What is everybody using and which is most preferred? We have 2 colorimeters and they are frequently giving false high readings and I would like to standardize. I heard RPC has a chloramine strip, anyone using it?

We use the test strips, much easier. Just remember you must do the quantitative test.

colorimeters VERY inconsistent.Have been using the RPC strips as well as colorimiter to have a comparison. So far,happy with the strips, but will not stand behind them yet. Too early to make a decision.

We are using the colorimeter as well. I have heard of the RPC strips but I do not see the DOH being ok with strips. joebiomed - how sensitive are they(meaning does it read like .03,.05,.07 etc??) Our colorimeters aren't as bad as some people say...they are slightly inconsistent like bikertech says but I soak them in R.O. overnight, clean them with swabs on the inside now and then, and make sure you wipe them off when using and they are decent.

Integrated Biomed.

<0.1 (Water Check 2) strips
<0.5 (Water Check RC) strips

the range is 0.0 0.01 0.02 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2

Like bikertech we are working towards going to the RPC ultra-low strips while using a colorimeter as a backup for any questionable readings. Our reason being is that we have some problem with chromium/manganese interference giving us higher than actual readings. This can be resolved using Pot. Iodide and Sod. Arsenite drops but that takes additional time. The strips are quicker and are not interfered with. I do agree that a colorimeter is needed as a backup whenever there is a question with the readings.

Midwest, We are having the EXACT same issues as you are, and I agree with you.I can become very time consuming

This post has come up again so let me jump right into the mix. Flame away but I have facts on my side.

First lets discuss AAMI and CMS ...

V175 Condition: Water and dialysate quality.

Noncompliance at the Condition level should be considered if identified deficient practices are pervasive throughout the Standards included in this Condition, serious in nature, or a potential risk to patient health and safety. Examples of potential Condition level non-compliance may include, but are not be limited, to:
• ....
•Failure to perform and document the test(s) for chlorine and chloramine accurately, including use of testing strips or reagents that are expired or not sensitive to the required levels;
• ...
• ....

Feel free to look these up on your own...cutting out text not dealing with test strips/chlorine ect...

V196 ANSMI/AAMI RD52:2004 Requirements as Asopted by Reference 42 CFR 494.40 (a)
6.2.5 Carbon Adsorption: monitoring, testing freq

Test strips with color comparison charts that indicate a low level reading of zero and a first “number” of 0.5 are not sufficiently sensitive to detect levels as low as 0.1 and must not be used for testing of product water for safe levels of chlorine/chloramine. An indication of “0” on the comparison charts does not suffice to demonstrate the strips are sensitive to “0.” Consult the manufacturer’s guidance or contact the manufacturer if there is any question regarding the sensitivity of specific test strips. In choosing whether to use “quantitative” or “qualitative test methodology, it is important to recognize that the determination of low levels of chlorine (i.e., <0.1 ppm) requires the use of the quantitative method.



Just for the record....

Semi-Quantitative is NOT Quantitative
Strips may be quantitative down to a certian level...ohh.... 0.1 ppm ... which happens to be the MAX level we can have.

So you are once again buying a car with a gas gauge that only reads "E" or "F" and its up to your best guess as to when you need more gas.

Or, you buy a heart monitor that only says "Alive" or "Dead".

..........

I would challenge any maker of strips out there to honestly say that their strips....

1. are quantitative (not semi) to levels LESS than 0.1

2. any strips that ARE quantitative to less than 0.1 take less time to do than the colorimeter.

....

My opinion...If you are using low range Qualitative Total Chloring test strips to gamble with the safety of your patients, then shame on you. You might as well be sticking your tounge under the stream and saying "I dont taste any chlorine."

Test strips are still da devil - just curious what do you use to test total chlorine?

UH........ The Colorimeter!!!!!!

I use either the Colorimeter or a HACH CN-70 color wheel with the 45 degree mirror in it for low range. A color wheel without the mirror can only go down to 0.1, so with the mirror you are looking up through 5cc's of sample then you divide the result by 5. Training the staff to do the division has been the biggest sticking point, so I made them a chart.

But I recommend the Colorimeter as primary and the CN-70 as back up.

The ULTRA LOW RPC test strips go down to .01 and are 510K rated.

510K is not a rating. It is what the manufacturer has to do in order to market a medical device to hemodialysis users. The CMS and AAMI do not say the test method must be 510K. It states it must be quantitative under 0.1 ppm.

The Rpc strips we are using are all indiviually packaged with a expiration date on each strip. They also have colr changes for 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1. There is a significant color change from 0.02 and 0.05. I will agree that I liked the color wheel, however the company I work for choose to get rid of them. My problem with the colorimeter is that if there is interferance in your test due to manganese/chromium how is that safe. We used to only rebed our tanks once a year. Since using the colorimeter we have rebedded 3 times. We did the in house test for interferance and it came up postive for interferance. We have now sent samples out to a lab to confirm our results. Upon getting the results back, if we do have interferance we will be going to the RPC strips. I do not feel like this will put our patients in any harm. We will also be checking the RO water with the colorimeter once a day. I realize "test strips are still da devil" has very negative thoughts about the test strips. But how safe is it to use a meter that gives inconsistant readings due to interferance. I will be very happy when we switch over next week.