Now for a hydrolysis question: I recall reading somewhere that one way to
test your hydrolysis conditions for complete oxygen scavenging is to add
sodium sulfite (or bisulfite, I can't recall) to the ?sample tubes? or
?acid/phenol pool in the bottom of the hydrolysis vial?. This was for the
typical 6N HCl/phenol hydrolysis conditions whereby samples are in pyrolized
tubes which are placed in the hydrolysis vial with the HCl and phenol at the
bottom. The vial is purged with nitrogen several times, then a vaccum is
drawn and the vial sealed, then placed in a heating block for the required
time.
Does anyone know of this procedure? Of course I can't locate that procedure
in my references, now that I need it. If not this procedure, does anyone
have a procedure to demonstrate that no oxidation is occuring during vacuum
hydrolysis, apart from hearing the slight "pssst" as you open the
vacuum-sealed vials after heating?
Thanks again!
Nadine Ritter
Abbott Diagnostics Division
Nadine.Ritter@ add.ssw.abbott.com
Gerbil Update: The older son came home and forgave his mom for the gerbil
incident, and the loss of his other pets. However, he did request
verfication from his dad that they really died of natural (or accidental)
causes, rather than being used in scientific experimentation, as his mom does
have a history of this with chickens, rats, mice, pigeons, hamsters, sharks,
stingrays, and ratfish...let's just say that his concerns are justified.