From: Joseph Webster (J.Webster@centenary.usyd.edu.AU)
Date: Tue Oct 06 1998 - 00:45:28 EST
Hi Joanne, Another precaution that I use is a 0.2 micron filter at the air entry into the sheath tank, and a couple of tanks alternate through the autoclave each week or so. A quick connect fitting between the filter and the tank makes this a lot easier! I have been running with this for about 2 years now, with no contamination traceable to the sheath system. There have been a few bad sorts, but not from the sheath fluid. I think this would be much easier than trying to gas-sterilise the valves and regulators. Better luck soon! Joseph. At 12:30 1/10/98 -0400, Joanne Yetz-Aldape wrote: >Hello, Flowers, > I am searching for information again on how to >decontaminate my FACSStar Plus sorter to get rid of some low level >bacteria in my system. I wrote back in June and appreciate all the >responses I received from people. I thought the problem was >resolved-the majority of sorts I did in July and August were clean-in >fairly long term culture situations. But the problem returned in >September, with the level of contamination gradually increasing each >week, despite running bleach, peroxide, and ethanol through the >system, autoclaving the sheath tank and washing down all the surfaces >I could think of every week. The BD engineer and I have taken samples >from the sample line area, the nozzle area, and the sheath line going >into the turbo sort box, and these have all grown out bacteria, after >2 days in the incubator. The air line into the sheath tank shows a >very low level of contamination, and the main air line into the >machine is negative after 2 days in the incubator. We are in the >process of changing several of the sheath and air lines in the >system, but are concerned that this might not be drastic enough. My >simple question is: Has anyone out in Flowland ever done a >formaldehyde gas sterilization of their sorter, running gas through a >pressurized machine so that all the valves would be opened and exposed >to the gas? Is there any reason to suspect that this might damage the >machine in any way? BD has no experience with this, but the engineer >suggested this altenative, and seems OK with it. Any first-hand >experience or ideas-positive or negative- would be most welcome. >Thanks. > >Joanne -- Joseph Webster Flow Cytometry Facility Centenary Institute
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