Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that will affect performance.
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used.
All operations and analytical methods must comply with relevant standards, appropriate procedures and/or enterprise requirements.

These procedures include or have been prepared from
Australian and international standards such as -
AS ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
ISO 9000 series Quality management and quality assurance standards
AS 2243.2 Safety in laboratories - chemical aspects
AS 2830.1 Good laboratory practice - chemical analysis
codes of practice such as GLP and GMP
material safety data sheets (MSDSs)
National Measurement Act
standard operating procedures (SOPs)
quality manuals, equipment and procedure manuals
equipment start-up, operation and shutdown procedures
calibration and maintenance schedules
data quality procedures
enterprise recording and reporting procedures
production and laboratory schedules
material, production and product specifications.

Routine chromatographic techniques, include both analytical and preparative procedures, and may use
standard sample introduction systems
paper such as ascending and descending
thin layer such as ascending, high performance, radical and descending
column chromatography
affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography
gas liquid and gas solid chromatography
high performance liquid chromatography such as Liquid-Liquid LLC, Liquid-Solid LSC, Ion IC, Size Exclusion SEC.

Tests may include methods for
control of starting materials, in-process materials and finished products (for example, manufacturing, petroleum, biotechnology)
selection of appropriate separation technique such as suitable substrate and support solvent, buffer, temperature, flow rate, column length, detection method
forensic testing
environmental monitoring of pollutants in air, water and soil
troubleshooting enterprise processes.

Sample preparation may include
identification of any hazards associated with samples and/or analytical chemicals
grinding, dissolving, extraction, filtration, refluxing, centrifuging, evaporation, washing, drying
determination of and, if appropriate, removal of any contaminants, impurities or interfering substances.

Common procedure and equipment problems may include
problems with interfering substances
poor resolution of peaks
inappropriate selection of column or operating parameters (flow rate, temperature)
unsuitable substrate or support solvent
lack of suitable reference standards.

Hazards may include
electric shock
biohazards such as microbiological organisms and agents associated with soil, air, water, blood and blood products, human or animal tissue and fluids
transformed cultures/organisms, genetically altered organisms
chemicals such as acids, phenol, benzene, ammonium persulphide
sharps, broken glassware
sources of ignition, hot surfaces such as burners
aerosols from broken centrifuge tubes, pipetting
flammable liquids and gases (for example, hydrogen)
cryogenics such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen
disturbance or interruption of services

Addressing hazards may involve
use of material safety data sheets (MSDS)
labelling of samples, reagents, aliquoted samples and hazardous materials
use of personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety glasses, coveralls
use of fumehoods, direct extraction of vapours, and waste gases
use of appropriate equipment such as biohazard containers, laminar flow cabinets, Class I, II and III biohazard cabinets
use of Class PCII, PCIII and PCIV physical containment laboratories
handling and storage of all hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labelling, materials safety data sheets and manufacturer's instructions.

Health, safety and environment
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
All operations assume the potential hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied. Users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council and State and Territory Departments of Health. All operations are performed in accordance with standard operating procedures.

The Evidence Guide describes the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to prove competence.
Critical aspects of competency

Competency must be demonstrated in the ability to perform consistently at the required standard. In particular, assessors should look to see that the candidate:

interprets client request, test methods and procedures accurately
can safety set up and shut down equipment using enterprise procedures
checks calibration/qualification status of equipment
prepares standards and samples appropriately
can install and maintain a variety of chromatographic columns
chooses and optimises procedures and equipment settings to suit sample/test requirements
operates equipment to obtain valid and reliable data
makes approved adjustments to procedures for non-routine samples
recognises atypical data/results
troubleshoots common procedure and equipment problems
applies theoretical knowledge to interpret data and makes relevant conclusions
records and reports data/results in accordance with enterprise procedures
maintains security, integrity and traceability of samples and documentation
follows OHS procedures and GLP.

Underpinning knowledge

Competency includes the ability to apply and explain:

chromatographic principles and concepts related to instrumentation operation, material preparation and testing
handling of unstable or hazardous chemicals and samples and/or the fragile/labile nature of biological material
sample preparation procedures
use of chromatographic techniques for qualitative and quantitative analysis
function of key components of the instrument
use of different chromatographic methods for analysis and preparation of specific samples
effects on outputs and results of modifying instrumental variables (for example, injection temperature, gas flow rate, column pressures, column type, detector type)
procedure for optimising separation through changing operation parameters (for example, injection technique, solvent type, sample size, sample preparation)
basic procedure and equipment troubleshooting techniques
preparation and use of calibration charts and/or standards
calculation steps to give results in appropriate precision and units
enterprise and/or legal traceability requirements
basic equipment maintenance procedures
relevant health, safety and environment requirements.

Specific industry

Additional knowledge requirements may apply for different industry sectors. For example, in the biomedical and environmental services sector:

techniques that capitalise on biological properties to assist in chromatographic separations.

Assessment context and methods
This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

The following assessment methods are suggested:

review of test data/results obtained by the candidate over time to ensure accuracy, consistency and timeliness of results
inspection of test records and workplace documentation completed by candidate
feedback from peers and supervisors
observation of candidate applying a range of routine chromatographic techniques
oral or written questioning of chemical principles and concepts, chromatographic 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. Questioning techniques should suit the language and literacy levels of the candidate.

Interdependent assessment of unit

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

PMLDATA500B Analyse data and report results.

Resource Implications

Resources may include:

standard laboratory equipped with routine chromatographic equipment, laboratory reagents and equipment
standard operating procedures (SOPs) and test methods.

This competency in practice
Technicians who conduct chemical synthesis frequently use chromatographic methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and other instrumental techniques to check the identity and purity of the material they have produced. For example, a technician reacted an amine with acetic anhydride to form the acylated amine to prepare a pilot batch of material for a new application. After completing the reaction, the technician collected the product in a Buchner funnel using vacuum assisted filtration, and used chromatographic techniques to purify the material. The product was then analysed by HPLC using a number of stationary phases and solvent systems. In each case, a reference standard was run. These tests confirmed the identity and purity of the material.
Technicians in research facilities often prepare a protein by extracting it from tissue. This extraction process introduces impurities that must be removed before the purified protein is ready for use or the characterisation of its purity and molecular weight. Impurities such as salt, detergents and other proteins are sequentially removed by passing the protein extract through gel filtration columns of differing grades of chromatographic gel. For antibodies, the final column used is an affinity chromatography column. Demonstration of the purity of the protein is by the presence of one single band on an SDS-PAGE gel. The molecular weight of the protein can also be determined from the SDS gel.
An Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) was required to sample an oil slick off Australia's coast and to take oil samples from all ships which docked in Australian ports in the 48 hours after the discovery of the oil slick. The samples were analysed by column chromatography and compared with the oil slick "finger print" of the oil samples from all ships which may have been in the area of the oil slick. Given that the analysis involved unknown oil samples and the results would be used in court proceedings, the analysts were careful to optimise the chromatographic system for the unknown samples, ensure that appropriate quality and control procedures were employed and that the sample and analyses were performed quickly before potentially polluting ships left Australian waters. The analysts were careful to ensure that all record keeping procedures would be able to stand up to court scrutiny.

The seven key competencies represent generic skills considered for effective work participation. The bracketed numbering against each of the key competencies indicates the performance level required in this unit. These are stand-alone levels and do not correspond to levels in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Level (1) represents the competence to undertake tasks effectively
Level (2) represents the competence to manage tasks
Level (3) represents the competence to use concepts for evaluating and reshaping tasks.
Communicating ideas and information
(2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
(2)

Planning and organising activities
(2)

Working with others and in teams
(2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
(2)

Solving problems
(2)

Using technology
(3)