa tie-shortcode-boxicon\"><\/i>\n\t\t\tThe bowl\u2019s inner curve is always wider than the pestle\u2019s curve. This way, it catches every powder particle during grinding.\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grinding bowls are a fixed part of standard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\">laboratory supplies<\/a>. Labs use them to crush solid substances and can reach particle sizes down to 50 micrometres. Oily and greasy preparations suit them only partly. Such mixtures cling to the rough surface, clog the pores and contaminate the next preparation. Porcelain, borosilicate glass and stainless steel are the usual materials. Most have a spout. For easier removal, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\">lab instruments<\/a> such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\/scoops-spoons-spatulas-and-tweezers\">scoops, spoons and spatulas<\/a> help too.<\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7690 size-full\" title=\"Poly spoon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Poly-Loeffel.jpg\" alt=\"poly spoon\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Poly-Loeffel.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Poly-Loeffel-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-instruments\/scoops-spoons-spatulas-and-tweezers\/29922\/spatula-made-of-stainless-steel-micro\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7691 size-full\" title=\"Stainless steel spatula \u2013 micro\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spatel-aus-Edelstahl-Mikro.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spatel-aus-Edelstahl-Mikro.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Spatel-aus-Edelstahl-Mikro-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_Lab_Mortars\"><\/span>Types of Lab Mortars<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A lab mortar has thick walls and a smooth inner surface. The matching pestle has a smooth surface too. Materials include agate, porcelain, borosilicate glass, stainless steel, bronze and melamine resin.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Agate models are octagonal with a round, flat and smooth grinding surface. They are extremely hard and have no spout. Borosilicate glass and porcelain versions usually have a spout. Stainless steel designs rest on a base or non-slip feet. The cryo vessle is one special type of stainless steel model. It crushes a substance at very low temperatures. It hangs inside an insulated steel bowl. This bowl holds dry ice (-78 \u00b0C \/ -108 \u00b0F) or liquid nitrogen (-196 \u00b0C \/ -321 \u00b0F).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7671\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7671\" style=\"width: 533px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7671\" title=\"Making creams and ointments in a pharmaceutical laboratory\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Cremes-und-Salben-im-pharmazeutischen-Labor.jpg\" alt=\"lab mortar \u2013 making creams and ointments in a pharmaceutical lab\" width=\"533\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Cremes-und-Salben-im-pharmazeutischen-Labor.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Cremes-und-Salben-im-pharmazeutischen-Labor-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7671\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><center>@enriscapes \u2013 stock.adobe.com Making creams and ointments in a pharmaceutical laboratory<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rather than grinding by hand, labs often use a mortar grinder. This motorised version of the mortar delivers more precise, reproducible results. Pressure and friction crush the material against the mortar&#8217;s walls and base. The bowl rotates while the pestle presses down. Users can set the rotation speed, the pestle\u2019s pressure and the grinding time. They can also match the mortar material to the sample. Friedrich Kurt Retsch invented the mortar grinder and patented it in 1923.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_Laboratory_Mortar_is_Used\"><\/span>Where Laboratory Mortar is Used<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/laboratory-containers\">Laboratory containers<\/a> and laboratory mortars belong to every lab\u2019s essential inventory. One key use is sample preparation for chemical or physical analysis, quality control and materials testing. The material may be soil, food, a pharmaceutical product or a building material. Either way, the single sample must represent the source. And the preparation must stay reproducible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sample preparation crushes and homogenises the substance to the required fineness. Cryo mortars handle temperature-sensitive, moist, sticky, fibrous or elastic materials. Samples from the plastics and food industries are typical examples. Cooling makes the material brittle, so it breaks and crushes more easily.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Are_Lab_Mortars_Used_in_Pharmaceutical_Manufacturing\"><\/span>How Are Lab Mortars Used in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beyond analysis, the laboratory mortar plays a long-standing role in pharmacy. Pharmaceutical manufacturing is another important field. Grinding reduces the material to various particle sizes. Pharmacists distinguish &#8220;coarse&#8221; at up to 750 micrometres, &#8220;medium-fine&#8221; at 300 micrometres and &#8220;fine&#8221; at 150 micrometres. Grinding needs no special pharmaceutical knowledge. In the past, an assistant known as a &#8220;pounder&#8221; handled this task.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7673\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7673\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7673\" title=\"Pestle and mortar with a brass base\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill-und-Morser-mit-Standbein-aus-Messing.jpg\" alt=\"pestle and mortar with a brass base\" width=\"300\" height=\"386\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill-und-Morser-mit-Standbein-aus-Messing.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Pistill-und-Morser-mit-Standbein-aus-Messing-233x300.jpg 233w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7673\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><center>Pestle and mortar with a brass base<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grinding also sends powder into the air. For this reason, Prussia\u2019s Pharmacy Operating Regulations of 1902 made a separate pounding room compulsory in pharmacies.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then and now, makers have built laboratory mortars from bronze, brass, iron, hardwood and porcelain. Some even used ivory, precious metals or semi-precious stones. &#8220;The material had to match the medicinal substance. Rose petals, for instance, were crushed in alabaster mortars; pearls and corals were ground in white marble mortars&#8221;<sup>[2]<\/sup>. Depending on the task, models ranged from two millimetres across to an eight-litre capacity. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, grinding does more than crush. It also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/laboratory-equipment\/stirring-and-mixing\">stirs and mixes<\/a> powders and helps make ointments, creams and gels.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Use_a_Mortar_bowl_in_the_Kitchen\"><\/span>Can You Use a Mortar bowl in the Kitchen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"box note  \"><div class=\"box-inner-block\"><i class=\"fa tie-shortcode-boxicon\"><\/i>\n\t\t\tMany home kitchens now rely on a mortar too. Whole spices keep longer, and freshly crushed spices release a stronger aroma.\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A mortar quickly prepares spice blends like Indian garam masala or pastes like Thai curry and pesto. It can crush any material softer than itself. For the kitchen, mortar bowls come in marble, wood, porcelain, ceramic, cast iron or granite.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7678\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7678\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7678\" title=\"Making pesto with a porcelain kitchen mortar\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Pesto-mit-Hilfe-eines-Kuechen-Moersers-aus-Porzellan.jpg\" alt=\"making pesto with a porcelain kitchen mortar\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Pesto-mit-Hilfe-eines-Kuechen-Moersers-aus-Porzellan.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Herstellung-von-Pesto-mit-Hilfe-eines-Kuechen-Moersers-aus-Porzellan-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7678\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><center>Making pesto with a porcelain kitchen mortar<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Note that marble is not acid-resistant. It reacts to vinegar or lemon. Wood looks attractive but absorbs moisture and lacks hardness. Over time it grows porous and takes on the aromas of the ingredients. Ceramic and porcelain chip easily, yet they grind herbs especially fine. Cast iron and granite models stand out for their stability. Their weight keeps them firmly in place on the worktop. They do not slip easily. Salts and acids, however, attack cast iron.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cleaning depends on what you have ground. Dry material needs only a quick brush-out. For moist material, wipe with a cloth or sponge, but skip detergent. Detergent can settle in the pores and taint the next batch. If stains or odours linger, an old household trick helps. Grinding rice draws the leftover aromas out of the pores.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7682\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7682\" style=\"width: 449px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7682\" title=\"Decorative wooden mortar for home use\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Dekorativer-Holzmoerser-fuer-den-Heimgebrauch.jpg\" alt=\"decorative wooden mortar for home use\" width=\"449\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Dekorativer-Holzmoerser-fuer-den-Heimgebrauch.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Dekorativer-Holzmoerser-fuer-den-Heimgebrauch-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Dekorativer-Holzmoerser-fuer-den-Heimgebrauch-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 449px) 100vw, 449px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7682\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><center>Decorative wooden mortar for home use<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kitchens, pharmacies and analytical labs all prize the mortar as an essential tool.<\/p>\n<pre><strong>Sources:\r\n<\/strong>[1] \u201eMortar.\u201c Britannica Dictionary, Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/dictionary\/mortar\r\n[2] https:\/\/www.deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de\/daz-az\/2011\/daz-19-2011\/moerser-und-waagen<\/pre>\n<pre><strong>Image sources:<\/strong>\r\nFeatured image | \u00a9 Lemonade \u2013 stock.adobe.com\r\nMaking creams and ointments | \u00a9 enriscapes \u2013 stock.adobe.com\r\nMaking pesto | \u00a9 dusk \u2013 stock.adobe.com\r\nDecorative wooden mortar | \u00a9 marcin jucha \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Look up the word \u201emortar\u201c and you find more than one meaning. In military terms, it once described an older type of gun. Today it often means a shell-launching mortar[1]. In chemistry and pharmacy, a laboratory mortar is a bowl-shaped grinding vessel with a club-shaped rod. This rod is called a pestle. Together they crush &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":12744,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3028],"tags":[4193,4190,4192,4191],"class_list":["post-16555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-alle-beitraege-en","tag-lab-mortar","tag-laboratory-mortar","tag-mortar-and-pestle-in-chemistry-lab","tag-mortar-and-pestles"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-20T11:52:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-18T13:21:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"552\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/\",\"name\":\"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-20T11:52:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-18T13:21:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/89a0b942d2a94d0243d2d5accd82d893\"},\"description\":\"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":552,\"caption\":\"\u00a9 Lemonade \u2013 stock.adobe.com\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/\",\"name\":\"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/89a0b942d2a94d0243d2d5accd82d893\",\"name\":\"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Stefanie_Schiestel.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Stefanie_Schiestel.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel\"},\"description\":\"Stefanie Schiestel hat an den Universit\u00e4ten Saarbr\u00fccken und Heidelberg Chemie studiert und an der Universit\u00e4t Heidelberg promoviert. Anschlie\u00dfend hat sie sieben Jahre am Naval Research Institute in Washington D.C. gearbeitet und ist seitdem in den Bereichen Beschichtung und Analytik t\u00e4tig. Seit 2021 hat sie f\u00fcr das Online-Magazin der Reichelt Chemietechnik mehr als 50 Beitr\u00e4ge verfasst.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/author\/s-schiestel\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply","description":"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply","og_description":"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine","og_url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/","og_site_name":"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","article_published_time":"2022-05-20T11:52:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-18T13:21:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":552,"url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/","name":"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg","datePublished":"2022-05-20T11:52:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-18T13:21:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/89a0b942d2a94d0243d2d5accd82d893"},"description":"What is a laboratory mortar, and which type fits your task? A guide to materials, designs and uses in the lab, pharmacy and kitchen | RCT Magazine","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Labormoerser.jpg","width":800,"height":552,"caption":"\u00a9 Lemonade \u2013 stock.adobe.com"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/laboratory-mortar-more-than-just-a-simple-lab-supply\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Laboratory Mortar \u2013 More Than Just a Simple Lab Supply"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/","name":"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/89a0b942d2a94d0243d2d5accd82d893","name":"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Stefanie_Schiestel.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Stefanie_Schiestel.jpg","caption":"Dr. Stefanie Schiestel"},"description":"Stefanie Schiestel hat an den Universit\u00e4ten Saarbr\u00fccken und Heidelberg Chemie studiert und an der Universit\u00e4t Heidelberg promoviert. Anschlie\u00dfend hat sie sieben Jahre am Naval Research Institute in Washington D.C. gearbeitet und ist seitdem in den Bereichen Beschichtung und Analytik t\u00e4tig. Seit 2021 hat sie f\u00fcr das Online-Magazin der Reichelt Chemietechnik mehr als 50 Beitr\u00e4ge verfasst.","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/author\/s-schiestel\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16555"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16555"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16561,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16555\/revisions\/16561"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}