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Chapter 5: FAQ & Troubleshooting
5.1 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I de-gas the buffer?
A: Degassing the buffer is recommended but not always necessary. When bubbles frequently appear
within the Flow Cell, the first step is to degas the buffer.
Q: At what temperatures can the OpenSPR-XT™ be run?
A: The OpenSPR-XT™ can operate between 4°C to room temperature. The Sample Compartment has
a temperature control which can be set from 4°C - 20°C. Samples will reach room temperature when
exposed to the sensor chip. Nicoya Lifesciences cannot guarantee the functionality of the OpenSPR-
XT™ at temperatures out of this range.
Q: What pump speed is recommended?
A: When initially filling the system, and baselining a new chip the OpenSPR-XT™ uses a speed of 150
μL/min. For functionalizing the sensor surface, lower speeds (20 μL/min) are recommended to allow
ligand immobilization/capturing to occur. When running the analyte, higher speeds should be used to
reduce mass transport: 20-50 μL/min is recommended. For regeneration injections, speeds between
100-150 μL/min can be used.
5.2 Troubleshooting
System is not connected: Unplug and replug the USB connections to the OpenSPR-XT™ units and
computer and retry. If it still does not work, restart the OpenSPR-XT™ program, and try power cycling
the instruments. If it still does not work, restart your computer.
Software becomes very slow: During very long tests, the software can start to lag due to the number
of data points being displayed in the response graph (don’t worry, your data is still being recorded
properly!). When this happens, double right-click on the response graph and select “Clear Points from
Graph” [Figure 4.16]. The data points displayed on the graph will be cleared (they are still saved) and
the software should return to normal. If this doesn’t work, try closing any other programs that may be
open on the computer to free up the memory.
Sensor alignment: For optimal signal, the sensor spot must align with the optics. If the absorbance
spectrum appears weak or visually the sensor spot does not look aligned, turn the Sensor Chip 180
o
. If
the sensor does not align well in either position, put it aside, use another and Nicoya will replace it
free of charge.
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