chapt8

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Preventive maintenance is the key ingredient to possessing analytical equipment that will produce reliable data over the life of the instrument.

Responsibility for preventive maintenance lies with the analyst and supervisory personnel in charge of the monitoring equipment. The analytical staff must be dedicated to the implementation of the preventive maintenance program and always watchful for signs that there is a need for maintenance activities. The analyst and supervisory personnel must be supported by vendor specialists or in-house experts that handle activities beyond simple repairs or maintenance.

The Preventive Maintenance Program must consist of:

1. A written PM schedule;

2. Documentation of all maintenance and repairs (records must be kept in an easily accessible manner);

3. Vendor operation and maintenance manuals available for all instrumentation; and

4. A written contingency plan specifying that backup equipment will be maintained for all instrumentation or stating that sampling events will be postponed and current sample load be invalidated until repairs are accomplished. If samples are sent to another laboratory the subject laboratory must have an approved CompQAP for the parameters of concern and the DER Project Manager must be notified if the analytical work is being performed under a Quality Assurance Project Plan.

Table 8.1 identifies preventive maintenance activities by instrument type required by DER with recommended frequencies. Please note that it may be necessary to perform activities more frequently depending on heavy workloads, sample types analyzed and/or instrument performance. If the instrument manufacturer recommends more frequent or additional maintenance activities these shall also be incorporated into the facility maintenance program.

Table 8.1

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

INSTRUMENT/ACTIVITY

FREQUENCY

AA SPECTROPHOTOMETER (FLAME)

Clean nebulizer

Clean spectrophotometer quartz windows

Burner head cleaned; check tubing, pump and lamps

D(1)

O rings checked

M(1)

Fine Tune Wavelength; Check optics

Check electronics

A(3,4)

AA SPECTROPHOTOMETER (FURNACE)

Check graphite tubes

D(1)

Flush autosampler tubing

Replace graphite electrodes and Shrouds

Clean furnace housing and injector tip

Check electronics

A(3,4)

AA SPECTROPHOTOMETER (COLD VAPOR & HYDRIDE)

Flush tubing (automated systems)

D(1)

Check absorption cell for vitrification

D(1)

Replace or clean quartz cell

Check electronics

A(3,4)

ICP

Clean and realign torch

Clean nebulizer and spray chamber; Check peristaltic

W(1)

pump tubing and vacuum pump oil

Check entire optical system (mirrors, windows, etc.)

A(3,4)

Check water lines, torch compartment and gases

Check electronics (voltages, waveforms, etc.)

Check wavelength calibration and adjust as needed

Run interference (interelement) standard

GAS CHROMATOGRAPHS

GENERAL

Check septa, cylinder gas pressure,

oxygen/moisture traps

Bake out injector body

Check electronics (voltages, waveforms, etc.)

Q(3,4)

Check GC temperature calibrations (injector, oven, detector)

COLUMNS

Change glass sleeve inserts, shorten ends of columns, change glass wool plugs, check for leaks or replace

ELECTRON CAPTURE DETECTOR

Wipe Tests

Hydrogen cleaning

Returned to factory for cleaning and refoil

3,4

Table 8.1, cont.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

INSTRUMENT/ACTIVITY

FREQUENCY

GAS CHROMATOGRAPHS, Cont.

FLAME IONIZATION DETECTOR

Clean

Replace Flame Tip

PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTOR

Clean lamp

M(1)

HALL ELECTROLYTIC CONDUCTIVITY DETECTOR

Replace resin, change solvent and clean conductivity cell

3,4

Change Ni tube

NITROGEN PHOSPHORUS DETECTOR

Clean

MASS SPECTROMETER

Replace vacuum pump oil and change desiccant

Check ion source and analyzer (dismantle and clean, replace parts as needed)

Check mechanicals (vacuum pumps, relays, gas pressures and flows)

Check mass calibration w/ FC-43 (perfluorotributyl- amine)

PURGE AND TRAP

Clean sparger

Change Trap

Bake Trap

Check purge flow

Check for leaks

HIGH PRESSURE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

Gas lines checked for leaks

Clean mobile phase flow system with nitric acid

Clean detector flow cells with nitric acid

SA (3)

Clean injection valve

Check solvent filters

Check pumps seals and check valve assemblies (clean and replace as pressures & flows of mobile phase indicate)

Lubricate oil felts, if present

Lubricate post column reagent pumps and check valve assembly oil felts

INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETER

Clean instrument housing

Change desiccant and clean cells

Clean windows

Table 8.1, cont.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

INSTRUMENT/ACTIVITY

FREQUENCY

AUTOANALYZERS

Check for leaks, flush out system and clean up spills after use

Clean sample probe and check all tubing for wear and discoloration

M(1)

Clean optics

Oil sample motor, lubricate gears, clean flow cell

Clean pump rollers, platens and colorimeter filters

ION CHROMATOGRAPH

Check for leaks

Check all lines for wear and discoloration

W(1)

Check pump pistons

TOC ANALYZER

Change injection needle, clean injection port,

and change catalyst

Inspect combustion tube

RADIOCHEMISTRY

LOW BACKGROUND GAS PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS

Clean sample drawers and windows

LUCAS CELLS

Clean Windows

REFRIGERATORS, INCUBATORS, OVENS

Clean interior

Check thermometer temperature against certified thermometer or equivalent

ANALYTICAL BALANCES

Clean pan and compartment

Check with class S weights

Manufacturer cleaning and calibration

AUTOCLAVES

Gaskets checked

W(1)

Timing mechanism checked

Clean interior

Sterilization indicator tape

MICROSCOPES

Clean optics

Table 8.1, cont.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

INSTRUMENT/ACTIVITY

FREQUENCY

UV/VIS SPECTROPHOTOMETER

Lamp alignment checked

3,4

Windows cleaned

Check and adjust photomultiplier sensitivity and wavelength resolution

Replace lamp

Clean sample compartment before and after each use

Check electronics

A(3,4)

Adjust baseline for smoothness through entire wavelength range

Clean cuvettes after each use

TOX ANALYZER (TOTAL ORGANIC HALOGENS)

Clean titration cell; clean inlet and exit tube

Clean pyrolysis tube, recoat electrodes

pH AND ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODES

PROBE

Check probe for cracks and proper levels of filling solution; check reference junction; clean electrode

D(1)

Check response time

METER

Check batteries and electronics for loose connections and cracked leads

D(1)

TURBIDIMETER

Clean instrument housing

Clean cells

CONDUCTIVITY METER

Check batteries and probe cables

Replatinize Probe

DISSOLVED OXYGEN METERS

PROBE

Check membrane for deterioration; check filling solution

D(1)

METER

Battery level and electronics checked

D(1)

THERMOMETERS

Check for cracks and gaps in the mercury

D(1)

TEMPERATURE PROBE

Check connections, cables

Check against calibrated thermometer

AUTOSAMPLERS

Check needles and tubing

D(1)

Clean

Table 8.1, cont.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES

INSTRUMENT/ACTIVITY		FREQUENCY
DATA SYSTEMS
	Clean computers, check battery backup and check	Q
	ventilation fans

AUTOMATIC SAMPLE COLLECTION SYSTEMS (ex. ISCO, Sigma, etc.)
	Check sampler operation (forward, reverse, automatic	D(6)
	through three cycles of the purge-pump-purge cycle)
	Check purge-pump-purge cycle when sampler is installed	D(7)
	Check the flow pacer that activates the sampler to assure proper operation
	Check desiccant	D(1,6)
	Check batteries	D(1,6)
	Check pumping rate against manufacturer's specifications	D(1,6)

KEY:

1	Replace as necessary	D	daily*
2	High background	W	weekly
3	Loss of sensitivity or failing resolution	M	monthly
4	Erratic response	Q	quarterly
5	QC failure	SA	semi-annually
6	Prior to sampling event	A	annually
7	In situ (under field conditions)

*Daily is defined as prior to use or a 12-hour period if equipment is run continuously