High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

HPLC Waste Collection

Containers collecting HPLC waste must remain closed while the HPLC unit is in operation. It is not acceptable to place a waste line running from the HPLC unit into an open waste container nor is it acceptable to use foil or Parafilm® as a means of closure.

One of the following practices must be employed in order to comply with hazardous waste regulations for HPLC waste collection systems:

1. Purchase an engineered container and/or cap designed for HPLC waste collection. Table 2, “Acceptable Engineered Containers for HPLC Waste Collection,” shows several examples of acceptable solutions that can be purchased.
2. Modify an existing cap. An existing cap can be modified by the research lab for HPLC waste collection. To modify an existing cap, a hole can be drilled into a cap. The diameter of the hole should be similar to the diameter of the waste line; there should be a tight fit between the container opening and waste line. In addition, a hole should be drilled to accommodate any exhaust filter or air valve tube that may be required. It is recommended that either a 4-liter container or 5-gallon carboy be used for waste collection. The modified cap should be replaced with a regular, unmodified cap once the container is full and ready for EHS pickup. See Table 3, “Acceptable Modified Caps for HPLC Waste Collection,” for examples of acceptable modified caps.

Table 1: Improper HPLC Waste Collection Practices

Table 2: Proper HPLC Waste Collection Options for Purchase

Table 3: Proper HPLC Waste Collection with Modified Caps