Required skills

Required skills include

establishing client needs for routine and nonroutine samples

interpreting client requests test methods and procedures accurately

selecting adapting and modifying standard test methods for unknown samples including consideration of suitable polarnonpolar stationary and mobile phases solvent composition compatibility of sample solvent with mobile phase buffer sample loop volume temperature flow rate column type column length and detection

preparing samples and standards optimising procedures and equipment to suit sampletest requirements

setting up starting up and shutting down equipment

checking the calibrationqualification status of equipment

selecting configuring checking and optimising instrument subsystems

performing routine instrument maintenance and replacement of consumables

obtaining valid and reliable data

calculating analyte concentrations with appropriate accuracy precision uncertainty and units

recognising atypical dataresults and troubleshooting common analytical procedure and equipment problems

recording and reporting dataresults using enterprise procedures

maintaining security integrity and traceability of samples and documentation

assessing risks applying specified control measures and working safely

minimising waste ensuring safe collection and disposal

applying relevant principles of good laboratory GLP procedures

maintaining technical knowledge by accessing journals technical updates suppliers product notes and test methods

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes

sample preparation procedures including specialised techniques such as

handling unstablehazardous chemicals and samples fragilelabile biological material

liquidliquid extraction solidphase micro extraction derivatisation filtering and dilutionconcentration

principles for separation of analytes such as

chemical composition of stationary and mobile phases and their types of interaction

selection of solvents based on polarity viscosity ultraviolet UV cutoff

requirements for solvent purity and pretreatment including filtration degassing buffering and modifying solvents

isocratic and gradient elution flow programming linear concave and convex gradients and step

recovery and recycling of solvents

separation by polarity

normal phase systems and hydrophilic interaction chromatography

reverse phase systems and hydrophobic interaction chromatography

order of elution in normal and reverse phase systems

separation by charge

ion exchange chromatographyIEC and ion chromatography IC

ion suppression and ion pairing techniques

nonsuppressed systems

separation based on molecular size

size exclusion chromatography SEC

gelpermeation chromatography GPC

relationship between retention time and molecular mass

bioaffinity chromatography principles

chromatography concepts and calculations involving

retention times peak widths peak asymmetry capacity factor k and resolution

column selectivity column efficiency platesm optimum flow rate minimum theoretical plate height Van Deemter and related equations

limit of detection limit of quantitation and their application to quality control procedures

operation construction selectivity typical applications troubleshooting and routine maintenance of LC columns including

semi preparation columns packed columns and capillary columns

column oven role of temperature in achieving close separations

checking for leaks changing of columns lines and valves

system flushing and conditioning and storage of columns

operation construction selectivity typical applications troubleshooting and routine maintenance of LC sample introduction systemsincluding

manual and autoinjection injector valves solvent reservoirs selector valves gradient programmer mixing manifolds and column switching

pump designs such as reciprocating piston or diaphragm pressures flow rates

operation construction selectivity sensitivity linear range typical applications troubleshooting and routine maintenance of LC detectors including

UV fixed wavelength and dispersiondiode array multiwavelength detectors

conductivity detector ECD

electrochemical detector ECD

fluorescence detectors

refractive index RI

evaporative light scattering ELSD

mass spectrometry LCMS LCMSMS using full scan or selective ion monitoring SIM

flow splitting tandem detectors eg UV and MS

routine quality control procedures such as use of manualcomputer calibration charts andor standards

computer control software for operating and optimising instrument peak detection and integration drift parameters baseline correction and instrumentintegrator zero

procedures for optimising instrument performance such as

optimising separation by changing solvent composition including use of mobile phase gradient computer control programs

investigation of elution order in normal and reverse phase systems

effects on instrumental outputs and analytical results by fine tuning injection mobile phase flow rate column pressures and changing column type or detector

aligning MS interface cones

steps in identifying and quantifying analytes including relative retention data peak area normalisation and response factors

calculation steps to give results in appropriate units and precision

troubleshooting and maintenance procedures recommended by instrument manufacturer

enterprise andor legal traceability requirements

relevant health safety and environment requirements

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessors should ensure that candidates can

interpret client requests test methods and procedures accurately

select operate and maintain a variety of LC sample valves solvent delivery components pumps columns and detectors

install injectors solvent delivery systems and columns

safely set up start up and shut down instrument using enterprise procedures

prepare samples and calibration standards in accordance with test method

check calibrationqualification status of equipment

optimise instrument subsystems and procedures and equipment to suit sampletest requirements

operate equipment to obtain valid and reliable data

use software to identify analytes and calculate concentrations with appropriate accuracy precision and units

recognise atypical dataresults

troubleshoot common analytical procedure and equipment problems

record and report dataresults using enterprise procedures

maintain security integrity and traceability of samples and documentation

follow OHS procedures and principles of GLP

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment

This unit of competency may be assessed with

MSLA Evaluate and select appropriate test methods and procedures

MSL976003A Evaluate and select appropriate test methods and procedures

MSLA Contribute to the validation of test methods

MSL977003A Contribute to the validation of test methods

MSLA Develop or adapt analyses and procedures

MSL977004A Develop or adapt analyses and procedures.

Resources may include

laboratory with specialised analytical instruments

laboratory reagents and equipment

SOPs and test methods

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested

review of test dataresultscalibration graphs obtained by the candidate over time to ensure accuracy validity precision and timeliness of results

inspection of results and technical records eg maintenance schedules and quality control logbooks completed by the candidate

observation of candidate using LC instruments to measure analytes

feedback from clients peers and supervisors

oral or written questioning of relevant LC concepts chemical principles underpinning sample preparation and separation of species instrument design and optimisation analytical techniques and enterprise procedures

In all cases practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly

Where applicable reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity age gender demographics and disability

Access must be provided to appropriate learning andor assessment support when required

The language literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case studies below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting

Food and beverage processing

A technician is measuring phosphate levels in samples of a popular cola drink by ion chromatography Using a standard method heshe notes that there is a long retention time and obtains a broad asymmetric peak because the recommended flow rate could not be obtained with the laboratorys instrument Heshe then decides that the simplest way to speed up the elution time is to modify the mobile phase by increasing the of methanol The technician was pleased to obtain a well resolved analyte peak despite the faster eluting peaks now being unresolved However this was of no consequence to the analysis as the client only required the phosphate concentration

Education and training

An experienced technician sets up and runs some preuse checks for an LC instrument that is used by several laboratory personnel with periods of downtime in between To hisher dismay the initial standard produces one broad peak instead of three pronounced UV absorbance peaks as expected Heshe checks that the column has not been changed and that the mobile phase composition and flow rates are correct Heshe then checks each subsystem carefully and then waits for the system to equilibrate again After rerunning the standard the result is the same and so heshe then suspects something is wrong with the stationary phase The technician notices that when the instrument was last used the mobile phase had a high percentage of water Heshe now suspects that there is bacterial growthin the column because it has been stored incorrectly After trying to regenerate the column unsuccessfully the technician installs a new one and then flushes and conditions the instrument in accordance with the laboratory procedures

Heshe then adds the following information to the instrument logbook

Store columns in methanolwater without any acid

If you are using a salt unlikely in LCMS wash the entire system solvent bottles LC solvent lines and column in a nonsalt containing solvent Otherwise salt may precipitate out and plug your LC or column or may cause corrosion

Flush with pure water first and then leave the system in methanolwater mixture Some salts may precipitate out in high organics so an initial water wash is advisedThe methanolwater solution helps to stop bacterial growth which can muck up the system

Codes of practice

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

LC instruments and techniques

Testing that uses LC instruments

Presumptive tests

Sample preparation

Instrumental parameters

Common analytical procedure and equipment problems

Hazards

Addressing hazards

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements