Proper cleaning after using the FC-90 fraction collector will help minimize the risk of system clogging.

Cleaning

1. After completing sampling, bypass the microdialysis probe.

2. Load a disposable syringe with chlorine bleach diluted 50 to 100x with purified water. Remove the perfusate syringe and attach the bleach syringe, then push bleach solution through the tubing and fraction collector needles. Leave the bleach in place for at least 15 min. To remove bacteria from the outside of the fraction collector needles, dip the exposed part of the PEEK needle in diluted bleach solution.

3. Disconnect all tubing and flush each individual piece of tubing with water several times. The fraction collector needles should each be flushed with water several times as well.

4.  Sonicate the needle to remove contaminants from between the PEEK needle and the stainless steel cover. Sonicate the needle in a tall narrow vessel such as a 15 ml plastic tube containing 3 to 4 cm of purified water with standing position of the vessel.

Note: There are detergents in household bleach that can interfere with HPLC analysis, so thorough rinsing is essential. High concentrations of ethanol can damage the fraction collector needles.