lli

Inorganic Ion washed pink-cap tubes, and siliconized spectrometer (Bausch & Lomb, Roch-
orange-green-cap tubes) were collected ester, N.Y. 14625).
Contaminations in from seven hospitals (E. J. Meyer Me- Results of Ca analyses confirm the
Vacutainer Tubes and morial Hospital, VA Hospital, Sisters findings of Foster et al.-there is lot-
Micropipets Used for Blood of Charity Hospital, South Buffalo to-lot variation and tube-to-tube varia-
Mercy Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, tion within the lot. Red-cap Vacutainer
Collection and Columbus Hospital of Buffalo, N.Y., tubes from differentlots and different
To the Editor: and Hartford Hospital, Hartford, hospitalsshowed the followingvariation
Conn.) and analyzed as described below. in mean calcium contamination (num-
Unexplained contamination of serum by A total of 402 Vacutainer tubes (of ber of tubes analyzed in parentheses):
calcium and a recent letter of Foster et different types and with several different 1.9 (12), 2.4 (10), 1.2 (11), 1.4 (10),
al. (1) prompted us to measure ion lot numbers), 20 Wasserman tubes, and and 3.0 (12) g of Ca per tube. Similar
contamination in “Vacutainer” tubes 10 Pasteur pipets (no lot number) and amounts of Ca contamination were
(Becton, Dickinson & Co., Ruther- 40 micropipets (three different lot num- found in orange-green-cap tubes or even
ford, N.J. 07070), in disposable Wasser- bers) were analyzed for contaminating pink-cap tubes (Table 2). Repeated
man tubes, 16 X 100 mm (Rochester Ca, Mg, or Li. After breaking the (three) washing (with water or 0.O1N
Scientific Co., Rochester, N.Y. 14624), vacuum, exactly 1 ml of previously HCI) resulted in further removal of
in pediatric micro blood-collecting tubes analyzed water (or 1 ml of 0.O1N HC1 Ca; the third wash contained only 10
(Natelson heparinized tubes, Clay- where specified) was pipetted into the to 30% as much Ca contaminant as
Adams, Parsippany, N.J. 07054), plain tube. The stoppered tube was then at- the first (Table 2). Table 3 shows that,
Caraway-type “Trident” micro tubes tached to a multipurpose rotor, shaken for some tubes, the glycerinized or
(Aloe Scientific Co., St. Louis, Mo. for 10 mm, and the wash fluid analyzed. siliconized stoppers seemed to be a
63103), and in disposable transfer pipets This procedure was repeated with source of contamination. Tubes washed
(“Pasteur pipets,” Rochester Scientific other types of tubes (and pipets), except as described after being subjected to
Co.) that “Parafilm” was used instead of regular detergent and acid wash or to
Different types of Vacutainers (plain stoppers. The analyses (2-4) were done detergent wash only were definitely less
red cap, siliconized red cap, specially with a model AC2-20 atomic absorption contaminated (columns 1, 2 of Table 1).

Table 1. Ca Contamination Found before and after Acid Wash’

Natelson
Red.cap Vacu- (heparinized) Aloe (plain)
Ca in wash tainers, 10 ml, Wasserman tubes. Pasteur pipets, micropipets, mlcropipets.
fluid cat, no. 4710 cat, no. 7045 cat, no. 3575 cat, no. A-2538 cat, no. V.27012

Without pre-
vious wash 1.6(0.9-3.1)(10) 0.3(0.2-0.4)(12) 0.07(0.01-0.2)(10) 0.9(0.7-1.3)(30) 0.25(0.2-0.3)(30)
Second wash,
with acid 0.2 (5) ... ... 0.3(0.2-0.4)(15) 0.3 (0.2-0.35) (15)
Second wash,
with water 0.1(5) 0.17(0.1-0.5)(8) 0.3(0.2-.0.4)(15) 0.2(15)
With 50% HNO3. Numbers in parentheses are ranges and number of samples. Results are in g Ca per tube (except the microS
pipets, which are in hg Ca per two pipets). Average contamination of heparinized Aloe micropipets was 1.3 g Ca per 2 pipets (20 tubes
analyzed); that of plain Natelson micropipets was 0.4 g Ca per two pipets(20tubes analyzed).

Table 2. Ca Contamination in Vacutainer Tubes after Repeated Wash ing

Red-cap, 10 ml
SlIlcon’d., Pink-cap, 10 ml, Orange.green
Typ. of cat, no. 4708 Glyc’d., cat, no. 4719 cap, 10 ml,
wash (3200TG) cat, no. 4710 (3200NT) cat, no. 4707

First acid wash 3.0(1.8-3.7)(10) 2.5(2.2-2.0)(10) 1.4(1.0-1.8)(10) 2.1(1.2-3.2)(10)

Third acid wash 0.7(0.5-0.8)(10) 0.5(0.4-0.7)(10) 0.4(0.3-0.5)(10) 1.1(0.8-1.3)(10)
First water wash 1.6(1.5-2.0)(10) 3.0(1.8-3.8)(1O) 1.5(1.2-2.0)(10) 1.8(1.7-2.0)(10)
Third waterwash 0.2(0.15-0.3)(10) 0.3(0.2-0.4)(10) 0.2(0.15-0.3)(10) 0.1(0.0-0.2)(10)
In zg calcium per tube. Numbers are mean, range, and number of tubes analyzed, in that order.

350 CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, Vol. 17, No. 4, 1971

 Table 3. Ca Contamination in Vacutainer Tubes with or without Stop per’
Red-cap, 10 ml
Silicon’d., PInk-cap, 10 ml, Orange-green
Type of cat, no. 4708 GIyc’d., cat, no. 4719 cap, 10 ml,
“elution” (3200TG) cat no. 4710 (3200NT) cat, no. 4707

“Elution”with stopper 1.9(1.3-2.6)(20) 2.1(1.2-3.2)(20) 1.2(0.8-1.5)(10) 0.9(0.8-1.1)(10)

“Elution”with Parafilm 0.7(0.5-1.1)(10) 0.8(0.7-1.4)(10) 0.6(0.5-0.9)(10) 0.5(0.4-0.7)(10)
“In zg calcium per tube. Numb ers are mean, range, and number of tubes analyzed, in that order.

Pasteur pipets (used in handling serum Temperature Control on of 31#{176}

to 32#{176}C
under the acryliccover of
for Ca determination) were negligibly AutoAnalyzer II the top portion of the module. During
contaminated. the first 68 miii of one warm-up period,
Although contamination of Vacu- To the Editor: the airtemperature at the dialyzerblock
tamer tubes with calcium causes serious reached During the next 32
26.5#{176}C.
error only if the tubes are not sufficiently On Technicon’s AutoAnalyzer II glucose mm, the temperature rose to 28.6#{176}C.
filled with blood (or if used repeatedly module, there is no direct control of the During this time, the absorbance of an
for serum transfer), Natelson pediatric temperature of dialysis. The need for aqueous standard increased 10% with-
micro blood tubes could cause more temperature control was demonstrated out a change in absorbance of the rea-
serious errors-as much as 0.4 mg/100 by Grady and Lamar ICLIN. CHEM. 5, gent blank.
ml difference in the apparent serum 542(1959)]. If, after temperature equilibrium is
calcium-because of the limited volume The dialysis temperaturethe of reached, the acryliccover of the unit is
(Table 1). In comparison, plain “tri- AutoAnalyzer II is controlled by the removed, absorbance decreases along
dent” microtubes (Aloe) averaged less balance of heat produced by the heating with the temperature drop. Good
contamination. block within the module and the loss of stabilitycould be obtained by operating
Mg contamination averaged 0.025 or heat to the surroundings through the the module with the cover off,because
less that of the average calcium; there- partly covered top portion of the room temperature was relatively con-
fore, it could be ignored. Li contamina- module. In an ambient temperature of stant.
tion was practically nonexistent. between 240 and 25#{176}C,
it required at In the Technicon SMA 12/60, a very
We conclude that Ca error is di- least 2 h to reach a steady temperature similar module uses a 37#{176}C
l)redlalysls
minished if Vacutainers are properly
filled with blood and acid-washed glass-
ware is used for transfer. For pediatric
blood collection, Caraway plain micro-
tubes (Aloe) seem satisfactory.

References improve
Automatically your
1. Foster, L.
R. T., Bowers,
B., Frings, C. S., Dunn,
G. N., Jr., Pybus, J., and
Doumas, B., Presence of calcium con-
LabStaff
Productivity
taminationin vacuum tubes for blood col-
CLIN. CHEw. 16, 546 (1970).
lection.
2. Bowers, G. N., Smith, S. B.,and Feld-
man, F. J., A study of factors affecting
the determination of calcium in serum by
atomic absorption spectroscopy.CLIN.
CHEw. 14, 846 (1968). The Shandon Elliott 23-station automatic slide staining machine gives you
3. Zettner, A., Principles and applications high reproducibility and uniform quality in preparing Pap stains, blood
of atomic absorption spectroscopy ad- films, bone marrow spreads and tissue sections. Skilled technicians are
vances. CLIN. CHEw. 7, 1 (1964). released for other important work, improving overall productivity.
4. Blijenberg, B. G., and Leijnse, B., The This slide stainer-holding up to 60 slides-is actually three machines
determination of lithium in serum by in one: two separate machines operating simultaneously on different cycles,
atomic absorption spectroscopy and flame two separate units operating on the same staining cycle at the same time,
emission-spectroscopy. Gun. Chim. Acta or as one machine operating on all 23 staining positions.
19, 97 (1968). Also available: 8-station model, 12-station model, and a coverslip
staining machine with a capacity of 72 coverslips.
DESIDER A. PRAGAY For more information contact Shandon Scientific Company, Inc., 515
SUSAN F. HOWARD Broad Street, Sewickley, Pa. 15143 (Pittsburgh District).
MAX E. CRILcOTE

Erie County Laboratories

E. J. Meyer Memorial Hospital
Buffalo, N.Y. 14215
Department of Biochemistry
State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y.
Editor’s Note: A Letter on this subject
also appeared in our January issue
PITTSBURGH #{149} LONDON #{149} FRANKFURT
[CIIN. CHEw. 17, 61(1971)].

CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, Vol. 17, No. 4, 1971 351