Column "Contamination and Clean Techniques"

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  • Clean Techniques - The Fight Against Contamination (Part 1)

    For oceanographers in any field, preparation before boarding a ship is a hard task in its own right. Oceanographers who study trace metals have a lot of washing up to do before boarding a ship. The concentration of metals in seawater is so low that even today it is not easy to analyze. Even for a single water sampler, the inside is coated with Teflon, the O-rings and other parts are replaced with special materials, and they are thoroughly washed with hydrochloric acid and ultrapure water. We have to clean our seawater storage containers as well. The containers are made of high-purity plastic, and new is not always better. New plastic bottles are soaked and washed with alkaline detergent, then washed with concentrated nitric acid and ultrapure water with heat. Seven rinses in ultrapure water await at each wash step. In this way, we are finally ready to measure trace metals in the ocean. This is why ocean trace metal researchers spend months locked in a clean room before a long voyage, washing and rinsing endlessly before finally going out to sea. Most of the operations commonly referred to as clean techniques in oceanography are artisanal washing techniques based on the experience of past failures. It is fundamental to follow that wash recipe to the letter. Researchers of trace metals in the oceans are fascinated by the lure of the unknown, and they work impatiently in the clean room again. After all this hard work, the researchers are ready for the day of departure. We set out to sea, excited, with a sense of satisfaction at having made preparations in time for the vessel's departure, combined with the anticipation of great discoveries on the voyage that is about to begin. (Nishioka, Institute of Low Temperature Science Hokkaido University)
    
    (Reprinted by Ohki from a column provided by Dr. Nishioka for use in class materials)
    

  • Clean Techniques - The Fight Against Contamination (Part 2)

    
    

    When I (Ohki) first entered the field of oceanography, I was also doing research on trace metals in Sapporo. I think half of my research time was spent washing polyethylene bottles. But even when good experimental results were obtained, I would still be skeptical, "Could it be contamination?" . This is because I experienced failure due to contamination. After that, I switched to the field of marine trace organic gases (VOCs), and I thought I was done with the contamination hell! But then the battle against contamination and adsorption loss began in that field as well. I will probably be plagued with contamination and adsorption loss for the rest of my life. (All along, I'm prepared to do so in order to face the observational data with sincerity.)　 We must be physically and mentally tough, just as some of the senior marine chemists are explorers, mountain climbers, boxers, judoists, rugger men, karate masters, etc. Such tough seniors are devoting themselves to oceanographic observation despite back injuries. The mental strength cultivated by washing polyethylene bottles comes in handy here and there.　We are looking for tough new researchers!　You will be able to cultivate your spirit without fail. (Of course, there are ordinary people here, too. (Of course, there are ordinary people here, so don't get me wrong.) (OOKI Atsushi, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences)