STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Department: Page 1 of 2
Quality Control
Doc. Ref. No.: Revision No.: 00
QC/SOP/
Effective Date: Handling and Maintenance of Desiccator Replaces:
Not Applicable
Next Review Date:

1.0 Purpose
The purpose of this SOP is to describe the procedure to be followed for handling and
maintenance of desiccator.

2.0 Scope
This procedure applies to handling and maintenance of the desiccator in chemical section
of Quality Control Department.

3.0 Responsibilities
3.1 Officer QC or Sr. Officer QC is responsible for handling and maintenance of desiccator
and logging of regeneration of silica gel.
3.2 Manager QC or Designee is responsible to ensure that this SOP is being followed.

4.0 Procedure
4.1 Handling of Desiccator
4.1.1 Place the desiccator away from metallic items or on even surface to avoid shattering
the glass.
4.1.2 Lubricate the ground-glass rim of the desiccator lid with a thin layer of vacuum
grease, petroleum jelly, paraffin wax or other lubricant to ensure an airtight seal.
4.1.3 Color changing silica is used to indicate when it should be regenerated. Indication
gels typically change from blue to pink, purple to pink or light yellow to white as they
absorb moisture but other colors may be used.
4.1.4 Do not open the lid and expose the internal environment of desiccator for a longer
period of time as it may result in permeation of moisture and saturation of silica gel.
Close the lid as soon as possible.
4.1.5 Do not lift the lid upwards/away from desiccator as it may lift the desiccator along
with the lid and result in shattering or breaking the desiccator because of vacuum
grease, petroleum jelly, paraffin wax or any other lubricant applied to ensure airtight
seal.
4.1.6 Always slide the lid half to the back/front to join the rims to open/close the
desiccator with one hand and holding the desiccator with other hand.

4.2 Maintenance of Desiccator

4.2.1 Remove the lid of desiccator, clean the lubricant with dried cloth from rim of lid and
desiccator.
4.2.2 Remove all the materials from the desiccator and keep the same in another
desiccator.
4.2.3 Remove the silica gel.
4.2.4 Clean the desiccator with water, soap solution and again with water.
4.2.5 Allow it to dry.
4.2.6 Fill the dried silica gel.
4.2.7 Apply the vacuum grease, petroleum jelly, paraffin wax or any other lubricant to the
rim of desiccator.
4.2.8 Transfer all the materials back into the desiccator.
4.2.9 Following 4.1.5, close the desiccator.
4.2.10 Ensure that all the containers placed in the desiccators are labeled.

Not to be reproduced/disclosed without prior written approval

 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Department: Page 2 of 2
Quality Control
Doc. Ref. No.: Revision No.: 00
QC/SOP/
Effective Date: Handling and Maintenance of Desiccator Replaces:
Not Applicable
Next Review Date:

4.3 Regeneration of Silica Gel

4.3.1 Disperse the silica gel to obtain a bed of less than 1” thickness on steel tray of
suitable size to fit in the drying oven.
4.3.2 Set the temperature of drying oven to 135 – 145oC.
4.3.3 Dry the silica gel for 2 hours.
4.3.4 After 2 hours, do not attempt to handle silica gel, or the container, until it has cooled
to a safe temperature.
4.3.5 Place the silica gel in desiccator and close the desiccator.
4.3.6 Make entry in logbook. (QC/SOP/)

4.4 Handling of Silica gel during regeneration

4.4.1 Do not overheat the gel, overheating may ruin it, and it will take longer and longer
to re-dry the gel.
4.4.2 One indicator of overheated silica gel is the presence of black or blue-black silica
beads.
4.4.3 Over-heating may cause the release of a stronger odor, possibly related to the
breakdown of the gel.
4.4.4 Do not transfer silica gel to another storage container until the gel has thoroughly
cooled. If the gel has not cooled you’ll notice the presence of condensation on the
walls of the storage container.
4.4.5 Use asbestos gloves to handle the steel tray.

4.5 Frequency of regeneration/change of Silica Gel

4.5.1 The silica gel shall be regenerated/changed after every month or whenever required.

5.0 Definitions and Abbreviations

Sr. No. Terms/Words/ Meaning/description
Statements
01 QC Quality Control
02 SOP Standard operating procedure

6.0 References
Sr. No. Description

01 Not applicable

7.0 Revision History

Revision Description of change
No.
00 New SOP

8.0 Associated Documents

8.1 QC/SOP/ (Silica Gel Regeneration Log)

Not to be reproduced/disclosed without prior written approval