Mercury free operation of the Coulter counter MultiSizer II sampling stand.
Electronic particle counters have gained widespread acceptance as a means to measure osmotic properties of cell membranes. Because most current instruments do not allow for the collection of true volume as a function of time data, investigators use older models such as the MultiSizer II sampling stand. A significant drawback to this and other older models is that they rely on mercury to maintain a constant pressure and to connect electrodes. The presence of mercury is a human health hazard that is exacerbated by the sometimes irregular vacuum pressures that cause mercury spills inside of the machine. To eliminate this hazard, we have determined that the MultiSizer II model can be simply and easily modified to function and collect temporal volume data without the use of mercury.
Benson
James D
JD
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Haidekker
Mark A
MA
Benson
Corinna M K
CM
Critser
John K
JK
D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008628:Mercury; D009995:Osmosis; D010316:Particle Size; D011312:Pressure
D008628:Mercury