Unless it is an image of the particular glass item that a scientific buyer would want (and would probably need a property release) I was assuming this was more a picture of the glass in a lab environment and this was a blow up of part of it. In a general lab environment, why would you go to the trouble of getting a property release for the glass?
That's all I'm thinking, although I'm no expert on the needs of a scientific buyer. You are right - you could submit as editorial, which could be the main use of this sort of image?
Steve