Safety Considerations
Corrosives,
solvents, and
pressurized gases
The Antaris EX-Z1 or Antaris EX-Z2 models may be exposed to
corrosives and/or solvents in the installation atmosphere or due to one of
the many standard spectroscopy methods are based on the use of solvents.
Some experiments involve corrosive or pressurized samples in a gaseous
state. All these sample materials and atmospheres can be accommodated
so long as a positive purge pressure is maintained in the enclosure.
Pressurized gases
Pressurized gases may be used for enclosure purge, sampling and/or
optional cooling devices. The following are general guidelines for the safe
use and storage of compressed gases. Check with your fire, public safety,
and other regulatory authorities for specific requirements for your
location.
•
Wear eye protection when working with or near pressurized lines and
cylinders.
•
When handling toxic and hazardous gases, be sure the work area is
properly ventilated through a non-sparking fume hood, glove box, or
ventilated cabinet
•
Leave valve protective caps in place until the cylinder is connected to a
regulator or manifold. Never lift a cylinder by the cap.
•
Always provide a legible label or marking to identify the contents of a
cylinder and any precautionary warnings.
•
Inspect the cylinders regularly for corrosion, valve damage or leaks, and
evidence of tampering. Never use a flame to detect flammable gas leaks.
•
Regulate the flow of gas from the gas source into the spectrometer so
that the pressure and flow rate never exceed the specifications for the
instrument or cooling device.
Danger
Never use a flammable gas to purge the instrument. Heat from the source
or from laser absorption could ignite the gas. The purge gas must be free of
moisture, oil and other reactive materials. Use only clean, dried air or
nitrogen to purge the instrument. Other gases, even inert gases such as
argon (AR), can damage the spectrometer.
20
Antaris EX Safety, Installation, and Site Preparation Guide
Thermo Fisher Scientific
