Mario, Do you do this for your bench top analyzers as well? Might the NaOH damage the quartz cell? John > > We have recently become very fond of using 0.1N NaOH to "cleanse" our > cytometer. The advantage is that it hydrolyzes DNA/RNA, which is one > of the major contributors to clogs for certain cell samples. It > solubilizes cells quite well. > > After any clog (partial or full), and at the end of the day, we > always run three things through the cytometer (make sure the fluid > from each runs long enough to go through the nozzle--i.e., boost for > 15-30 seconds minimum). > > (1) 0.1N NaOH (sterile filtered, made in the best water you have) > (2) CoulterCleanse solution > (3) dH2O (if end of day, we leave the tubing filled with distilled water) > > After each of the tubes 1-3, we wipe down the outside of the sample > inlet tube with a kemwipe, while the instrument back-flushes sheath > fluid, and wash with dH20, to prevent contaminating future samples > with the base or the cleansing solution. > > To sterilize, we may also run 70% ethanol through the system. > > However, I strongly endorse the NaOH--It cleans clogs like nothing > else we've ever tried. > > mr > > (Disclaimer: I have no idea what 0.1N NaOH might do to your tubing, > nozzle, or other equipment. We've used it for nearly a year with no > problems on multiple instruments, however, make sure you understand > the risks to your instrument of any solution you apply to your > fluidics). > *************************************************************************** John D. Altman, Ph.D. Emory University Vaccine Center at Yerkes 954 Gatewood Road Atlanta, GA 30329 Office: (404) 727-5981 FAX: (404) 727-9005 FAX2: (404) 727-8199 Lab: (404) 727-8914 email: altman@microbio.emory.edu *************************************************************************** Tetramer Core Facility: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/reposit/tetramer/index.html ***************************************************************************
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