http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/CO2-grade-for-on-scope-incubator-tp7582397p7582399.html
phenol red so you can see the pH change occuring. In all my years, I've
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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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>