speed-vac equipment

[Catherine H Knox <cathyk@maroon.tc.umn.edu> (Cathy Knox)]

...one of our research lab isotope users had a "contained flood" occur in a
speed-vac sample concentrator apparatus. The vacuum source used,
unfortunately, was a faucet aspirator,(rather than a mechanical pump). The
samples were dispersed in a 1 ml volume of
ehtly acetate.  The lab had followed this protocol many times and expected
the samples to dry in about 40 min. Upon checking the centrifuge (which has a 
clear lucite lid)...surprise! Samlpes were in watertowm! Water had been
sucked up into the collecting flask and  right on into the centrifuge
chamber,( while it was running...)

I was surprised the lab used a faucet aspirator, expecting the vacuum pull
would be relatively weak, (as the 40 min drying time seems to show,after all
ETOAC has a pretty high vapor pressure). Most vacuum and lyophilizing
equipment is traditionaly hooked up to a one 
or two stage pumps...so we never though to warn users  not to use
otherwise...(but 
the need to improvise just brings out the creativity in people..)

Anyway, I wanted to ask if anyone out there has had any implosion problems with
collector traps attached to speed-vac devices (using house vacuum or pumps).
Thankyou...
  


___________________________
Cathy Knox
Health Science Auditor
Radiation Protection
W-176 Boynton 
University of Minnesota
cathyk@maroon.tc.umn.edu