TEXAS, UNITED STATES – Sep 24, 2026 — Southwest Gases, a Texas industrial gas supplier, is sharing purchasing guidance for laboratories that use helium in analytical equipment. The guidance addresses gas purity requirements and the practical details of keeping instruments supplied, from checking quality documentation to setting cylinder replacement schedules. The company supplies high-purity helium for laboratory equipment across Texas.
Helium is used as a carrier gas in gas chromatography (GC), including systems coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It carries the sample through a column, where its components are separated for analysis. Contaminants in the gas can affect that process. Oxygen can damage the column, while moisture can reduce sensitivity. Hydrocarbons can introduce unwanted peaks and interfere with the instrument’s baseline signal.
Southwest Gases recommends that purchasing teams begin with the gas requirements specified by the instrument manufacturer and the laboratory’s test method. The order should identify the required purity percentage and limits for individual contaminants. For example, helium specified at 99.999% purity permits up to 10 parts per million of total impurities. Buyers should also check the limits for oxygen and moisture, along with other contaminants relevant to their work.
A certificate of analysis gives the laboratory a record of gas quality. Buyers should review which contaminants were tested and whether the results apply to an individual cylinder or a representative cylinder from a batch. Agilent’s technical guidance for GC and GC-MS systems identifies these checks as part of assessing a gas supply, noting that testing practices and product descriptions vary among suppliers.
The equipment between the cylinder and the instrument also needs attention. Regulators and gas lines should meet the instrument manufacturer’s requirements, with suitable filters used where specified. Laboratories should follow the manufacturer’s procedures when changing cylinders and check connections for leaks after replacement or maintenance. Filters need to be replaced according to their instructions and any indicators that show they have reached capacity.
For delivery planning, Southwest Gases recommends setting refill intervals from measured helium consumption. An additional instrument or a change in operating hours should prompt a review of the schedule. Laboratories that need continuous supply can discuss a manifold with automatic changeover, which switches between cylinder banks so an empty bank can be replaced while the other remains in use.
Laboratories can also review their instruments’ gas-saving features and arrange periodic leak checks to reduce avoidable helium use. Agilent identifies both measures as options for conserving helium in GC and GC-MS operations. Changes to operating settings should follow the manufacturer’s guidance and the laboratory’s method requirements.
Southwest Gases supplies laboratory helium in high-pressure cylinders and manifolded systems, with scheduled deliveries to Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin. Its helium supply for GC-MS and GC-MS/MS instruments includes a certificate of analysis for each batch. Laboratories can discuss their required grade and delivery arrangements through the company’s helium for laboratory equipment service.
About Southwest Gases
Southwest Gases is a Texas-based industrial gas supplier serving laboratory, manufacturing and commercial customers. Its products include helium, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide and propane. The company also supplies gas-handling equipment and provides scheduled delivery services.
Media Contact
Company Name: Southwest Gases
Contact Person: Rudy De La Fuente Principal,
Email: Send Email
City: Flower Mound,
State: Texas
Country: United States
Website: https://southwestgases.com