I just visited the Vaplock www site. That has to be the ugliest bit of laboratory hardware I've seen in a while. I assume each system is standalone, in which case I'd go for a much simpler system, especially on the waste side.
However, there is one fundamental rule, any system must not create safety hazards ( eg if it's cumbersome or requires moving akwardly shaped large containers, mixes incompatible chemicals, etc. ), or compromise the instrument manufacturer's design requirements. If there are site/local/national rules about total volume of containers, and type of containers, you should work through those first. Sadly, being ugly equipment isn't a safety issue - but it should be
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I use the same 4 liter glass bottle the solvents come in ( with label removed - defacing's not acceptable these days ) with a screw cap with 1/16 PTFE capillary vent on wastes and solvent reservoirs, all sitting on the floor inside plastic pails for easy lifting ( and the mandatory warning on the laboratory door hazard board stating the pails contain containers with solvents ).
If necessary, the vents could be run to a carbon trap, but I'd argue that mixing vapours is far more hazardous than the diffusion through a few inches of 20 thou tubing.
If the instrument waste tubing is PTFE, there's not much advantage in having stainless lines and metal receivers - especially if acid buffers, TFA etc are used, but safety and rationality are often not closely linked in some regulators' minds. Keep it simple, small, and pretty
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Look in the Upchurch catalog, search the www, and talk to your team, so you all consider options that will work. Talk to your HPLC suppliers to find out what other victims are doing. 30 HPLCs suggests that you will have some bikkies to play with, so buy what will work for you and your team. Take ownership and identify systems that will work for you.
Make it easy and practical, and talk to the regulator who's doing the insisting on total containment, and explain why you want to use the system you've come up with. If you can get their buy-in, there will be less future hassles. Good luck, you will need some.
Bruce Hamilton
