F Air Canister Instructions
Dot Liljenquist
To ensure the health and safety of research personnel and the animals entrusted to our care, the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) requires that anesthetic machines and vaporizers undergo a manual assessment at least once a year.
If you are interested in having ULAM coordinate the servicing of machine(s) on your behalf, please download and submit the Anesthetic Machine Service Authorization Form. Prior to completing the Authorization Form, please review the associated fees for unit inspection and repair.
Investigators are NOT required to utilize the ULAM service in order to comply with the IACUC policy. If desired, investigators can independently contract with an appropriate vendor to provide the service as outlined in the IACUC policy.
ULAM also maintains a pool of gas anesthetic machines that investigators may rent for use in their procedures. The machines are suitable for use with most species, including small rodents. The machine is supplied full of isoflurane and with oxygen tanks when rented out. An induction chamber, F/Air canister (for gas scavenge), and instructions on operation are also provided.
Unless otherwise requested, ULAM will process all charges incurred by labs associated with the ULAM Anesthetic Machine Inspection Program. With the exception of Veterinary Technician Labor, our vendor (Vetamac) sets all rates for anesthetic machine servicing and inspection(s).
The RARC pharmacy can supply some pharmaceutical supplies and medical materials to labs on campus. We use iLab for pharmacy ordering and fullfillment. To find the RARC Pharmacy, log into iLab and search for the RARC Pharmacy and Veterinary Services core. If you do not have access to iLab and need to register, please follow the instructions located here:
Antibiotics, Cerenia, IV sets, eye lubricant, triple antibiotic ointment, bupivacaine, dexamethasone, F/Air canisters, heparin, isoflurane, lactated ringers, non-controlled analgesics such as Meloxicam and carprofen, hydrogel packs, and other prescription (Rx) items.
For now, RARC will also continue to supply needles and suture (you are welcome to purchace these on your own if you wish, as it will be cheaper for you.) however, these may be discontinued in the future.
During the Apollo 13 mission, an explosion in the Service Module forced the astronauts to shut down the Command Module and use the Lunar Module as a "lifeboat" while the spacecraft looped the moon and returned for an emergency reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. As the astronauts settled in the LM there was a gradual build-up of carbon dioxide gas. The environmental system in the LM depended on two lithium hydroxide (LiOH) filters to remove excess carbon dioxide (exhaled by humans as part of normal respiration) from the atmosphere. But with three astronauts to support instead of two, the filters did not have enough capacity to maintain safe carbon dioxide levels for the entire journey home. The CM environmental system had many unused LiOH filters that might be transferred to the LM. But the filters used in the CM were box-shaped and fit into box-shaped holders; those in the Lunar Module were cylindrical and fit into cylindrical holders. The engineers with the Mission Control team worked out a solution that cobbled together plastic bags, plastic coated cue cards from a three-ring reference binder, hoses from the lunar spacesuits, and lots of grey duct tape, then carefully radioed instructions to the astronauts in space. After about an hour, the new device, although not very elegant, worked perfectly.
In March 1975, the Museum requested that the personnel who had been involved in the emergency effort recreate one of the jerry-rigged LiOH canisters for display. This was accomplished and the mock-up remains a prize artifact in the National Collection.
Repair services are available for most of our current canister and controller products (excluding RAVEqc quick-connect air valves). Custom catalog (cat.#) numbers and details for these repairs are presented in the table below.
Reconditioning services are also available for our current generation canisters. We will replace the valve and clean and leak test the canister at a cost that is less than replacing the entire canister. To request reconditioning services, please follow these steps:
Air sampling bottles can be cleaned in a canister cleaning setup just like a canister, but the pressure must not exceed 10 psig. Section 10.3 of Method TO-15A provides guidance for cleaning air sampling bottles.
ALTEF bags are an alternative to Tedlar bags for the collection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); however, these bags are not recommended for ketones, acetates, hydrogen sulfide, and permanent gases.
Multi-layer foil gas sampling bags are recommended for light, low molecular weight analytes, including methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and permanent gases. These bags are not recommended for low (ppm) level VOCs due to background levels.
High-quality diaphragm valves, like RAVE and RAVEn valves, are great choices for air sampling applications. However, like all diaphragm valves, they are installed using wrenches, and users must be careful not to cause damage by cross threading or overtightening when making connections. In contrast, RAVEqc quick-connect air valves are tool-free valves that any user can connect and disconnect quickly, easily, and consistently. You can use a RAVEqc quick-connect air valve by itself or you can attach one to an existing bellows/diaphragm valve. Used in tandem, they can protect a more expensive valve from damage because the point of connection moves to the quick-connect valve, which is not vulnerable to damage from cross threading or overtightening. In addition, with two valves in-line, you create extra security for your sample; should one valve fail, the second acts as a backup. Used alone or in tandem with another valve, RAVEqc valves are great options for labs interested in eliminating the use of wrenches for the many connections made between air sampling canisters and the associated devices used to collect and analyze air samples.
Note that the O-rings contained within RAVEqc valves are made of Viton and do not off-gas under typical air sampling conditions, and, therefore, do not create background contamination. The O-ring is also chemically inert and will not negatively interact with any sample that is compatible with Viton material.
All O-rings have a finite life span, but RAVEqc quick-connect air valves are made with O-rings that have been proven to provide reliable actuations in the lab without problems. In addition, each valve is manufactured and tested to ensure it is ready for use when purchased. When O-rings do eventually wear out in RAVEqc quick-connect air valves, it is far more common for the failure to occur in the male valve because the mechanism that opens flow between the male and female valves requires a stem in the female valve to pass through the O-ring in the male valve. This is normal, but it does mean that male valves are likely to wear out before their female counterparts.
A RAVEqc valve bracket is required for use with Restek 1, 3, 6, and 15 L air sampling canisters when using the compression fitting mounted directly on the " canister tube stub. This bracket is not needed when using Restek miniature canisters or Entech canisters.
When selecting RAVEqc quick-connect air valves, first consider where you will be installing the valves. There are too many possible configurations to list individually, but you can identify the parts you need for your specific setup using these general considerations.
Siltek treatment is a passivation process that applies an inert, integral layer to components used for chromatographic analysis. Unlike traditional deactivations, it is not susceptible to cleavage or formation of active silanols and, therefore, greatly reduces both bleed and the breakdown or adsorption of active components, compared to conventional surface coatings. This unique surface provides an inertness range that surpasses other surface deactivations used in gas chromatography. In sensitive analyses, Siltek-deactivated system components provide outstanding analytical results. For more information on Siltek treatment and treated products, refer to our surface treatment FAQs.
Siltek-treated sample cylinders are recommended for the collection, storage, and analysis of ppb levels of sulfur, mercury, or other sensitive compounds. Because these compounds quickly react with stainless-steel surfaces, accurate determination of these compounds is not possible when samples are collected and stored in untreated sample cylinders. Siltek passivation techniques bond an inert layer into the surface of stainless steel, preventing active compounds from reacting with or adsorbing to the steel. Please refer to this stability study for additional information.
A dip tube (also known as an outage tube) provides vapor space above liquefied gases in a sampling cylinder so that if expansion occurs with an increase in temperature, the pressure is not significantly increased. Basically, the length of the dip tube is used to determine the filling capacity of the cylinder.
This blog post contains detailed instructions on how to select and order an appropriate dip tube. Restek sample cylinder valves can be ordered with or without a dip tube from this page or by contacting our U.S. customer service team or your local Restek representative.
Restek provides gas calibration standards manufactured by Linde, Airgas, and other gas calibration suppliers. These air standards include TO-14A, TO-15, environmental blends, Airgas transportable pure gases & mixtures, natural gas, and refinery gas as well as related accessories. We can also source custom, made-to-order gas calibration standards. To request a quote, simply complete this form.
Recertification is available for gas standards. Gas standards can be expensive and tend to be stored in the lab for months, if not years, so it is wise to have the composition recertified by a qualified vendor. For gas standards purchased from Restek, request recertification directly from Linde Gases (1-800-932-0624) or Airgas (1-800-331-4953). For gas standards purchased from vendors other than Restek, it is necessary to contact the vendor who manufactured the mixture.
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