The Importance of Medical Gas Systems Testing - Identity and Purity Tests

Why are Identity and  Purity Tests carried out before a Medical Gas system is Certified Safe for Patient use?

Medical gas pipeline systems are an efficient means of delivering medical gases to patients. Unfortunately, if installation and gas production standards are not met, they can also present a health hazard to the patients and damage expensive equipment.

HTM 02 and EN 7396-1 require that all new systems and modifications to existing systems are tested by an Independent Quality Controller (MGPS) to ensure identity and purity.

The Quality Controller (MGPS) should supply all well maintained, and calibrated test equipment.

What and Why are the tests carried out?

• Particulate contamination and odour tests - to establish whether the pipeline has been contaminated during construction or modification.

• Gas identity - to ensure that there has not been cross-connection during the installation and thus avoid the risk of the patient being supplied the wrong gas.

• Pipeline odour test - an odour test is performed because it incorporates, qualitatively, many impurity checks, as several contaminants are detectable by odour.

• Purity tests - to ensure that all gases are to the European pharmacopeia standard.

The main aim of all the above tests is one - to safeguard the wellbeing of the patients at all times!