Testing hygrometers used in cytogenetics laboratories for metaphase preparation

This protocol describes procedures for checking small laboratory hygrometers for accuracy at three relative humidity (rh) levels. The work arose out of the need to provide laboratory assessors with documentary evidence that the hygrometer used to monitor humidity in the vicinity of the laboratory where medical cytogenetics testing slides are prepared and dried in the ambient environment is reproducible and sufficiently accurate. The procedure is based upon the physicochemical principle that when water or certain saturated salt solutions are placed into a sealed environment, the humidity will equilibrate to well defined levels. We choose to check our hygrometers at three points: 95%, 75%, and 33% rh, using distilled water, saturated sodium chloride solution, and saturated magnesium chloride solution, respectively. Our results have demonstrated that the procedure is convenient and of sufficient accuracy to be fit for this annual hygrometer validation purpose. The procedure takes 24 hr per relative humidity point checked.