Chemical Spill from Biotage
The Incident
A chemist was loading an aliquot of sample onto a biotage column, as syringe was pressed the flow slowed down, extra pressure was applied, the luer-lock then started to undo, and solution was sprayed around.
The Investigation
This was the 4th aliquot that day, the first three had passed without incident. The reasons for the spill were...- There is no dead volume above the column (as was surmised by the employee), therefore as 100ml went in, 100ml of solvent has to be displaced.
- There was a suggestion that the material may have been throwing out some material on standing, causing the top frit to partially block.
- The extra force applied meant that the syringe was not being held firmly, letting the large hydraulic force free to rotate the barrel in the luer lock, and then the contents to be sprayed out.
Lessons
- One must allow the liquid to be displaced, and not rush the column loading
- In view of the potential hydraulic force use of a visor is suggested.
- The syringe must be firmly held