any form or by any means (including electronic storage and retrieval or translation
into a foreign language) without prior agreement and written consent from Agilent
Technologies, Inc. as governed by United
States and international copyright laws.
Manual Part Number
G3870-90101
Edition
Second edition, May 2013
Printed in USA
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
5301 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Santa Clara, CA 95052
2GC/MS Hydrogen Safety
Contents
1“Hydrogen Safety" 5
2
“ 水素使用時の注意事項 " 13
3
“氢气安全" 21
4“Précautions relatives à l’hydrogène" 29
5“Sicurezza dell’idrogeno" 37
6“Wasserstoff-Sicherheit" 45
7“Medidas de seguridad para el hidrógeno" 53
8“Меры предосторожности при обращении с водородом" 61
any form or by any means (including electronic storage and retrieval or translation
into a foreign language) without prior agreement and written consent from Agilent
Technologies, Inc. as governed by United
States and international copyright laws.
Manual Part Number
G3870-90101
Edition
Second edition, May 2013
Printed in USA
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
5301 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Santa Clara, CA 95052
Safety Notices
A CAUTION notice denotes a hazard. It calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or the like
that, if not correctly performed or
adhered to, could result in damage
to the product or loss of important
data. Do not proceed beyond a
CAUTION notice until the indicated
conditions are fully understood and
met.
A WARNING notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like that, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result
in personal injury or death. Do not
proceed beyond a WARNING
notice until the indicated conditions are fully understood and
met.
6GC/MS Hydrogen Safety
Hydrogen Safety
WARNING
WARNING
The use of hydrogen as a GC carrier gas is potentially dangerous.
When using hydrogen (H2) as the carrier gas or fuel gas, be aware that hydrogen
gas can flow into the GC oven and create an explosion hazard. Therefore, be sure
that the supply is turned off until all connections are made and ensure that the inlet
and detector column fittings are either connected to a column or capped at all times
when hydrogen gas is supplied to the instrument.
Hydrogen is flammable. Leaks, when confined in an enclosed space, may create a
fire or explosion hazard. In any application using hydrogen, leak test all
connections, lines, and valves before operating the instrument. Always turn off the
hydrogen supply at its source before working on the instrument.
Hydrogen is a commonly used GC carrier gas. Hydrogen is potentially
explosive and has other dangerous characteristics.
• Hydrogen is combustible over a wide range of concentrations. At
• Hydrogen has the highest burning velocity of any gas.
• Hydrogen has a very low ignition energy.
• Hydrogen that is allowed to expand rapidly from high pressure can
• Hydrogen burns with a nonluminous flame which can be invisible under
atmospheric pressure, hydrogen is combustible at concentrations from 4%
to 74.2% by volume.
self-ignite.
bright light.
GC/MS Hydrogen Safety7
GC precautions
When using hydrogen as a carrier gas, remove the large round plastic cover for
the MS transfer line located on the GC left side panel. In the unlikely event of
an explosion, this cover may dislodge.
Dangers unique to GC/MS operation
WARNING
Hydrogen presents a number of dangers. Some are general, others are unique
to GC or GC/MS operation. Dangers include, but are not limited to:
• Combustion of leaking hydrogen.
• Combustion due to rapid expansion of hydrogen from a high-pressure
cylinder.
• Accumulation of hydrogen in the GC oven and subsequent combustion (see
your GC documentation and the label on the top edge of the GC oven door).
• Accumulation of hydrogen in the MS and subsequent combustion.
Hydrogen accumulation in an MS
The MS cannot detect leaks in inlet and/or detector gas streams. For this reason, it
is vital that column fittings should always be either connected to a column or have a
cap or plug installed.
All users should be aware of the mechanisms by which hydrogen can
accumulate (Table 1) and know what precautions to take if they know or
suspect that hydrogen has accumulated. Note that these mechanisms apply to
all mass spectrometers, including the MS.
8GC/MS Hydrogen Safety
Tabl e 1Hydrogen accumulation mechanisms
MechanismResults
Mass spectrometer turned off A mass spectrometer can be shut down
deliberately. It can also be shut down accidentally
by an internal or external failure. A mass
spectrometer shutdown does not shut off the flow
of carrier gas. As a result, hydrogen may slowly
accumulate in the mass spectrometer.
Tabl e 1Hydrogen accumulation mechanisms (continued)
MechanismResults
Mass spectrometer automated isolation
valves closed
Mass spectrometer manual isolation
valves closed
GC off A GC can be shut down deliberately. It can also be
Some mass spectrometers are equipped with
automated diffusion pump isolation valves. In these
instruments, deliberate operator action or various
failures can cause the isolation valves to close.
Isolation valve closure does not shut off the flow of
carrier gas. As a result, hydrogen may slowly
accumulate in the mass spectrometer.
Some mass spectrometers are equipped with
manual diffusion pump isolation valves. In these
instruments, the operator can close the isolation
valves. Closing the isolation valves does not shut
off the flow of carrier gas. As a result, hydrogen
may slowly accumulate in the mass spectrometer.
shut down accidentally by an internal or external
failure. Different GCs react in different ways. If a
6890 GC equipped with Electronic Pressure Control
(EPC) is shut off, the EPC stops the flow of carrier
gas. If the carrier flow is not under EPC control, the
flow increases to its maximum. This flow may be
more than some mass spectrometers can pump
away, resulting in the accumulation of hydrogen in
the mass spectrometer. If the mass spectrometer is
shut off at the same time, the accumulation can be
fairly rapid.
Power failure If the power fails, both the GC and mass
spectrometer shut down. The carrier gas, however,
is not necessarily shut down. As described
previously, in some GCs a power failure may cause
the carrier gas flow to be set to maximum. As a
result, hydrogen may accumulate in the mass
spectrometer.
GC/MS Hydrogen Safety9
WARNING
Once hydrogen has accumulated in a mass spectrometer, extreme caution must be
WARNING
used when removing it. Incorrect startup of a mass spectrometer filled with
hydrogen can cause an explosion.
After a power failure, the mass spectrometer may start up and begin the pumpdown
process by itself. This does not guarantee that all hydrogen has been removed from
the system or that the explosion hazard has been removed.
Precautions
Take the following precautions when operating a GC/MS system with
hydrogen carrier gas.
Equipment precaution
You MUST make sure the front side-plate thumbscrew is fastened finger-tight.
Do not overtighten the thumbscrew; it can cause air leaks.
WARNING
10GC/MS Hydrogen Safety
Failure to secure your MS as described above greatly increases the chance of
personal injury in the event of an explosion.
You must remove the plastic cover over the glass window on the front of a
. In the unlikely event of an explosion, this cover may dislodge.
MS
General laboratory precautions
• Avoid leaks in the carrier gas lines. Use leak-checking equipment to
periodically check for hydrogen leaks.
• Eliminate from your laboratory as many ignition sources as possible (open
flames, devices that can spark, sources of static electricity, etc.).
• Do not allow hydrogen from a high pressure cylinder to vent directly to
atmosphere (danger of self-ignition).
• Use a hydrogen generator instead of bottled hydrogen.
Operating precautions
• Turn off the hydrogen at its source every time you shut down the GC or MS.
• Turn off the hydrogen at its source every time you vent the MS (do not heat
the capillary column without carrier gas flow).
• Turn off the hydrogen at its source every time isolation valves in an MS are
closed (do not heat the capillary column without carrier gas flow).
• Turn off the hydrogen at its source if a power failure occurs.
• If a power failure occurs while the GC/MS system is unattended, even if the
system has restarted by itself:
1 Immediately turn off the hydrogen at its source.
2 Turn off the GC.
3 Turn off the MS and allow it to cool for 1 hour.
4 Eliminate all potential sources of ignition in the room.
5 Open the vacuum manifold of the MS to atmosphere.
6 Wait at least 10 minutes to allow any hydrogen to dissipate.
7 Start up the GC and MS as normal.
When using hydrogen gascheck the system for leaks to prevent possible fire
and explosion hazards based on local Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
requirements. Always check for leaks after changing a tank or servicing the
gas lines. Always make sure the vent line is vented into a fume hood.