Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 09:37:50 +0800
From: "Dr. Ming F. Tam" <MBR405@ccvax.sinica.edu.tw>
Subject: ABI sequencer Solvent A2 and Solvent B2
To: Recipients of ABRF List <abrf@aecom.yu.edu>
Dear All:
We recently have problems with protein sequencer Solvent A2 and Solvent B2
from ABI. For Solvent A2, we found black particles that are visible to
naked eyes upon swirling, even though they are stored in brown bottles. We
made the mistake of trusting ABI and not inspecting the buffer before using
it. Consequently we killed our column. As for Solvent B2, it has an
absorbance of 0.2-0.5 higher than Solvent A at 269 nm. This value is a
variable even within the same lot. Considering that I am paying US$68-75
per bottle for these Solvents, I am expecting better quality products. We
have informed Foster City thru the Web site and they have not responded to
our problem. The ABI branch office here in Taiwan did replaced the
Solvents and informed us that the chemicals were manufactured in Japan and
there were no guarantee that the problem would not happen again. They are
not willing to import the chemicals from the States and claimed that it is
the ABI policy to have Japan to manufacture all the reagents for Asia. I
am worrying about the other chemicals too. How could I know whether my
peptide has a blocked N-terminus or ABI has handed me a bottle of bad
reagent? I am considering of switching to other vendors or preparing my
own buffers and possibly other chemicals. Any suggestions or advices are
highly appreciated.
Ming F. Tam
Dr. Ming F. Tam
Institute Molecular Biology
Academia Sinica
mbr405@ccvax.sinica.edu.tw