Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong CN (1), WC Law (1), WC Yeung (1)
Affiliation :
(1) SSD, NTWC
Introduction :
Reverse Osmosis (R.O) water treatment system would be implemented in TMH Sterile Service Department (SSD). R.O water treatment ensure microorganisms, organic and inorganic materials are removed and generate high-purity water for medical devices reprocessing. According to the international and national standards (ISO 15883, HTM 01-01 and AAMI TIR34), monitor procedures should be established to ensure the extensive treated water is of adequate quality. In TMH SSD, temperature compensated conductivity data logger would be adopted as a routine monitoring of R.O water quality. Conductivity is measurement of the ability of a solution to carry electrical current by ions. Ions regard as contaminants in water quality. Thus, monitoring conductivity can reflect water source pollution and deviation from standards. According to HTMH01-01: the conductivity at 25°C should not exceed 30 μS/cm for reverse osmosis water. Besides, water conductivity has a substantial dependence on temperature, the higher the water temperature, the higher the conductivity. In thermal disinfection, the final rinse water temperature reaches 90°C, the measured conductivity value has to be temperature-compensated to 25°C, in referenced to HTM01-01 standard. A temperature compensated conductivity data logger allows real time water quality monitoring in thermal disinfection stage without further procedures.
Objectives :
To investigate the temperature compensated conductivity data logger to provide relevant data for water quality monitoring in thermal disinfection.
Methodology :
Conductivity data loggers (EBI 12-TC230) were put into a sample of hot reverse osmosis water. Conductivity and temperature were kept measuring when the reverse osmosis water was cooling down at room temperature. Two conductivity data loggers of the same model (EBI 12-TC230) were used throughout the experiment in order to test the consistency of temperature compensation function. The conductivity data logger is determined to be temperature compensated if the conductivity measurement is constant alongside with decreasing water temperature.
Result & Outcome :
The measured conductivities of the two data loggers in reverse osmosis water were constant at different temperature level. Hence, the conductivity data logger (EBI 12-TC230) was determined to be temperature compensated. The conductivity data logger (EBI 12-TC230) is suitable for routine monitoring the water quality of final rinse water of washer disinfector. This automatic temperature-compensated function allows real time measurement and direct data analysis.
