Medical gas analyser gets thumbs up

Still within 18 months of launch, the new Geotech G210 piped medical gas analyser is receiving positive user reviews. It is joined by the Geotech G200 ambient N2O gas analyser and the Geotech G100 CO2 incubator gas analyser.

Geotech asked Ian Buckingham, Regional QC (MGPS) to review the Geotech G210 medical gas analyser supplied by GEM Scientific – which replaces the earlier Geotech FP99. According to Ian Buckingham, “The G210 is smaller than the FP99 and the user benefits from its size and robust construction. The G210 is packed with additional features that make testing medical gases easier and more versatile than other instruments currently available.

“The ability of the G210 to detect the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) in nitrous oxide (N2O) greatly assists in the testing of nitrous oxide medical gas systems to HTM 02-01 requirements.

“The on-board data logging is a welcomed addition. The key-pad, whilst basic, allows the user to perform calibration and testing function easily and quickly.”

Easy User Calibration
In addition to meeting the requirement of medical gas analysis, the Geotech G210 piped medical gas analyser is easy for users to calibrate accurately and quickly. This is illustrated in a calibration demonstration video: G210 Piped Medical Gas Analyser. Easy User Calibration

MGA Newsletter Review
The calibration demo video follows an earlier review, ‘G210 verifies piped medical gases’ by Ed Doyle QC (MGPS) in which he concludes that the Geotech G210 medical gas analyser is, “A major improvement in portable instrumentation for the analysis of medical gases.” He reported in the August 2010 issue of the Medical Gas Association newsletter.

Occupational health - N2O exposure
The Geotech G200 ambient N2O gas analyser measures N2O exposure. In occupational health specification it measures low-range background N2O in ppm. As a portable personal exposure monitor the G200 gives an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure for which the COSHH, EH40 limit is 100ppm. It can measure background N2O levels or operate in ‘rapid-response’ leak-detection mode. The G200 is designed to help prevent anaesthetists and others from prolonged exposure to low-range N2O and stay within occupational exposure limits.

CO2 Incubator gas analyser
Critical levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are easily measured with the Geotech G100 CO2 Incubator gas analyser. Pfizer quality checks 25 medical incubators with a Geotech G100 CO2 incubator gas analyser to confirm CO2 environments are as required – taking just two minutes for each. The medical incubators, kept at 37 degrees Celsius and five percent carbon dioxide (CO2), are manufacturer-fitted to regulate themselves and display their environments. “Now we can double check and every month we do a QC check to be sure the CO2 is at five percent,” said Tim Stroud, associate scientist at Pfizer in Sandwich, Kent. Using the G100, supplied by GEM Scientific, Pfizer found some variations of up to three percent in CO2 concentration, mainly as a result of frequent opening and closing of incubator doors. Identifying this led to fine-tuning and ensured target CO2 concentrations were maintained. For GEM Scientific: www.gemscientific.co.uk