Posted by
Peter Werner on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/CO2-grade-for-on-scope-incubator-tp7582397.html
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At our facility, we have a spinning-disk confocal system, with an
incubator that surrounds the entire stage and substage area. The
question I have concerns the type of CO2 I should be using for the
incubator. I was told by someone from the UC Berkeley Biological Imaging
Facility that I should be careful about the grade of carbon dioxide that
I use - apparently, it should be high purity and as low as possible in
H2O. The reason is, even if the cell cultures themselves will be fine
with a lower purity of CO2, CO2 forms carbonic acid in reaction with
water, and the acidified water content in the chamber atmosphere can be
damaging to the instrument over the long term, hence, the less H2O mixed
in with the CO2, the better. If this is the case, that would imply that
"Instrument Grade" or "Bone Dry" grades would be what I need to use.
I was wondering if anybody else knew of this recommendation and followed
this practice. It makes sense to me why one would want to minimize
carbonic acid formation in environments the confocal system is exposed
to. On the other hand, it does entail some expense, not so much in terms
of the gas itself, but in terms of special cylinders for high-purity
CO2, which must be rented, or purchased at $500+ per gas cylinder.
Let me know,
Peter G. Werner
Instructional Assistant/Lab Technician, Microscopy, Merritt College
SEM/AFM Lab Technician, Ohlone College
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