Hi Frank, We saw the exact same phenomenon way back in the 1980's with our FACStar Plus (10 PSI) and then later with our FACS Vantage with Turbo Sort Option (30 PSI). A quick nozzle flush fixed the salt buildup. Switching nozzles did not solve the problem. Our solution was to move away from BD FACS Flow sheath fluid and go to NERL Diluent 2. When we switched, we never had the salt buildup again. Good luck. Glenn Paradis MIT Flow Cytometry Core Facility gap@mit.edu On Jun 22, 2008, at 11:00 PM, WEHICytometry wrote: > In 31 years of flow cytometry I hadn't seen this before (although I > don't get out much). Lately we experience this phenomenon on our > FACSVantageSEDiVa where, in the course of a few hours, the nozzle > grows a salt volcano around the stream (I've attached a picture). > This does not affect the breakoff nor the sort streams nor even the > acquired data until the volcano grows high enough to impinge on the > first laser. It can also be removed easily by a wipe with a wet > swab (although that's really inconvenient if the need arises during > a sort). Note: we are talking about a 70 micron nozzle running PBS > as sheath at 30 psi - nothing fancy. > > The question is: what causes it? We *see* no leaks outside the > nozzle tip but I'm wondering if the orifice has eroded and that's > causing seepage. Is there anyone who has seen this and/or has an > idea of the cause? > > Frank Battye. > > | | << The Cytometry Laboratory > \__/ <<<< The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute > ------!!<<<<<< 1G Royal Parade, Parkville > /!!\ <<<< Victoria 3050, Australia > o !! \ << ph: +61_3_9345 2540, fax: +61_3_9347 0852 > > > <DiVaNozzleVolcano.jpg>Received on Tue Jun 24 13:58:00 2008
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