Chromatography Forum

Can you help to estimate the damages I did to a Dionex ISC 3000 system?

I did something very silly and used 1M hydrochloric acid instead of 1M sodium hydroxide (I was rushing and picked the wrong bottle - I mentioned it was very silly). I was using IonPac AS11 column and electrochemical detector.

My mobile phase was meant to be 250mM NaOH but I end up with 250mM HCL. I realized my mistake after one hour running the wrong solution. I checked the column specs and its Ph compatibility is from 0 to 14. I am not sure what elecrode our detector has, but I far as I know platinum nor gold should be effected by HCL.

What should I do? Have I damaged the detector or column?

Ring Dionex ?
You should however be OK, from distant memory I seem to remember that all the columns could be washed with dilute HCl, not quite so sure about the detectors although assuming they are still all "inert" rather than SS again should be OK. Flush with de ionised water before swapping to your NaOH eluent. You should have cleared any Carbonate deposits and hopefully not damaged anything from released gas or heat when the HCl met the old NaOH

Thank you CE instruments

Before I left work yesterday I left water pumping overnight and today when I run my method, with the right mobile phase this time , everything was just perfect, so good pure water did the work.

I am not familiar with the term 'Ring Dionex'.

Thank you very much for your quick reply.

ha ha ha ha ha ha

Ring Dionex = call them

You must laugh big time! Good

Dear Labtech,

Molar Acid will not seriously harm the AS-11 column, in fact as pointed out by previous commentators its part of a column clean up for transition metals contamination of an anion exchange column. However I would be concerned if acid had run through your electrochemical cell as this could compromise the working electrode. I would recommend you polish the working electrode if it is a standard imbedded version. If it is a disposable version replace the disposable electrode. Check the counter electrode ( stainless steel cell body) for residue build up, clean if necessary and recalibrate your pH reference electrode.

Dear Mark,

Thank you for your reply.

After I washed the system with water my results were as expected and everthing looked normal. I have checked the counter electrode for any residues and there wasn't any, I just rinsed it with water. Also, working elecrode looked pretty clean.

I will follow your advice in case any problems with other analysis that uses electrochemical detector.

Thank you once again for your intrest in my inquiry.