traceCLEAN Acid Steam Cleaning System

“In trace analysis the effects of contamination from laboratory air or furnishings, apparatus, containers, and reagents have become increasingly important, as the sensitivity of analytical methods has lowered detectable limits to the nanogram and picogram level.” – M. Zief, J. W. Mitchell.9

Cleaning various items used in ultra-trace analysis work is a critically important laboratory routine. To minimize contamination, traditional cleaning methods require soaking items in hot acids, often for several hours. To be effective, large volumes of acid are consumed and need to be changed regularly. There is also a substantial risk of exposure to hot acids and acid vapors using traditional soaking techniques. To address these issues, Milestone has developed the traceCLEAN, a fully automated, self-contained, acid steam cleaning system for trace metal analysis accessories.

Place the items to be cleaned in the traceCLEAN system, program the time and temperature required, then press “Start.” Freshly distilled acid vapors will continuously reflux within the sealed unit, thoroughly leaching any metal contaminants from the items. Various holders are available for vials, microwave digestion vessels, flasks, glassware, and ICP-MS accessories.