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Care of Oxygen Sensor Probes

Sterilization Method

Your Oxygen Sensor probe is very easy to maintain. It can be left in air indefinitely, but don't leave it exposed to your excitation light source when it is not in use. Dropping the probe could cause the optical fiber to break. Be sure not to over tighten the SMA connections.

Clean your probes with 10% hypochlorite detergent and sterilize them with Gamma radiation or sodium hypochlorite (bleach). See below for further details on cleaning and sterilization methods available for your Sensor Probes.

Cleaning Method	FOXY Probes	FOSPOR Probes	HIOXY Probes
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach)	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes
Gamma radiation	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes	Safe -- seems to have no effect on probes
Hydrogen peroxide plasma gas, low temperature, Plazlyte	Degrades probe signal by about 15% with each cycle	Degrades probe signal by about 15% with each cycle	Degrades probe signal by about 15% with each cycle
Autoclaving (steam sterilization) >30 minutes at 121 °C	Each cycle decreases signal by 50%; probe lifetime is 6 to 8 cycles	Each cycle decreases signal by 50%; probe lifetime is 6 to 8 cycles	Each cycle decreases signal by 50%; probe lifetime is 6 to 8 cycles
Methanol and ethanol wash	Destroys probe signal with extended exposure, even with overcoat	Destroys probe signal with extended exposure, even with overcoat	Safe with brief exposure to ethanol
Hydrogen peroxide	Destroys probe signal with extended exposure, even with overcoat	Destroys probe signal with extended exposure, even with overcoat	Unknown
Ozone	Preliminary results indicate that it is harmful to probes	Preliminary results indicate that it is harmful to probes	Preliminary results indicate that it is harmful to probes
EtO (100% ethylene oxide gas) at room temperature	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
EtO at temperatures above 100 °C	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
UV radiation	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Compatibility with Fiber Optic Oxygen Probes: Observational Results

The following tables lists known observational effects of chemicals and gases on Sensor Slides. If a chemical or gas passes the "observational" test (inserting the slide into the chemical/gas for a 24-hour period and observing no change in sensor performance), it warrants further comprehensive determinate testing. Please note that the table below lists compatibility on an observational level only.

Visual Observation of Sol Gel Coating on Slides

Chemical / Gas	FOXY and FOSPOR	HIOXY
Cyclohexane	No	Yes
Diesel Fuel	No	Yes
Ethanol (reagent, denatured)	No	Yes
Gasoline	No	Yes
Heptane	Yes	Yes
Hexane (95+% HPLC grade))	Yes	Yes
Hydrogen Peroxide (3% H₂O₂ USP)	Yes	Yes
Isopropyl Alcohol <60% concentration	No	Yes
JP8 (jet fuel)	No	Yes
Methanol (98% histological grade)	No	Yes
Methyl Methacrylate (99%)	Yes	No
Sodium Hypochlorite Solution (reagent grade, available chlorine 10-13%)	No	No
Sodium Hydroxide	No	Yes
Sulfur Dioxide Solution purris (p.a. 4.5- 5.5%)	Yes	Yes
Styrene (reagent plus ≥ 99%)	No	Yes
Tetrahydrofuran (99+%)	No	No
Toluene (99%)	No	No
Xylene (isomers plus ethyl benzene, reagent)	No	Yes

Probes Without Overcoat Immersed in Chemicals

Chemical / Gas	FOXY and FOSPOR	HIOXY	Comments
Diluted bleach (5:1 ratio with water)	Yes (OC)		The Foxy probe MUST be OVERCOATED to be compatible.
Cyclohexane	No	Conditionally	HIOXY probes have a one-time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical. The FOXY probe decreases both in signal level and lifetime.
Diesel Fuel	No	Yes
Ethanol (reagent, denatured)	No	Conditionally	The probe has a one-time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical. The signal level decreases every time the probe is immersed in ethanol, hence has limited lifespan.
Gasoline	No	Yes
Heptane	Conditionally	No	Foxy probe has a one-time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical.
Hexane (95+% HPLC grade)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Hydrogen Peroxide (3% H₂O₂ USP)	No	Yes	Hioxy probe- Signal level has a very small decay over a long period of time. Bubbles formed on the tip of the probe.
Isopropyl Alcohol <60% concentration	No	Conditionally	The probe has a one-time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical. The signal level decreases every time the probe is immersed in ethanol, hence the probe has limited lifespan.
JP8 (jet fuel)	No	Yes
Methanol (98% histological grade)	No	Conditionally	The probe has a one time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical.
Methyl Methacrylate (99%)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Propylene Carbonate	Not tested	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Sodium Hypochlorite Solution (reagent grade, available chlorine 10-13%)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Sodium Hydroxide	No	No	The signal level and lifetime are not reproducible.
Sulfur Dioxide Solution purris (p.a. 4.5- 5.5%)	No	No	Foxy Probe: The signal level in the chemical is low and has a huge variation from 55 to 20 counts. The signal level and lifetime decrease every time the probe is dipped in the chemical.
Styrene (reagent plus ≥ 99%)	No	Conditionally	Hioxy Probe- The probe has a one time permanent decrease in lifetime when immersed in chemical, therefore it needs to be calibrated in the chemical.
Tetrahydrofuran (99+%)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Toluene (99%)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible
Xylene (isomers plus ethyl benzene, reagent)	No	No	Lifetime not reproducible

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