Cambridge Light Technology has unveiled a UVC sterilisation HPLC accessory, which is designed to work with any HPLC system and is especially useful for those with light scattering detectors.
The Elsa 1000 produces a continual sterilisation of buffer solutions by the use of UVC without the requirement for the addition of toxic materials such as sodium azide.
The unit ensures the exposure of the buffer to UVC light while making sure that the user is safely shielded.
The Elsa 1000 can use clear plastic or glass bottles in the whole range up to a two-litre capacity and has a built-in stirrer to provide mixing and to ensure that the sterilisation effect covers the whole buffer.
The accessory has been tested over a period of weeks to demonstrate the sterilisation properties of the model and to determine the lifespan of a PBS buffer, known to be a good bacterial growth source, in HPLC systems.
Typically, the normal recommended lifespan of a PBS is three days, with or without sodium azide, but the Elsa 1000 was found to prevent the formation of any visible particles up to the test limit of 28 days against the standard PBS buffer that showed large particles forming within two to three days.
The heating effect of the UVC source was found to be a maximum of 2C over the entire test period.
A Cambridge Light Technology spokesperson said that the system is safe and cost effective for all users of HPLCs.
For an aqueous HPLC system, the unit will pay for itself by saving a single column from contamination by bacterial growth.
