Lab Manager November 2010

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Product Resource GuideNovember 2010

2010Product resource Guide

Your Go-To Source for TechnoloGY TrendS and analYSiS, ProducT offerinGS and ManufacTurer liSTinGS

Products in Action!

Universal Electric Plug-in Raceway:Layout 1 1/30/09 3:41 PM Page 1

www.uecorp.com

www.HamiltonRobotics.com/LM1

4 lab Manager Product Resource Guide 2010 www.labmanager.com

Pamela Ahlberg, Editor-in-Chief

ShoPPinG around Like it or not, shopping is a necessity of life (in devel-oped countries anyway). And whether it’s a new car or a pair of shoes, the challenge of knowing what you want or need, finding a source, and getting the most for your money is not a simple undertaking.

When it comes to purchasing sophisticated and ever-evolving laboratory technology, the task intensifies. The nature of your research, the amount of grant money you have or the size of your purchasing budget, and the time allotted to complete your research, are just a few factors that can influence your purchasing decision. And then there is the matter of competing vendors. Whose equipment ranks highest for doing what you need done? Which company do you currently have a relationship with? Are you getting the best information from sales people, literature and online sources? What do your colleagues recommend? And on and on.

The good news is that making the best laboratory equipment purchases just got easier. What you hold in your hands represents over two years of gathering and carefully evaluating different laboratory technologies. For each of the 35 types of products included in our new Product Resource Guide, we feature a review of each that describes the state-of-the-art, comments from ven-dors about the evolution of the technology and what to consider when purchasing that particular piece of equip-ment. We have organized the product reviews according to the general categories of analytical, basic lab and life science, with products alphabetized within those catego-ries. In addition to product reviews, we include the most up-to-date manufacturer listings along with four of the latest introductions for each product type.

Please take your time reviewing our new guide, keeping in mind the products on your current “to get” list. And keep it handy for future purchases down the line. Our hope is that this year’s Product Resource Guide will be dog-eared and tattered when the 2011 edition arrives this time next year.

Enjoy, and happy shopping.

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Your research demands performance labware.We deliver.

Thermo Scientific products are unmatched in quality and dependability for use in a wide range of demanding laboratory applications.

Thermo Scientific Nalgene and Nunc Cryopreservation Products, Nalgene Filtration, and Nalgene Lab Quality Bottles: provide outstanding performance for consistent research results.

Go to VWR International for all of your quality Nalgene and Nunc products. For special offers visit www.vwrsp.com/performancelabware

Thermo Scientific Nalgene cryo vials deliver superior sample protection.

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HPLC AutoSAmPLerS 10

HPLC CoLumnS 12

HPLC SyStemS 14

miCroSCoPeS 18

PArtiCLe Size AnALyzerS 20

SPeCtroPHotometerS – AA 22

SPeCtroPHotometerS – Ftir 24

SPeCtroPHotometerS – rAmAn 26

SPeCtroPHotometerS – uV-ViS 28

PRODUCT FOCUS LiFe SCienCeAutomAted Liquid HAndLinG 31

miCroPLAte HAndLerS 34

miCroPLAte reAderS 38

PCr reAGentS 41

rnAi reAGentS 44

PRODUCT FOCUS baSiC LabAnALytiCAL BALAnCeS 46

BioLoGiCAL SAFety CABinetS 50

BioLoGiCAL SHAkerS & StirrerS 54

CentriFuGeS 58

CHiLLerS 62

CLeAn room FurniSHinGS 66

Fume HoodS 68

GLoVe BoxeS 72

inCuBAtorS 74

LimS 78

Low-temPerAture FreezerS 82

miLLS And GrinderS 86

oVenS 89

PiPetteS 91

reFriGerAtorS/FreezerS 94

SPeCiALty GASeS 98

toC AnALyzerS 100

VACuum PumPS 102

wASHerS 106

wAter PuriFiCAtion SyStemS 110

www.vwrsp.com/performancelabware


PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

we are not newcomers to iC—not by a long-

shot. we’ve been advancing the technology

and capabilities of trace-level analysis for 25

years, we just haven’t been very vocal about

it. until now.

And we’ll start by saying the qualities that

have made us a trusted brand in titration are

what you’ll find in our ion chromatography:

innovation, accuracy, precision, built-in intel-

ligence that makes our systems so user-friendly,

ruggedness. And so critical in today’s lab, where

every budget dollar is stretched to its limit—an

eye for saving you as much money as possible.

we’re not a publicly traded company that

answers to investors first. metrohm is actually a

foundation that gives back to the people and city

of where it was founded in Switzerland. our phil-

anthropic roots run deep and branch out to our

customers: if we do right by you, then we will be

successful. it has been our time-tested recipe—

and one we have no intention of changing.

Our IC systems save in so many ways…

time- and cost-saving features abound. they

range from a Suppressor that is guaranteed to

last 10 years without compromising your re-

sults. 10 years! our systems and accessories are

inherently smart, too. For example, microchips

in our columns track usage and communi-

cate optimal system parameters to improve

workflow. manual sample preparation tasks are

now inline and hands-free. Good-bye expensive

syringe filters/caps! Hello higher accuracy, lab

efficiency and tons of money saved!

our system components are manufactured

and assembled by metrohm employees at

metrohm—we don’t cut corners. Perhaps that

is why we can confidently back our systems

with industry-best warranties: 3 years for the

entire system, and 10 years for the suppres-

sor. unlike other brands, we also guarantee a

decade of spare parts for your system. How’s

that for peace of mind?

we also support you with application develop-

ment and troubleshooting as well as the best

maintenance services you can ask for. trust our

service professionals (also metrohm employees,

never outsourced!) to care for your system as if

it was their own—because it is!

these are just a few of the reasons to check out

metrohm ion Chromatography systems. we’re

just sorry we didn’t do a better job of com-

municating them for all these years. So if you

didn’t think there were options when it came to

iC systems, there are. And they’re great.

Skeptical? that’s ok, you don’t just have to

take our word for it—hear from your peers at

our special website:

www.iC-changeisgood.com

6555 Pelican Creek CircleRiverview, FL 33578866-METROHM (638-7646)www.metrohmusa.com

Metrohm is a lab-favorite for titration—and now for ion chromatography, too!the metrohm brand is synonymous with precision titrators that are as rugged as

they are accurate. they’ve been lab favorites for more than 60 years because of

our reputation for stretching the boundaries of technology coupled by the pride we

take in designing and manufacturing our systems.

We’re less known for our Ion Chromatography systems, but we’re here to change that.

GC was once commonly called “GLC,” where the “L” stands for liquid. Inside GC columns are par-ticles of a ceramic or inert material coated with a viscous liquid station-ary phase that interacts with the analyte. By contrast, HPLC station-ary phases are bonded to the base material. New GCs are sold with software that integrates peaks, stores methods, assists in report writing, and controls instrument functions.

GC detectors have been evolving rapidly to provide greater sensi-tivity. Flame ionization detectors (FIDs) have been the most widely used, as they detect any molecule containing carbon. Numerous other detector types have been introduced over the years, but the most interesting is the mass detec-tor, which is essentially a minia-turized mass spectrometer. Mass detectors provide unequivocal identification of peaks emerging from the chromatograph based on the molecules’ molecular weights and fragmentation patterns.

High-throughput analysis was once associated with commercial labs, but today even academic groups value productivity, says Jim Edwards, business development manager at Thermo Fisher Sci-entific (Austin, TX). Instruments that perform faster separations are available, but this has introduced a detection bottleneck. “Vendors who place a premium on accel-erating chromatography should

similarly speed up detection to acquire data at a speed appropri-ate to good precision and perfor-mance.” Less easily achieved is the design of instruments that do not suffer from “fatigue effects,” that is, show signs of slowing down or require maintenance after one or two thousand cycles. Maintenance downtime, Edwards observes, is a productivity killer that easily negates the benefits of more rapid analysis or cycling.

GC systems have become faster and more selective to the point where analysts now look to dead times during analytical runs to eliminate inefficiencies. Ales-sandro Baldi, business manager for chromatography software at PerkinElmer (Waltham, MA), says this is best achieved by avoiding changes that will disrupt work-flows or force analysts to alter established methods.

Oven equilibration is one obvious bottleneck. PerkinElmer tackled equilibration by designing an oven with very low mass that cools down

rapidly by fast-moving, non-recir-culated air.

Next, the company went after autosampling by implementing lookahead functions. “It takes time to inject, clean the needle, and load and unload the sample,” Baldi says. In an optimal configuration, the autosampler engages not at the precise moment it is needed, but when the oven is almost at the right temperature.

A third approach is to integrate the GC with sample prep devices to provide greater flexibility and less of a hardwired configuration. PerkinElmer has recently collabo-rated with Tekmar (Mason, OH) on purge-and-trap sample concen-tration and with CTC (Zwingen, Switzerland) on solid-phase micro-extraction. Baldi says the goal is to minimize sample preparation.

Reductions in per-injection cycle times may be achieved through the use of flow-splitting techniques that divert eluent to multiple columns or post column to one of several detectors. Splitting al-lows analysts to switch columns or detectors on the fly without having to turn off the instrument, allow components to cool down, and swap them out. In essence, splitting creates “multiple” chromatographs from one instrument.

MainSTay OF ORganiC CheMiCaL anaLySiS

“GC detectors have been evolving rapidly to provide greater sensitivity.”

gC SySTeMSanaLyTiCaL

7 Product Resource Guide 2010 lab Manager

www.metrohmusa.com


Agilent Technologies www.agilent.comBuck Scientific www.bucksci.comDionex www.dionex.comEST Analytical www.estanalytical.comGOW-MAC www.gow-mac.comJEOL USA www.jeol.comLECO www.leco.comOI Analytical www.oico.comParker Balston www.labgasgenerators.com

PerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.comShimadzu www.ssi.shimadzu.comSRI Instruments www.srigc.comTeledyne ISCO www.isco.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.comTORION Technologies www.torion.comVarian www.varianinc.comWaters www.waters.comZoex www.zoex.com

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD gC SySTeMS

Gc SYSTeM ManufacTurerS

Clarus® 680 GCFeatures twin-walled oven design with concentric air exhaust for greater separation•Features oven cool-down from 450°C to 50°C in less than 2 minutes•Includes 108 vial liquid autosampler for flexibility and automation•Includes programmable pneumatic control (PPC) for added automation•

PerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.com

Pegasus® 4DFeatures a low-maintenance, consumable-free thermal modulator•Offers a wide dynamic range (4 orders of magnitude)•Includes a secondary oven for enhanced selectivity•Cryo-focusing prior to release on secondary column •provides up to a tenfold increase in analyte detectability

LECO Corporation www.leco.com

I-Graph X PortableNo external carrier gas supply required•Integrated vacuum pump allows for measurement of non-pressurized samples•Features active column cooling, allowing for a lower starting temperature•Analysis time ranges from 30 seconds to 3 minutes•

Inrag www.inrag.ch

GC-2010 Plus CapillaryFeatures third-generation Advanced Flow Controllers (AFC) for high-speed analysis at a •maximum pressure of 970 kPa and 1,200 mLEnables a rapid cooling time of 450°C to 50°C in 3.4 minutes•Flame ionization detector (FID) ensures a minimum detected quantity of 1.5 pgC/s•

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments www.ssi.shimadzu.com

gC SySTeMSanaLyTiCaL

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Chromatographers who learned their craft twenty years ago may not have been familiar with autosamplers then, but today nearly every high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrument includes an au-tosampler as standard equipment.

“Autosamplers existed in the early days of HPLC but many scientists preferred manual injection,” notes Simon Robinson, HPLC product manager at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Columbia, MD). When sample was plentiful, manual injec-tion was a convenient way to flush the injection loop between runs, an operation most easily accomplished (at the time) by hand.

But the main reason most lab workers preferred manual injection was that early autosamplers were not very reliable. Robinson recalls horror stories where analysts set up a tray of twenty labile samples or so, then returned the next day to find the instrument stuck on sample number two and all the remaining samples “wrecked.” However, “There’s been so much engineering focused on improving these instruments that it’s safe to say autosamplers are 100 percent reliable,” Robinson adds.

Autosamplers spare lab analysts

from uninteresting, repetitive work. Even more time is saved when they are coupled with robotic sample preparation. Their major contribu-tions to HPLC are reproducibility, re-peatability, precision, and accuracy in delivering precise injection volumes.

So who would not routinely use an autosampler? According to Robin-son, academic labs still rely heavily on manual sampling and injection because their primary objective, aside from data quality, is cost-effectiveness.

Another area where autosam-plers are often impractical, observes Helmut Schulenberg-Schell, Ph.D., worldwide LC marketing manager for Agilent Technologies (Wald-

bronn, Germany), is in preparative HPLC. Prep work tends to be spe-cialized, one-off, non-routine, and does not require the sensitivity or accuracy of analytical HPLC.

Autosamplers provide a level of automation, throughput, and pro-ductivity that is multiplicative. Using an autosampler, one chromatogra-pher can operate multiple HPLC systems simultaneously, injecting many hundreds of samples after spending just a few minutes with the control software. This frees workers to perform other tasks like making

mobile phases or analyzing data.Speed, throughput, and reduced

sample volumes are critical for most analytical laboratories, and au-tosamplers play prominently among the various “fast” techniques ad-opted toward achieving those goals. Autosamplers have become critical enablers—like columns, pumps, and detectors—of these trends, and in doing their part they have required substantial re-engineering for both stand-alone performance and inte-gration. As such, autosamplers have been a primary target of engineer-ing efforts to shorten cycle times vs. simply run times. After all, an HPLC or UPLC system does not add much

in the way of throughput or speed in reducing analysis time if the slowest link in the cycle still requires several minutes to re-equilibrate.

The wider adoption of UHPLC underscores the “need for speed” and the role of autosamplers within that scheme. “Now, suddenly,” says Schulenberg-Schell, “you can run ten times as many samples on an HPLC instrument, and the question of automation in sampling, injection, sample prep, and sample tracking becomes more urgent.”

bOOST PReCiSiOn, RePRODUCibiLiTy FOR CRiTiCaL LC MeThODS

“Autosamplers existed in the early days of HPLC but many scientists preferred manual injection.”

hPLC aUTOSaMPLeRSanaLyTiCaL

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD hPLC aUTOSaMPLeRS

hPlc auToSaMPler ManufacTurerS

Model AS-2059High-speed, direct fill, fully automatic sample injection system•Features up to 768 well positions (two 384-well microplates)•Offers reproducibility less than 0.2% RSD for 5.1 to 100 µl injection•Less than 0.002% sample contamination for 10 µl injections•

JASCO www.jascoinc.com

1260 InfinityDesigned for capillary and nanoflow LC, allowing injection of •sample volumes from nL to µL from well plates and vialsRheodyne® valve, needle seat, loop and seat capillaries minimize dispersion•Variable injection volume and flow through design prevents sample waste•Features Peltier temperature control from 4 to 40°C for thermally labile samples•

Agilent Technologies ww.agilent.com

SIL-20A/20ACFeatures special needle treatment: masks active sites and minimizes ionic interactions•One-piece injection port/needle seal at valve center eliminates sample transfer tubing•Ultra-high-speed sample processing: 10 seconds for a 10 µL injection•12-plate capacity ensures convenient processing of more than 1,000 samples•


2707Features high-resolution syringe control for high-precision injections•Includes interchangeable fixed-volume sample loops•Offers optional sample cooling for consistent results•Able to use plates or vials, alone or in combination, for varied sampling formats•

Waters www.waters.com

Agilent www.agilent.comBeckman Coulter www.beckman.comBio-Rad www.bio-rad.comCecil Instruments www.cecilinstruments.comCTC Analytics www.ctc.chDionex www.dionex.comEksigent Technologies www.eksigent.comEST Analytical www.estanalytical.comGilson www.gilson.comPerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.comShimadzu Scientific Instruments www.ssi.shimadzu.comTeledyne Tekmar www.teledynetekmar.comVarian www.varianinc.comWaters www.waters.com

12 lab Manager Product Resource Guide 2010 www.labmanager.com 13 Product Resource Guide 2010 lab Manager

High-performance liquid chro-matography (HPLC) columns are considered the “heart” of the instrument because that is where the separations occur. Columns consist of stainless steel tubes with inlet and outlet openings. Plastic or glass may also be used, but steel supplies the highest mechanical strength. Conventional columns are filled with porous particles coated with a polymeric mate-rial that interacts with the injected sample. As particles decrease in size from conventional 10-, 7-, 5-, and 3-micron nominal diameters, the backpressure buildup increases exponentially. Thus, a column using 3-micron particles is about twice as efficient as a 5-micron column, but attendant pressures are three times as high. Systems employing particle sizes below 2 microns are referred to as UHPLC (ultra-HPLC), one of the most significant trends in HPLC column technology.

UHPLC has prompted a move to-ward ultra-low metal content, high-performance, spherical particles and a general trend toward lower particle size columns, as well as significant improvements in HPLC performance, according to some experts. As a result, users can expect shorter run times, cleaner separa-tions, sharper/taller peaks, and improved detection limits. Yet, UH-PLC is not without its drawbacks. In addition to the higher cost, methods developed with conventional-sized particle columns do not transfer to

sub-2-micron or UHPLC format. For these reasons, hints Michael McGinley, bio-separations product manager at Phenomenex (Torrance, CA), pharmaceutical companies with hundreds of instruments run-ning validated methods have been reluctant to jump onto the sub-2-micron bandwagon.

Advocates of new fused-core col-umn technology claim it provides all the performance of sub-2-micron particles but at normal pressures. Fused core employs a solid silica particle covered with a layer of porous silica, which is then infused with the bonded phase. This has the effect of shortening the path length of solutes into and out of the par-ticles and decreasing backpressure relative to UHPLC while providing performance equivalent in many cases to UHPLC, McGinley says.

Fused core has caused potential purchasers to rethink their need for a new HPLC, McGinley adds. “Now they can use the same instru-ment they’ve had for ten years and not rock the boat.” But users who are planning to purchase a new system anyway are probably better off purchasing one that can handle

higher-pressure columns, because “the distinction between UHPLC and HPLC has been blurring.”

Since high-pressure instruments work with both conventional and UHPLC columns, users might prefer the instrument with greater capability even if they don’t yet need its higher-end performance. Some vendors have replaced older HPLC systems with those that can handle both conventional columns and ones that generate high back-pressures. “Everyone will soon have higher backpressure capability,” McGinley says.

Fused-core particles, says Wayne Way, marketing manager at Sigma-Aldrich (Bellefonte, PA), produce more rugged columns, particularly when compared with sub-2-micron technology. “They’re great for open-access instruments... and provide an

easy transfer of methods.” Methods developed on UHPLC or conven-tional HPLC cannot be transferred unless the two labs have the same instrument. With fused-core particle columns, different labs need only have the same column.

FOR hPLC, WheRe The aCTiOn iS

“Users who are planning to purchase a new system are probably better off purchasing one that can handle higher-pressure columns.”

hPLC COLUMnSanaLyTiCaL

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD hPLC COLUMnS

hPlc coluMn ManufacTurerS

Lux®Lux Cellulose-4 is a novel cellulose tris (4-chloro-3-methylephenylcarbamate) phase•Lux Cellulose-3 uses cellulose tris (4-methylbenzoate) as the selector•Deliver high loading capacity and are pressure-stable up to 300 bar•Offered in 3 µm and 5 µm particle sizes•

Phenomenex www.phenomenex.com

Hypersil™ GoldAids in the analysis of compounds that are usually difficult to •retain using conventional C18 columnsAvailable in 1.9 µm, 3 µm and 5 µm particle sizes•Highly organic mobile phase contains low salt levels, making •them ideal for electrospray mass spectroscopy Ideal for applications within drug discovery, food testing and •environmental analysis

Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com/columns

1.7 µmOperate at high pH, as well as low and mid pH•For use with Jasco X-LC™, Agilent 1290® or Waters Acquity UPLC® systems•Small particles will not lose efficiency even at higher linear velocity•Fully scalable with proprietary C18 analytical 3 • µm, 5 µm and 10 µm particles

Fortis Technologies www.fortis-technologies.com

ACE® C-18-AR Provide extra resolving power for a wide variety of sample mixtures

Exceptional bonded phase stability and ultra-low bleed characteristics make them suitable for LC/MS•Achieves baseline resolution of all compounds in a sample when other C18 columns fail•Bonded to the silica is a proprietary phase consisting of a C18 chain with integral phenyl functionality•

MAC-MOD www.mac-mod.com

AAPPteC www.aapptec.com

ACt Advanced Chromatography technologies www.ace-hplc.com

ASt Advanced Separation technologies (Astec) www.astecusa.com

Agilent technologies www.agilent.com

Analtech www.analtech.com

Applied Biosystems www.appliedbiosystems.com

Applied Separations www.appliedseparations.com

Axxiom Chromatography www.axxiomchromatography.com

Beckman Coulter www.beckman.com

BioChrom Labs www.biochrom.com

Bio-rad Life Science www.bio-rad.com

Chiral technologies www.chiraltech.com

Chromtech www.chromtech.com

Column engineering www.column-engineering.com

dionex www.dionex.com

dychrom www.dychrom.com

eprogen www.eprogen.com

eSA Biosciences www.esainc.com

eS industries www.esind.com

Fluid management Systems www.fms-inc.com

Ge Healthcare Life Sciences www.gelifesciences.com

GL Sciences www.inertsil.com

GddS Grace davison discovery Sciences www.discoverysciences.com

Hamilton www.hamiltoncompany.com

Higgins Analytical www.higanalyt.com

knauer www.knauer.net

macherey-nagel www.macherey-nagel.com

metrohm uSA www.metrohmusa.com

microSolv technology www.microsolvtech.com

nacalai uSA www.nacalaiusa.com

optimize technologies www.optimizetech.com

Pall Corporation www.pall.com

Perkinelmer www.perkinelmer.com

Phenomenex www.phenomenex.com

Princeton Chromatography www.pci-hplc.com

restek www.restek.com

S.A.S. Corporation www.sascorp.jp/english

SGe Analytical www.sge.com

Shodex www.shodex.net

Sorbent technologies www.sorbtech.com

SiliCycle www.silicycle.com

Supelco/Sigma-Aldrich www.sial.com

tCi America www.tciamerica.com

teledyne iSCo www.isco.com

thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.com

tosoh Bioscience www.tosohbioscience.com

Varian www.varianinc.com

wako Laboratory Chemicals www.wakousa.com

waters www.waters.com

whatman inc. www.whatman.com

zirChrom Separations www.zirchrom.com


PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

It’s Your Chemistry… Make it Personal!the PLC 2020 offers an intuitive, easy-to-use software interface that allows users to start purifying compounds within minutes. the graphical icons with drag-and-drop functional-ity give users the ability to adjust mobile phase conditions on the fly and see on the screen where each fraction and its correspond-ing tube are located on the bed. with this real-time graphical sample tracking software, users can easily monitor pressure, flow rate, and % B. the unique touchscreen monitor eliminates the need for a separate PC, saving valuable bench space. to further save on space, the upper tray of the PLC 2020 holds up to four 4 L solvent bottles, giving users the ability to have four solvent lines on Pump B.

interchangeable pump heads offer the flex-ibility of handling flow rates from 1–100 mL/min and pressure up to 4060psi depending on the application needs. in addition, the manual sample injection process (with electronic software-controlled positions for Load and inject with graphical indicator) provides an electronic actuation resulting in higher repro-ducibility than a lever-based manual injection process. Sample loops are available from 20 µL to 5 mL, with 10 mL loops available with adapter fittings. the bed can accommodate up to three racks with customizable racks avail-able upon request.

the PLC 2020 offers manual control options for advancing fraction collection or diverting to waste without affecting the rest of the purification run. this allows users to interrupt the normal method operation and prime the system from the run screen. Likewise, users have the ability to modify conditions—including tasks and mobile phase— mid-run so that samples can be quickly collected while they are being purified.

Built with convenience in mind, Gilson’s PLC 2020 has three uSB ports, giving users the option to connect to a printer, keyboard, mouse, or uSB drive for convenient transfer of data. the system also features automatic stopping of the mobile phase at the end of a run with a gradual ramp- down so there are no worries about the mobile phase running dry or waste overfilling. run light indicators above the fraction tubes and racks automati-cally turn off, notifying the users when the system is no longer in operation. these lights will also flash when an error has occurred in the method, so users can easily see from across the room if there are any issues.

To learn more visit www.gilson.com/plc2020

Middleton, WITel: 800-445-7661Fax: 608-831-4451www.gilson.com

Gilson®

designed to meet the growing need for personalized solutions, Gilson’s PLC 2020 Personal Purification System is a fully-functioning purification system in a compact footprint intended to support an individual researcher or a small group of chemists. the PLC 2020 is designed for all levels of purification, and offers the flexibility to perform FLASH, normal-phase and reverse-phase purification. this completely integrated purification system is compact enough to fit into most fume hoods and takes up minimal bench space compared to other purifica-tion systems. in response to the growing need for easy-to-use, self-contained systems, Gilson developed the PLC 2020 Personal Purification System to meet the demand for quick and easy purification without sacrificing accuracy.

Conceived as a separations tool for biomolecules, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has expanded its scope significantly into chemistry, pharmaceuticals, foren-sics, and organic chemical analysis. The need for speed and quality has led to faster, more efficient HPLC separations. But as the time between injection and elution shrinks to less than one minute for high-pressure UHPLC (ultra high-performance LC), cycle time becomes the princi-pal bottleneck.

Terry Adams, life science busi-ness manager at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Columbia, MD), cites several areas of improvement that have made a difference in through-put and quality:

• Easy-to-cleanautosamplersre-duce the time between samples

• Fused-coreor“coreshell”col-umns and media perform like sub- 2-micron systems but at much lower pressures

• MultiplexingtwoormoreHPLCsystems to a single mass detector utilizes detector downtime

• Walk-up access allows any lab worker to queue samples onto a communal instrument and walk away

• Networkedinstrumentse-mailchromatograms or instrument service reports to scientists and technical personnel

• MultidimensionalHPLCprovidespeak capacity that is the product of the capacities of both columns

• Increaseduseof derivitizationforfluorescence and mass detection produces extremely clean fluo-rescence and mass signals, even from “dirty” mixtures that do not resolve well on the columnAlthough traditional HPLC still

dominates methods and new system sales, customers increasingly opt for high-pressure UHPLC systems, says Phil DeLand, pharmaceutical market manager at Dionex (Sunny-vale, CA). “Many are still using 3- or 5-micron columns, but they’re hedg-ing a bet that they may want or need the speed or resolving capabilities of UHPLC down the road.”

Pharmaceutical industry analysts, for example, will stick with exist-ing HPLC methods for products or

pipeline molecules because those have likely already been validated on low-pressure instruments. “They probably would not switch to UHPLC until a new compound comes along that has already been validated with newer methods,” DeLand adds.

DeLand believes that UHPLC has reached a point of diminish-ing returns in terms of speed since cycle time often takes substantially longer than a chromatography run. Increasing pressure from 1,000 to 1,200 bar, which is substantial, may reduce elution time from two min-utes to one minute forty seconds, a gain of twenty seconds. “How much time does that really save you within the context of sample prep and data analysis?” DeLand asks. “Not much.” Still, other experts feel that for very high-throughput situations, every second counts.

Yet many users are eager to upgrade, which brings cost is-sues to the forefront. At one time, conventional wisdom dictated that

purchasers budget 10 percent of system cost per year for mainte-nance. Users are now challenging that idea, says DeLand. Twenty years ago labora-tory personnel took a hands-on approach to instrumentation. This was followed by a peri-od when soup-to-nuts service contracts domi-

nated. “During the last five years, as sample loads have increased and staff has been cut, interest in train-ing for in-house troubleshooting has risen, and with that, demand for more reliable HPLC systems. We have come full circle.”

USeRS DeManD PRODUCTiviTy, QUaLiTy

“Many are still using 3- or 5-micron columns, but… they may want or need the speed or resolving capabilities of UHPLC down the road.”

hPLC SySTeMSanaLyTiCaL


www.gilson.com


ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD hPLC SySTeMS

hPlc SYSTeM ManufacTurerS

hPLC SySTeMSanaLyTiCaL

ACQUITY UPLC® H-ClassCombines flexibility of ternary or quaternary solvent blending with •simplicity of flow-through needle injectionsQuaternary solvent manager (QSM) and sample manager (SM-FTN) •mimic traditional HPLC system workflows, allowing a user to make the switch to UHPLC when he/she is ready

Waters www.waters.com

1200 Infinity SeriesAvailable in three models: 1220, 1260 and 1290•1220 and 1260 LCs are standardized on 600 bar pressure and •80 Hz data acquisition speed1260 Quaternary Bioinert LC offers highest performance in •bio-analysis and bio-purification1290 LC enables users to deploy any particle type, any column •dimensions and any mobile/stationary phases

Agilent Technologies www.agilent.com

ExpressLC-ultra®Designed to run 0.5 mm ID micro-columns at pressures up to 10,000 psi•Allows for the use of separation columns packed with <2 • µm particlesCCD-based detector offers higher UV sensitivity with full spectral capability•Features a binary gradient pump (flow rate range 1-50 • µl/min) with solvent selection

Eksigent www.eksigent.com

NexeraOptimized to enable analysis at pressures up to 130 MPa•Features a 10-second injection time and 4,600-plus sample capacity•Autosampler offers fixed-loop injection for ultra-fast separation and minimized peak width•Intelligent Heat Balancer (IHB) minimizes band •broadening during high-temperature analysis


AB SCIEX www.absciex.comAgilent Technologies www.agilent.comApplied Biosystems www.appliedbiosystems.comBeckman Coulter www.beckman.comBio-Rad www.bio-rad.comBuck Scientific www.bucksci.comCecil Instruments www.cecilinstruments.comDionex www.dionex.comD-Star Instruments www.d-star.comEksigent Technologies www.eksigent.com

ESA - A Dionex Company www.esainc.comGilson www.gilson.comHitachi High Technologies America www.hitachi-hta.comJasco www.jascoinc.comJordi Associates www.jordiassoc.comPerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.comShimadzu www.ssi.shimadzu.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.comVarian www.varianinc.comWaters www.waters.com

©2010 Waters Corporation. Waters and NuGenesis are registered trademarks of Waters Corporation. The Science of What's Possible is a trademark of Waters Corporation.

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Because microscopy is limited by the physics of light collection and manipulation through lenses, it will never experience the min-iaturization and integration we have observed in electronics-based instrumentation. Still, vendors are constantly extending the capa-bilities of lenses while integrating optics with advanced automation, image acquisition and storage. Microscopy has moved well beyond conventional visual light into fluorescence, infrared and Raman, which provide “spectrum-in-pixel” capabilities that transform 2-D and 3-D micrographs into multidimen-sional visualization tools.

One of the fastest-growing ap-plications of microscopy is live-cell microscopy, or live-cell imaging. Most major microscope manufac-turers supply systems suitable for analyzing live cells as they carry out reproduction, cell cycle, inges-tion, metabolism, apoptosis (cell death), secretion, signal transduc-tion, and other essential functions.

Live cell analysis requires im-portant modifications to a micro-scope’s sample holder, principally the ability to regulate within strict limits culture conditions outside the cells’ natural environment. Controlled conditions include culture media and nutrients, temperature, pH, osmolarity, and dissolved gases, and these condi-tions need to be maintained for the duration of the experiment—up to several days.

Because live cell microscopy involves trade-offs between image acquisition and cell viability, in-strument speed and sensitivity are critical. Instruments need to resolve images in both time and space and do so rapidly and accurately over experiments that last several days.

The heart of a live-cell imag-ing system is a confocal, inverted microscope. Confocal instruments provide high-resolution 3-D images by eliminating out-of-focus light. Inverted microscopes view the sample from below instead of from above. “Cells are denser than water and tend to sink in an aqueous sample,” says Anthony Santerelli, advanced fluorescence product manager at Leica Microsystems (Bannockburn, IL). Inverting the microscope therefore shortens the distance between the objective lens and the cell(s) under examination.

Other key components include a light source; a fast, high-resolution, low-noise camera; an imaging sys-tem; and automation. Camera speed is critical for capturing transient or short-lived events deep within cells. Automation enables investigators to move rapidly from one object

to another and back, to keep track of multiple cells or events, and to maintain focus. With the high-speed camera, automation permits time-lapse imaging of events oc-curring at multiple locations within the field. Tying everything together is software that controls movement

of the stage, acquires data, and performs calculations.

Most users interested in live-cell microscopy purchase complete systems rather than a collection of components. This will continue as biology, rather than microscopy, becomes the dominant competency among individuals performing live-cell analysis. “You still have some tinkerers who purchase micro-scopes and build systems for their unique needs,” Santerelli notes. Many high-end microscopes suit-able for cell imaging are, in fact, in-teroperable with third-party com-ponents and software. However, the trend toward complete “solutions” is unmistakable in microscopes, as it is in other instrument markets.

exTenDing viSUaLizaTiOn inTO ThRee DiMenSiOnS

“The trend toward complete ‘solutions’ is unmistakable in microscopes, as it is in other instrument markets.”

MiCROSCOPeSanaLyTiCaL

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD MiCROSCOPeS

MicroScoPe ManufacTurerS

ClairScope™Combines a light microscope (LM) and atmospheric scanning electron microscope (ASEM) •to reduce sample prep time and allow dynamic observation of real-time processesWide-field LM is co-axially aligned with inverted electron column, making it easy to switch •between LM and ASEM without moving specimen dish

JEOL USA www.jeolusa.com

Axio Imager 2Light manager can store and reproduce illumination intensities for each magnification•Motorized stands allow the user to select stored contrasting •techniques via contrast managerMulti-user capabilities can store vital system parameters for •up to ten usersPermits homogeneous illumination at low magnifications•

Carl Zeiss www.zeiss.com/micro

Carl Zeiss www.zeiss.comCRAIC Technologies www.microspectra.comEdmund Optics www.edmundoptics.comHamamatsu www.sales.hamamatsu.comHirox-USA www.hirox-usa.comJEOL www.jeol.comKeyence www.keyence.comLeica Microsystems www.leica.comMeiji Techno America www.meijitechno.comMilesCo Scientific www.professionalmicroscopes.comMotic Instruments www.motic.comNikon Instruments www.nikoninstruments.comOlympus www.olympusamerica.comPrior Scientific www.prior.comUnitron www.unitronusa.com

Handheld Digital USBPlugs into USB port of PC or laptop; images can be •viewed at up to 500x magnificationActive Pixel Technology produces crisp, sharp images •and accurate color reproductionFeatures six built-in lights with adjustable brightness•A model is available with a polarizer for reducing •glare on reflective items

Cole-Parmer www.coleparmer.com

Helios NanoLab™ 50 Series Dual-Beam™

Features a new, high-performance focused ion beam (FIB)•Features an advanced 16-bit digital pattern generator for very •fine and complex patterns to be written directly with the FIBCustomized detectors let users access precise topographic, •chemical or crystallographic information from the sample

FEI Company www.fei.com


Numerous technologies have emerged for measuring particle size. Sieving and sedimenta-tion, among the oldest methods, provide quantitative sizing from millimeters upward. Optical siz-ing under a microscope, where particles are visualized and counted against the backdrop of a graticule (grid of evenly-spaced horizontal and vertical lines) and counted manually, is still used for many applica-tions. Microscope-based sizing has been semi-automated through software that counts particles either directly or from photomicrographs.

The most sophisticated par-ticle sizing techniques exploit the interaction between light, sound, or electricity and particle analytes. Electroresistive methods rely on the fact that non-electri-cally-conductive particles reduce the flow of electricity through a conductive fluid. The most common electroresistive particle sizing instrument is the Coulter counter, which quantifies sus-pended cells. Light- or laser-based techniques measure dimensions and distributions of suspended or dissolved species or particles suspended in air.

Sieving is one of the old-est and least expensive particle sizing methods for particles in the size range up to about 4 mm. Sieving uses various techniques

to get particles through the sizing mesh, including oscillation/shak-ing and sound.

Particle sizers that rely on dy-namic light scattering (DLS) serve a sweet spot for particle analysis, between 0.6 nm and up to about 6 microns, while laser diffraction operates optimally in the 1-10 micron range.

“Life gets more difficult at the extremes,” notes Jeff Bodycome, Ph.D. of Brookhaven Instru-ments (Holtsville, NY). “DLS has a broad range for very small particles but once particles get too large, it’s hopeless. If all your particles are larger than a few microns, you’re better off with diffraction and, larger than that, with sieving.”

DLS uses light at 637 or 660 nm to measure characteristics of species that are much smaller than the wavelength. That is im-possible to do with conventional microscopy, for example, whose limit is objects roughly half a wavelength in size. DLS works

because it does not “detect” the molecule or particle, but calcu-lates its hydrodynamic radius as a function of its mobility through the solution. “It measures how far the particle moves under Brown-ian motion,” notes Dr. Bodycome. Because this effect is a function of the sixth power of the hydro-dynamic radius, DLS picks up

species in very low abundance provided they are much larger than the analyte.

Purchase decisions for par-ticle size analyzers are based on matching the analyte particle with instrument capabilities. Users with low- or sub-micron particles will require a light- or laser-based system, while those with larger particles can usually

get by with a much less expensive “sieve shaker.” Quality control labs analyzing samples from large vats of material should consider purchasing separate sample prep equipment, known as a riffler, to improve the likelihood that analy-sis samples will be representative of the batch. Price is of course a consideration, but users might want to weigh the consequences of regrinding against instrument acquisition costs.

eSSenTiaL FOR Many inDUSTRieS, PaRTiCLe Sizing COnTinUeS TO UnDeRgO innOvaTiOn

“DLS has a broad range for very small particles but once particles get too large, it’s hopeless.”

PaRTiCLe Size anaLyzeRS

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD ParTicle Size analYzerS

ParTicle Size analYzer ManufacTurerS

1190Incorporates three lasers for highest accuracy from 0.04 to 2,500 microns•Switch between dispersion modes without having to switch hardware or realign the system•Optical components are permanently mounted on a cast iron base plate to ensure system •is always alignedFully compliant with ISO 13320 and 21 CFR Part 11 standard•

Cilas Particle Size www.particle-size.com

SpectroLNF Q200Features a fast CCD camera and an ergonomic sipper design•Features automatic adjustment for fluid darkness; sees through black •diesellubri cating oilsAble to handle fluid viscosities up to 320 ISO grade without dilution•An optional Automatic Sample Processor is available that automatically runs 24 samples•

Spectro Inc. www.spectroinc.com

LS 13 320Now allows high-resolution, reproducible measurement of samples from .017 to 2000• µmAdds Rosin-Rammler and Folk & Ward Phi methods to its analytical capabilities•Tornado Dry Powder Dispersing System keeps samples intact•Reproducibility is typically better than one percent•

Beckman Coulter www.beckmancoulter.com

Sysmex FPIA-3000 Provides reference method for measuring porous HPLC column materials•Uses automated image analysis to characterize silica particles•Features an electrical sensing zone (ESZ) to measure porous particles•ESZ is the reliable method, provided the device is mass calibrated to compensate for •particle porosity

Malvern www.malvern.com

Agilent Technologies www.agilent.comAnkersmid B.V. www.ankersmid.comBeckman Coulter www.coultercounter.comBrightwell Technologies www.brightwelltech.comBrookhaven Instruments www.bic.comCILAS Particle Size www.particle-size.comDispersion Technology www.dispersion.comFluid Imaging Technologies www.fluidimaging.comFormulaction www.formulaction.comFritsch www.fritsch.deHach Company www.hach.com

Horiba Instruments www.horibalab.comJM Canty www.jmcanty.comMalvern Instruments www.malvern.comMicromeritics www.micromeritics.comMicrotrac www.microtrac.comNew Star Environmental www.newstarenvironmental.comParticle Sizing Systems www.pssnicomp.comShimadzu www.ssi.shimadzu.comSympatec www.sympatec.comTSI www.tsi.com

anaLyTiCaL


Atomic absorption (AA) has been known since the 19th century, but it was not until the 1950s, thanks to efforts by Alan Walsh at Australia’s CSIRO research center, that use of AA spectrometers became routine for metals analysis.

AA measures ultraviolet light absorbed by hot, atomized met-als. The absorbance wavelength is unique to every metal, but the signal intensity varies by con-centration. Instrumentation is straightforward, consisting of a light source, atomizer and detector.

Atomizers are traditionally high-temperature flames, but graphite furnaces and various plasma sourc-es are also used. Light sources include hollow cathode lamps (most common) and diode lasers. Detectors are most usually pho-tomultiplier tubes. AA could be considered for nearly any applica-tion that requires the identification and/or quantification of metals, including environmental analy-sis, forensics, archeology, mining, agriculture and quality control for contaminant, ingredient, or trace metal in foods, drugs, personal

care products, paper, materials, and other products.

Chuck Schneider, business unit manager for PerkinElmer’s (Shel-ton, Conn.) inorganic analysis prod-ucts, breaks AA instrumentation down into three categories: flame, graphite furnace, and dedicated an-alyzers. PerkinElmer further delin-eates these into entry-level systems and higher-end systems with more extensive automation, software, data handling, and the ability to switch back and forth from flame to graphite furnace operation.

Graphite furnace AA spectrometers are significant-ly slower than flame-atomizer instruments, but they pro-vide several

benefits. Because they concentrate the cloud of atomized metals, graphite furnace instruments require less sample than flame AA spectrophotometers—20 µl vs. up to 5 ml. Sensitivity (ppb vs. ppm) is also higher in graphite furnace models.

PerkinElmer has recently com-pleted a large survey of inorganic analysis customers and found that the top two factors entering into purchase decisions are customer service (including the salesper-son’s knowledge and service sup-port) and ease of use and setup

for hardware and software. The third factor is the vendor’s repu-tation. Price is “fifth or sixth on the list,” Mr. Schneider says. “AA has got to be dead simple to use, because instruments are used by a lot of different people who may not have specific training in the technique. Years ago a lab might have had five people operating six or seven instruments. The number of techniques has remained the same, but the number of analysts might be down to two. Lab work-ers need to be generalists.”

With more or less the same hardware technology accessible to all manufacturers, Yong Xie, AA product manager at Aurora Biomed (Vancouver, BC), believes that some vendors err in focus-ing on the hardware and automa-tion alone and not enough on the ease of use—a factor noted in the PerkinElmer study. “The computer industry has made huge progress in both hardware and software,” he says, as have advances in automation, autosam-pling, and unattended operation. Since these advances won’t help with detection limits or other fundamental performance factors, “they are best applied to enhanc-ing the user experience, to provide the most convenient environment for operating the instrument and achieving desired objectives.”

SenSiTive, QUanTiTaTive MeTaL anaLySiS

“… graphite furnace instruments require less sample than flame AA spectrophotometers.”

aa SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRSanaLyTiCaL

Analytik Jena www.analytik-jena.com

Buck Scientific www.bucksci.com

GBC Scientific www.gbcscientific.com

Hitachi High Technologies www.hitachi-hta.com



Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.com


ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD aa SPecTroPhoToMeTerS

aa SPecTroPhoToMeTer ManufacTurerS

ContrAA® 700Combines flame, hydride and graphite furnace in one device•HR-CS AAS technique closes the methodological gap between AAS and ICP OES•Features High-Resolution Continuum Source Technology for trace and ultra-trace analysis •using atomic absorption with a graphite furnace


AAnalyst 600Features a solid-state detector for increased analytical performance over entire AA •wavelength rangeTHGA tube design eliminates most interferences•Features longitudinal Zeeman-effect correction •for improved accuracy and detection levelsIncludes automated flame and furnace •atomizer


210VGPFeatures an Eberl mount monochromator and user-selectable bandwith for flexibility•D2 lamp emits radiation from far-UV region (<190 nm to approximately 350 nm)•Three-lamp turret has individual controls for alignment and stay warm/operating facilities •for each lamp


Trace 1300 Features quick auto-switch between Flame •and GF atomizersFast wavelength scan takes 30 seconds to •scan from 190-900 nmAutomatic acetylene flow rate control •ensures hands-free operationFeatures a built-in camera in the GF system •for efficient method development

Aurora Instruments www.aurora-instr.com


Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, a subset of infrared (IR) spectroscopy, uses a mathematical algorithm, Fourier transform, to translate raw infrared data into a spectrum.

Like IR, FTIR is useful for the analysis of organic and inorganic compounds that exhibit changes in polarity as a result of the vibra-tion, spinning, or perturbation of molecular bonds. FTIR methods are common in such industries as foods, materials, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, forensics, and others. Advantages of FTIR over conventional IR are higher resolu-tion, better signal-to-noise, easier analysis of very small samples and poorly-absorbing species, and much more rapid analysis.

“There’s a lot of pressure to bring FTIR out of the lab and into the field,” said Haydar Kustu, global marketing communica-tions manager at Bruker Optics (Billerica, MA). One of the most exciting scientific advances in this regard are MEMS (microelec-tromechanical systems), which enable rugged, low-cost handheld devices. “MEMS shrink the inter-ferometer,” Kustu adds. Another enabling technology has been quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), which are brighter and more sensitive than conventional lasers. “MEMS and QCLs will open up many more niche or field applica-tions for FTIR.”

Unlike laboratory instruments, field analyzers are typically dedi-cated for single analytes. “These are built for specific purposes. You cannot swap out accessories, change from transmission to reflectance, or change the detector or the source. You cannot configure them on the go,” says Kustu.

The proliferation of FTIR into materials, fuels, biology, envi-ronmental testing, and homeland security raises issues of usability and user-friendliness that did not exist a decade ago. “Users today are more likely to be non-specialists or occasional users than IR spectros-copists,” says Jerry Sellors, Ph.D., manager for FTIR at PerkinElmer (Beaconsfield, UK). In this envi-ronment, instrument makers must emphasize user-friendliness for both hardware and software. “Users today are less interested in buying an FTIR spectrophotometer than they are in acquiring a biodiesel or contaminant analyzer. Purchase decisions are influenced more by how well an instrument performs a specific task than by its technical specifications.”

Cost and the performance/price ratio remain factors, perhaps more

so due to the economic downturn, but remain unchanged in nature over the past two decades. Another factor that still matters very much is the perception of how well vendors support their products, both around the sale and afterward. In this regard, Sellors suggests that global communication within and among

companies helps spread the word about which instrument manufac-turers make the cut.

“In addition to budget issues, pur-chasers need to be clear, before they buy an FTIR spectrometer, on their applications,” advises Dr. Smith. “It’s too easy to get taken in by the ‘gee whiz’ factor. Most vendors offer quality instruments; the difference for the average user may be the software. It’s imperative to take the software for a test drive, and not just let the salesman show you how it works. Take a spectrum yourself before you buy, and get references [from people] who can vouch for the manufacturer’s service.”

PiCking UP STeaM in nOnTRaDiTiOnaL MaRkeTS

“There’s a lot of pressure to bring FTIR out of the lab and into the field.”

FTiR SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRSanaLyTiCaL

A2 Technologies www.a2technologies.com

ABB www.abb.com

Bruker Optics www.brukeroptics.com


Newport Corporation www.newport.com




ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD FTiR SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRS

fTir SPecTroPhoToMeTer ManufacTurerS

ML with DialPath™ TechnologyThree selectable pathlengths from 30 to 250 microns are always available and can be •switched in secondsEliminates traditional liquids cells •which are prone to leaking, fringing and breakageEntire system fits on a benchtop in a •space no greater than 8 square inchesMeasures liquid samples so quickly that •autosamplers may be eliminated

A2 Technologies www.a2technologies.comFTIR-8400SDynamic Alignment system maintains optimal alignment during data acquisition•Features a peak-to-peak signal-to-noise ratio of 20,000:1•Quick-start function prompts user through every action from •setting scan parameters and acquiring spectrum to detecting peaks and printing


Exoscan and FlexScanBattery-operated, handheld spectrometers for •field applicationsIdentify minerals and soil components and •quantify molecular compounds including oil contamination or degree of hydration in soilFeature a diffuse reflectance sampling interface•

A2 Technologies www.a2technologies.com

MB3600-PH Can be operated without any scheduled maintenance for ten years•Features a simple and robust interface for data acquisition and routine analysis•Universal sampling compartment accommodates accessories like liquid vial holders and probes•Includes a user-friendly software interface enabling operations in a 21 CFR Part 11-compliant mode•

ABB www.abb.com


Raman has become the “go-to” analytical method in materials sci-ence, pharmaceuticals, and home-land security. Its advantages are that it is nondestructive, detects analytes through packaging, and requires no sample preparation. The principal drawback is that Raman provides only confirmation, not quantitation.

Richard Larsen, Ph.D., spec-troscopy products manager at Jasco (Easton, MD), divides Raman instrumentation into three catego-ries: macro, micro, and imaging. Macro measures bulk properties in traditional “spectrophotometer” mode, micro instruments incorpo-rate microscopy to analyze particles or very small samples, and imaging Raman involves spectral analysis of materials in 2D and 3D mode. Higher-end Raman spectrometers provide exquisite spatial and spec-tral resolution.

Portable Raman spectrophotom-eters come in plug-in and battery-powered formats. The latter, which are mostly handheld field analyzers, are popular for inspecting materials on loading docks, in oil exploration, for crime scene analytics, and for detection of narcotics and explo-

sives. What makes handheld instru-ments possible are inexpensive 785 nm diode lasers that consume less than 1 amp.

Most users of Raman today view it as a tool like every other lab in-strument. “To make systems appeal to these customers, vendors have to think a lot more about making self-optimizing instruments that are easy to operate, with little or no learning curve,” says Joe Hod-kiewicz, Raman product manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific (Madi-son, WI). “This can be a challenge to designers with a lot of Raman experience, to whom instrumenta-tion is second nature. Telling them they have to simplify things is a challenge.” Hodkiewicz compares the hurdles to making Raman ac-cessible with the rise of digital cameras that allow users to take professional-quality photographs

without worrying about exposure times, apertures, and film speed. “That’s the approach we’re taking with spectroscopy,” he says.

Another trend is the desire for flexibility and expandability. Users, Hodkiewicz says, are purchasing not just for today but for antici-

pated applications that may require future upgrades, for example, the use of different excitation lasers, microscope and automation op-tions, specialized sample cells, and remote fiber probes.

Larsen views Raman as being at approximately the same level of acceptance and use as FTIR was 20 years ago. “Back then an FTIR cost $100,000 to $200,000. Now we’re down to sub- $20,000 FTIRs. Raman is going in the same direc-tion. I don’t think it will ever be as widely used as FTIR, but there’s no doubt there is still plenty of room for growth.”

Raman has traditionally been viewed as an exotic, if not prob-lematic, analysis method. The main limitation, says Haydar Kustu, global marketing communications manager at Bruker Optics (Bil-lerica, MA), was the laser which was difficult to operate. “Today, manufacturers are improving their Raman spectrometers by paying more attention to the laser.” This has led, he says, to greater adop-tion of Raman in labs, and notable handheld product introductions as well. The signature trait of these newer systems has been reliability and ease of use.

STePChiLD OF vibRaTiOnaL SPeCTROSCOPy COMeS OF age

“Manufacturers are improving their Raman spectrometers by paying more attention to the laser.”

RaMan SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRSanaLyTiCaL

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD RaMan SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRS

raMan SPecTroPhoToMeTer ManufacTurerS

Advantage 1064InGaAs photocathode and electron bombardment CCD technology provide high sensitivity•Features a spectral range of 200 to 2,200 cm• -1 and a resolution of 10 cm-1

Includes a sample cell attachment for 8 mm vials, •NMR tubes or MP tubes

DeltaNu www.deltanu.com

Agilent Technologies www.agilent.comB&W Tek www.bwtek.comBaySpec www.bayspec.comBruker Optics www.brukeroptics.comDeltaNu www.deltanu.comEnwave Optronics www.enwaveopt.comHORIBA Jobin Yvon www.jobinyvon.comJASCO www.jascoinc.comMalvern Instruments www.malvern.comOcean Optics www.oceanoptics.comPerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.comRenishaw www.renishaw.comShimadzu Scientific Instruments www.ssi.shimadzu.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.comVarian www.varianinc.com

NRS-5000/7000Capable of integrating as many as 8 excitation •lasers from the UV to the NIROffers high-speed imaging using the Software •Programmable Raman Integration System (SPRIntS)Verti-Scan ensures consistent confocal sample •excitation for undistorted 3D imagesDual Spatial Filtering reduces sample fluorescence while enhancing spatial resolution•


RAMANRXN2™ 1000Provides the fluorescence rejection of a FT-Raman spectrometer and ease of fibre-optic •interfacing of a dispersive Raman analyzerProvides an effective route for • in situ monitoringOffered with either iC Raman™ 4.1 for reaction development and understand, or synTQ-•Lite for process monitoring and control

Kaiser Optical Systems www.kosi.com

RamSpec™ 1064-HRFeatures Volume Phase Grating (VPG®) as the special dispersion element and InGaAs •array detector as the detection elementHelps reduce the likelihood of human error by eliminating sample preparation and test interpretation •Uses a fiber optic bundle or slit optics arrangement based on customer preferences•Features self-automated wavelength calibration•

BaySpec www.bayspec.com


Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) measures and identi-fies chemicals that absorb in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. UV wavelengths range from 10 to 400 nanometers, while the visible spectrum—colors visible to the human eye—lie from approxi-mately 400 to 800 nanometers. UV-Vis can be used to identify the presence of chemicals and their concentrations. It’s a popular technique in chemis-try, foods, pigments, pharma-ceuticals, polymers, and the life sciences.

Compounds analyzed by UV-Vis possess “chromophores,” or color-absorbing carbon-carbon, carbon-oxygen, or carbon-nitrogen double bonds, as well as carbon-halogen single bonds. De-pending on the extent and type of unsaturation, particularly whether the bonds are conjugated (alternate with single bonds), compounds may absorb in the UV or visible region of the spectrum. Chemicals such as carotene and certain dyes, which have extensive conjugation, are brightly colored and absorb in the visible region. Conjugation causes a shift in absorbance to higher wavelengths.

At one time, vendors routinely offered separate instruments for UV and Vis, but today the two tend to be combined. Some manufactur-ers add a third capability, near-in-

frared (NIR), which is immediately above the visible region.

UV-Vis spectrometers come in four basic models: low-cost single-beam, dual-beam, array-based, and handheld. Single-beam techniques must apply a correction for the loss of light intensity as the beam passes through the solvent. Dual-beam spectrometers use a second solvent reference cell and per-form the correction automatically.

Single- and dual-beam benchtop instruments use a broad-spectrum lamp as the light source, and most use a photomultiplier tube as the detector. Some instruments employ photodiode array detectors. Hand-helds employ single-wavelength light-emitting diode light sources and photodiode detectors.

UV-Vis instruments have become much faster, more compact, and feature-laden. Array instruments, in particular, provide a level of detail and throughput that was pre-viously unavailable. “Although they may have originally been interested in just one or two wavelengths, users love capturing the entire spectrum in seconds,” says Grant

Drenkow, UV-Vis product manager at Agilent (Loveland, CO). Other factors entering into purchase deci-sions are cost, throughput, and the reliability of data.

Sample size is an ongoing issue in analytical science. “People want more from less,” notes Philippe Desjardins, scientific marketing manager at NanoDrop (Wilm-ington, DE). From this need has emerged microvolume UV-Vis,

which analyzes liquid samples in the 0.5 to 50 µl range.

Several vendors offer micro-volume-only instruments or mi-crovolume cells for conventional UV-Vis spectrophotometers. In its most elegant configura-tion, a microdrop of sample is deposited atop a small pedestal

and a second pedestal immediately approaches to complete the optical path by contacting the sample’s me-niscus. Embedded in each pedestal is an optical fiber—one serving as a conduit for the light source, the other for the detector. The sample stays in place due to surface ten-sion, but the path length may be optimized by adjusting the distance between 0.05 mm and 1 mm, de-pending on the sample concentra-tion. This eliminates the need, as in conventional UV-Vis, to remove the cuvette and dilute or concentrate the sample.

iT’S aLL in The ChROMOPhOReS

“…users love capturing the entire spectrum in seconds.”

Uv-viS SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRSanaLyTiCaLPRODUCTS in aCTiOn

take3 Plate extends the system’s applications to

very low volume nucleic acid and protein quanti-

fication. up to sixteen 2 ul dnA, rnA or protein

samples can be quickly quantified saving valuable

time and samples. this system is well suited to the

budget sensitive laboratory that needs maximum

functionality and application flexibility.

the epoch microplate Spectrophotometer features

a monochromator based optical system, with a

wide 200 to 999 nm wavelength range, selectable

in 1 nm increments. the main benefit is the ability

to run a multitude of biomolecular assays without

needing to purchase application specific filters.

Controlled by the powerful Gen5 data Analysis

software, users need only to select the desired

wavelength and read the microplate. when the

assay wavelength is unknown, a spectral scan can

be quickly run to determine the absorbance peak.

epoch can measure 6 to 384 well microplates with

either a single data point taken in the center of

the well, or by well area scanning in larger well

diameters to provide multiple measurements that

can be analyzed more closely. measurements

made in microplates can be corrected for path-

length by Gen5’s automated pathlength correction

option, which is an especially useful tool for direct

quantification assays.

when used with the epoch microplate reader, the

take3 multi-Volume Plate extends applications

into the increasingly important low volume area.

take3 allows measurement of up to sixteen 2 µL

samples at a time so that dnA, rnA or protein

samples can be measured quickly and without

diluting. the take3 plate uses a custom designed

fused silica slides, one of which is precision

printed with sixteen 2 mm microspots – the ideal

size for samples as low as 2 µL. when the top of

the take3 is closed, a nominal 0.5 mm pathlength

is created so that sample concentrations can be

quickly and accurately made with results produced

automatically, via pre-programmed applications

within the custom Gen5 take3 module.

together, epoch and take3 comprise a system

that allows the laboratory an assay multi-tasking

capability in one compact footprint at a fraction

of the cost of typical instrumentation and in a

fraction of the time that would be required to

accomplish the same results.

BioTek’s new Epoch Multi-Volume Spectrophotometer System Biotek’s new epoch multi-Volume Spectrophotometer System combines two innovative

products into system designed for a wide range of applications, from nucleic acid and pro-

tein quantification on a micro scale to cell-based assays in microplates, BioCells or standard

cuvettes. the epoch microplate Spectrophotometer offers a 200 nm to 999 nm wavelength

range without interference filters for measurements in 6 to 384 well microplates, while the

P.O. Box 998, Highland Park Winooski, VT 05404 TEL: 888-451-517www.biotek.com


www.biotek.com


Automated liquid handlers en-compass a range of instruments and systems whose function is to dis-pense liquids rapidly, usually in very small quantities, at user-specified volumes, and with great accuracy, precision, and reproducibility.

As the successors to manual pipettes, automated liquid han-dlers are the principal enablers of rapid experiments and as-says conducted in tubes, vials, or microtiter plates. Liquid handlers are often just one component of systems consisting of microplate handlers, washers, readers, stack-ers, shakers, and incubators.

Automation became neces-sary as assays were miniaturized from vials to tubes, and finally to microplates, and as researchers

switched from radionuclide-based assays to tests that used non-radioactive detection.

Biology, medical testing, and screening of development-stage drugs are the primary markets for automated liquid handling. The energy, environmental, and heavy industries also use liquid handlers when accuracy and reproduc-

ibility, but not necessarily high throughput, are desired. “Any time you work with many samples and small quantities of fluids, automating liquid handling with a workstation will provide good return on investment,” says Scott Eaton, director of robotics mar-keting at Hamilton (Reno, NV).

Another factor to consider, Eaton says, is the effect of physical forces on very small liquid-dispensing volumes used in higher density plates. “While 96-well plates re-main the most common, 384- and even 1,586- well systems that employ sub-microliter volumes are gaining in popularity. At these volumes, evaporation and absorp-tion onto the plastic plate surface become issues.”

Automated liquid handlers have evolved from automated pipetting systems to workstations that em-ploy liquid handling as one com-ponent, according to Nance Hall, vice president for automation and detection systems at PerkinElmer (Waltham, MA). Today’s systems perform washing, incubation, and plate manipulation in addition to

dispensing. “In the past, liquid han-dlers performed just one function; today, they are ‘application solu-tions’ in which liquid handling is part of a larger picture,” Hall says.

Hall suggests that potential buy-ers analyze their liquid-handling needs the way a cook examines a recipe. “What are the ‘ingredients’? What labware are we dispensing from and into? What volumes are involved, and what sample-tip options are available?” Hall says. “Users who fail to optimize the liquid handler’s fluidics design to desired volumes will be forced to compromise either on performance or throughput.”

Liquid handling is just one com-ponent of what may be a com-plex workflow, according to Jason

Greene, liquid handling product manager at BioTek (Winooski, VT). “Operat-ing manually, users must work through the various reagent additions, incuba-tions, washing, and reading

steps,” he says. “Nobody likes to wash microplates. It’s pretty easy to get users to buy into the idea of automation on that function alone.”

enabLeRS OF high-ThROUghPUT aSSayS

“In the past, liquid handlers performed just one function; today, they are ‘application solutions.’”

aUTOMaTeD LiQUiD hanDLingLiFe SCienCeUv-viS SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRSanaLyTiCaL

Get a better reaction

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD Uv-viS SPeCTROPhOTOMeTeRS

uV-ViS SPecTroPhoToMeTer ManufacTurerS




www.biotek.com


Cecil Instruments www.cecilinstruments.com

GBC Scientific www.gbcscientific.com

Hach Company www.hach.com

Hitachi www.hitachi-hta.com

Ocean Optics www.oceanoptics.com


S.I. Photonics www.si-photonics.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com


Libra SeriesFeature a color touch screen, USB connection, optional Bluetooth for data transfer and an •optional built-in printerIncludes application-based software for all stand-alone •and PC-controlled instrumentsEquation Editor allows users to program specific meth- •ods that include calculations based on measured data

Biochrom www.biochrom.co.uk

8453Photodiode array (PDA) light path scans a complete spectrum from 190 to 1,100 nm in •less than one secondFewer moving components reduce the need for recalibration•Uses a deuterium discharge lamp for the full UV and visible range•


BioSpec-nanoIdeal for quantitation of nucleic acids or fluorescent-labeled nucleic acids and protein •analysisSample mounting, measurement and cleaning are all •performed by the deviceAnalysis can be performed with 1 • µl or 2 µl samplesAnalysis results can be converted to PDF or CSV files•

Shimadzu www.shimadzu.com

GENESYS™ 10S and BioMate™ 3SGENESYS instruments are capable of producing scan data at speeds up to 4,200 nm per •minute, and feature a unique optical design that reduces stray lightNo warm-up time is required with the BioMate 3S, and samples •are not constantly exposed to UV lightBioMate 3S includes pre-configured test methods for •nucleic acid, protein and cell growth measurements



ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD auToMaTed liquid handlerS

auToMaTed liquid handlinG ManufacTurerS

STAR SeriesFeature up to 16 independent pipetting channels •as well as 96 or 384 multi-channel headsAutoload option provides barcode tracking •of samples, labware, racks and carriersPipetting channels and labware grippers •move independently of each other, supporting a wide range of labwareBased on air displacement pipetting technology•

Hamilton Robotics www.hamiltonrobotics.com

aUTOMaTeD LiQUiD hanDLingLiFe SCienCe

Sciclone® G3Easily manages and processes 96 blood tubes with an innovative rack system•Uses on-deck sensors and integrated bar code reader to identify and track samples•Features non-contact liquid level and clog detection•Pipetting approach eliminates the need for electrostatic tips•

Caliper Life Sciences www.caliperLS.com

CO-RE 384 Shifted Tip Pickup (STP)Picks up one column, one row or one tip without changing heads•Ideal for performing serial dilutions in 384- and 1,536-well plates•Employs CO-RE (Compressed O-Ring Expansion) technology and air-displacement pipetting•When used with Rocket Tips, the need for a •second head and arm is eliminated

Hamilton Robotics www.hamiltonrobotics.com

Agilent Technologies www.agilent.comApricot Designs www.apricotdesigns.comAurora Biomed www.aurorabiomed.comBeckman Coulter www.beckmancoulter.comBioMicroLab www.biomicrolab.comBiosero www.bioseroinc.comBiotage www.biotage.comBioTek Instruments www.biotek.comBioTX Automation www.biotxautomation.comCaliper Life Sciences www.caliperls.comCETAC www.cetac.comDrummond Scientific www.drummondsci.comEppendorf North America www.eppendorfna.comEssen Instruments www.essen-instruments.comGilson www.gilson.com

Hamilton Robotics www.hamiltonrobotics.comHudson Robotics www.hudsoncontrol.comInnovadyne Technologies www.innovadyne.comJencons Scientific www.jenconsusa.comLabcyte www.labcyte.comLabnet International www.labnetlink.comMolecular Devices www.moleculardevices.comPerkinElmer www.perkinelmer.comRainin Instrument Company www.rainin.comStaubli www.staubli.comTECAN www.tecan-us.comThermo Scientific www.thermo.com/matrixTomtec www.tomtec.comTriContinent Scientific www.tricontinent.comZinsser North America www.zinsserna.com

Freedom EVO SeriesLiquid volumes range from 100 nl to 5ml and can be extended with DynamicFill™ •Technology to 50 ml and higherPressure Monitored Pipetting (PMP™) detects errors by comparing recorded and real-•time-simulated pipetting pressure signalsLiquid handling arm can be equipped with •disposable tips and/or washable tips

Tecan www.tecan.com

PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

the miCroLAB nimBuS is Hamilton’s compact automated pipetting workstation, offering speed, flexibility, precise tip positioning, supe-rior pipetting performance and affordability, all in a space-efficient footprint.

Available as a 4-independent (1ml or 5ml chan-nels) system for flexibility or a 96-multi-channel (1ml) head system for speed, both nimBuS platforms incorporate Hamilton’s novel Co-re (Compressed o-ring expansion) technology, which facilitates tip and tool pick-up via a robust lock-and-key style attachment. this enables a positional precision of 0.1mm in all axes, critical for 384-well plates and applications such as mALdi target spotting which require accurate and reproducible sample placement.

Co-re technology requires no vertical force for tip attachment or ejection, ensuring that potentially dangerous or contaminating aerosols are not produced upon tip ejection. this mechanism also allows tip pick-up from Hamilton’s proprietary nested 96 disposable tip racks (ntrs). Space-saving ntrs may be stacked up to six high (576 tips/stack) in one deck position, thus freeing up deck space for sample plates and other labware.

nimBuS utilizes the same proven air-displace-ment pipetting technology as found on Ham-ilton’s flagship StArline of automated liquid handlers, so there is no sacrifice in pipetting performance (i.e. 2% CV at 10ul volumes).

the nimBuS 4 and nimBuS 96 platforms incorporate “capacitive Liquid Level detection” (cLLd), providing real-time feedback of volumes in plates and tubes as methods are conducted.

nimBuS 4 also allows for “pressure-based Liq-uid Level detection” (pLLd), essential for non-conductive reagents and volatiles. Further-more, air-displacement pipetting affords the use of Hamilton’s proprietary monitored Air displacement (mAd) technology on nimBuS 4, which uses pressure within the channel to verify liquids have been successfully aspirated and no clots or foam have been detected. these technologies as well as Hamilton’s novel “Anti-drip Control” (AdC) feature provide for a highly robust pipetting environment. op-tional total Aspiration and dispense monitoring (tAdm) software provides an even higher level of process control, recording and documenting all pipetting steps executed.

Both nimBuS platforms feature an optional gripper, capable of moving plates and ntrs on or off the nimbus deck. 270° rotation and extended reach allows integration with off-deck peripheral devices. nimBuS also offers an array of on-deck integration options, including heater/shaker, vacuum station and magnetic separation devices.

A cumulative blend of enabling technology, a range of integrated options, intuitive software and the backing of Hamilton’s renowned service and applications support makes the nimBuS an essential tool for budget and space-constrained labs.

For more information call 800.648.5950 or visit www.Hamiltonrobotics.com

4970 Energy Way, Reno, NV 89502 USAtel775.858.3000•1.800.648.5950fax 775.858.3024email [email protected]

HaMIlTOnnimBuS is Hamilton’s compact automated pipetting workstation, offering a high-density deck in a small footprint. Available in 4-independent channel or 96-multi-channel platforms, nimBuS provides speed, flexibility, and high performance air-displacement pipetting at an affordable price, even for small budget-challenged labs. An optional gripper with extended reach allows for easy labware transport and seamless integration to peripheral devices.

the fastest selling platform 5 years running, Hamilton’s StAr line of automated liquid handlers offers world-class performance and reliability for all your assay and sample preparation needs. our flagship platform features up to 16 independent pipetting channels as well as 96 or 384 multi-channel heads, providing the flexibility and throughput needed in today’s busy lab.


www.hamiltonrobotics.com


PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

the Stakmax microplate Handling System is an integrated microplate stacker for use with

molecular devices Spectramax microplate readers and Aquamax microplate washers, provid-

ing simple, powerful, walk-away benchtop automation for increased throughput.

Achieving higher throughput in laboratory experiments depends on the ability to easily

process batches of microplates. Historically, joining off-the-shelf components together has

made for expensive, difficult-to-use, and error-prone integrations. to address these issues,

molecular devices leveraged its 20 years of experience with the automation industry to

develop the Stakmax microplate Handling System to provide dedicated benchtop automation

for batches of up to 50 microplates, in a small footprint.

integration of a Stakmax System with molecular devices microplate reader is a straight-

forward process and can be completed in less than 15 minutes, including alignment.

integration with an Aquamax microplate washer can be completed in 5 minutes, with no

alignment necessary.

once integrated to a molecular devices microplate reader, the Stakmax System is operated

through molecular devices’ industry-leading Softmax® Pro data Acquisition & Analysis

Software providing a common interface for operating both the reader and stacker, avoiding

problems with communication hand-offs.

when integrated to an Aquamax microplate washer, all programming and operation is

handled by the Aquamax microplate washer programming touch screen. no external

computer is necessary.

http://www.moldev.com/Products/Instruments/Microplate-Handlers.html

1311 Orleans Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1136 USAPhone: 1 408 747 1700 | Fax: 1 408 747 3601Toll Free: 1 800 635 5577www.moleculardevices.com

Microplate Handling Automated systems employ-

ing microplates in biological and chemical assays may consist of liquid dispensers, plate washers, mixers, readers, sealers, labelers, shakers, incubators and storage. Ty-ing these components together are microplate handlers, which feature a computer-controlled robotic arm. Once programmed with a specific workflow, microplate handlers move microplates and deliver them to locations on various instruments precisely when they are needed.

Microplate handlers evolved from bulky industrial robots that were programmed and adapted to hold microplates—a task for which they were clearly not designed. “They were overkill for the weight of a plate,” observes Todd Christian, who heads global marketing at Agilent in Palo Alto, Calif. Today’s handlers are designed specifically for laboratories and, with lab space at a premium, optimize the use of vertical space, thereby taking up less room on a benchtop.

Large laboratory equipment vendors may sell stand-alone robotic plate handlers, but most customers prefer purchasing the robotics al-ready integrated with plate readers, stackers, and other instruments. Ease

of use is a top priority with most purchasers of microplate handling systems. Robots must be “smart” about the space around them, par-ticularly with respect to collision avoidance, and capable of rapidly “learning” precise endpoint positions in three-dimensional space.

Most plate handlers must be “taught” key positions in space by manually moving the arm to the desired location and noting that in the control software. The path to the

location does not matter—the robot automatically takes the shortest route. Maneuvering around objects requires creating and storing an in-termediate location. Some advanced control software packages allow us-ers to input set points in the software without actually moving the arm.

First-time users approach robotics with a combination of awe and suspi-cion. “They are especially nervous that the handler will drop the plate or im-properly position it,” Christian notes.

Moreover, user requirements and expectations of automation differ widely. Many organizations, such as

medical testing laboratories, pur-chase microplate handlers to carry out one or several specific tasks 24 hours a day.

Others, such as academic institu-tions, expect flexibility, versatility, and programmability, particularly for acquiring new plate readers or workflow changes. These us-ers are better off investing in plate-handling capabilities based on anticipated needs; for example, rapid swapping in of components,

particularly readers.Understanding the cus-

tomer’s workflow— the sci-ence behind the robotics— and being willing to source third-party instruments for specific microplate opera-tions are traits that custom-ers seek among vendors of

microplate handlers.“The ability to understand the

experiment and to help custom-ers select the right solution based on the right components is highly valued,” says Mary Duseau, VP of global sales for molecular medicine at PerkinElmer in Waltham, Mass. She adds that due to the complexity of microplate handling systems and the general lack of experience with robotics, purchasers of the systems require more “handholding” than do those who buy other instruments. “It’s important to serve both expert and novice customers,” Duseau said.

The “gLUe” ThaT binDS MiCROTiTeR PLaTe-baSeD anaLySiS SySTeMS

“[First-time users] are especially nervous that the handler will drop the plate or improperly position it.”

MiCROPLaTe hanDLeRSLiFe SCienCe


www.moleculardevices.com


PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

Cytoone® plates, dishes, and flasks are avail-able in the most commonly requested sizes and formats for both adherent and suspension cells. All are certified dnase, rnase, dnA, and pyrogen free and are gamma sterilized.

Multiple Well PlatesCytoone® plates offer consistent, crystal-clear surfaces for optimum growth and distortion-free microscopy. 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, and 96-well plates have molded alphanumerics for well identification, frosted writing surfaces, and complete 360º chimney wells to minimize edge effects and prevent cross contamination. 384-well plates have molded alphanumerics and raised well rims. ridged bases secure your grip and vented skirts allow air circula-tion between stacked plates.

non-reversible lids with condensation rings minimize contamination and are vented for improved gas exchange. unique support tabs reduce surface contact when lids are set aside or propped open.

DishesLarge Cytoone® dishes have ergonomically placed grip tabs for a secure grasp with less strain. Small dishes have beveled outer edges to avoid accidental lid displacement. All have sturdy, flat bases that resist bowing and warping for even growth and distortion-free microscopy.

Vented lids improve gas exchange and are non-treated to minimize condensation. the stacking rings are also vented for better thermal equalization.

FlasksCytoone® flasks are supplied in easy open, resealable zip top bags that protect unused flasks. Anti-tip skirts and base bars improve stability during handling. Flasks also feature molded volume graduations and frosted writing surfaces.

wide, anti-drip necks provide easy access for pipets and scrapers. Cytoone® is available with filter caps or two-position plug seal caps that let you choose secure manual venting or an airtight seal. Vented stacking rims aid thermal equalization.

All flasks are 100% pressure tested for leak-free assurance. Crystal-clear consistent surfaces provide distortion-free microscopy.

ScrapersCytoone® scrapers and lifters have flexible silicone rubber blades for excellent contact and cell removal. they are available in three sizes for cell harvesting in a variety of dishes, flasks, or plates. Pivoting blade scrapers reach into corners and have a flexible ABS handle for better contact inside flasks. the fixed blade scraper lifts cells from 6-, 12-, or 24-well plates or dishes.

Cell Counting Chamberseliminate the concerns of cleaning, drying, and handling fragile glass counting slides. the Cytoone® cell counting chamber is designed for one-time use to guarantee cleanliness and save time. Counting chambers have integrated cover slips for error-free filling.

CytoOne® Cell Culture Performance Wareyour cells deserve the best. Consistent growth surfaces with certified testing. Premium grade, optically clear polystyrene. Class 100 production, iSo 9001 manufacturing, and rigorous quality control.

your cells will perform with Cytoone® and so will you. Gripping aids on plates and dishes promote secure handling. true 360º chimney wells minimize edge effects and prevent cross contamination. easy open zip top sleeves let you reseal and protect unused flasks.

See the complete line of Cytoone® cell culture performance ware at www.usascientific.com/Cytoone. Samples available. Call us toll free at 1-800-522-8477 or email [email protected].

Premium quality CytoOne® provides excellent results and offers many user-friendly features.

Large dishes have grip tabs for secure handling and less strain on smaller hands.

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD MicroPlaTe handlerS

MicroPlaTe handler ManufacTurerS

MiCROPLaTe hanDLeRSLiFe SCienCe

StakMaxIntegrate with Molecular Devices’ microplate •readers and AquaMax microplate washerProcess batches of up to 50 microplates•Walk-away automation•Increased throughput•

Molecular Devices www.moldev.com

PlateStak™Accommodates SBS-approved plate types, including •96-, 384-, 1,536-, deepwell and automation-friendly PCR platesFeatures automatic reshuffle, with ability to sort and store •plates in stackers for first-in, first-out (FIFO) processingEquipped for standalone operation or integration with •other liquid handling devices


BenchCelFeatures an 8-second transfer time from stack to instrument•Offers 2-, 4- or 6-rack options for a maximum of 360 standard microplates•Delidding function removes and replaces microplate lids as necessary•Able to integrate multiple instruments into a single benchtop system •


BioStack™ Twister® IIFeatures a compact footprint and removable stacks•Automates single or multiple instruments•Features expandable capacity for up to 320 microplates•Includes a rotational gripper for portrait and landscape carrier formats•

BioTek www.biotek.com


Biotage www.biotage.com

BioTek Instruments www.biotek.com

Caliper Life Sciences www.caliperls.com

Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com


Phenix Research Products www.phenixresearch.com

Staubli www.staubli.com

Thermo Scientific www.thermo.com

Tomtec www.tomtec.com


www.usascientific.com/CytoOne


Flexibility (available detection modes), performance (sensitivity, throughput), and cost are prime considerations in microplate reader selection, although the order of preference may differ for

each market. Detection modes de-fine the instrument’s experimen-tal capabilities, while the optics determine spectral selectivity. Detection modes include top- and bottom-read fluorescence, fluores-cence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence (TRF), time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET), AlphaScreen, absorbance, and luminescence. Absorbance and fluorescence intensity are the most widely used detection tech-niques, constituting more than half of all applications.

Filters are selective for excita-tion and emission light, so two are required. Thirty percent of read-ers use monochromators, which tune in excitation and emission wavelengths through diffraction gratings controlled by the instru-ment software. Approximately 10 percent of readers are hy-brid systems incorporating both monochromators and filters. Filters provide the highest sensitivity and read speed, while monochromators

afford flexibility, wavelength scan-ning, and lower operating costs; hybrid systems constitute the best of both worlds.

According to Xavier Amouretti, product manager at BioTek (Win-

ooski, VT), users value flexibility, add-on functionality, and upgrade capability. Other desirable features include a full complement of detection modes, sample through-put, advanced optics, additional photomultiplier tubes for reading two wavelengths simultaneously (useful in FRET, TR-FRET, and fluorescence polarization), charge-coupled device cameras for imag-ing portions of plates or whole plates, and application-specific light sources such as pulsed lasers. Many researchers are investigat-ing multiplexed assays, where more than one assay is performed in the same well, Amouretti notes. Multiplexing saves time, provides better data quality, and ensures that all assays are conducted under identical conditions. But this requires the reader to have good performance across a number of detection modes.

Bio-Rad Laboratories (Hercules, CA), offers only absorbance-based readers to serve the large and

growing market for ELISA assays. Marina Pekelis, senior product manager, describes absorbance, which is suitable for both single-point and kinetic assays, as the “workhorse” detection mode for Microplate Readers.

“Absorbance readers are popu-lar due to their ease of use and intuitiveness, and are by far the most economical way to perform ELISA assays,” says Pekelis. “Users don’t want to spend a lot of time figuring out an instrument when all they want to do is protein de-tection.” Price is another positive: simple desktop absorbance MPRs cost less than $10,000, however, they can detect only one wave-length per well.

To provide multi-parameter assays, Bio-Rad licensed the Luminex xMAP bead-based assay technology and turned it into a proprietary product, Bio-Plex. Experiments are run in 96-well plates, and detection occurs through flow cytometry.

Like MPRs with multiple de-tection modes, absorbance readers can analyze one well at a time, which is slow but more reliable, or use a detector array that reads an entire row on the plate at once. In this mode reader, system software will automatically calcu-late an average well reading and generate statistics.

enabLing TeChnOLOgy FOR high-ThROUghPUT aSSayS

“Absorbance readers are… the most economical way to perform ELISA assays.”

MiCROPLaTe ReaDeRSLiFe SCienCePRODUCTS in aCTiOn

Unmatched assay Performance is now Within the Reach of any life Science laboratory with the FilterMax™ F3 & F5 Multi-Mode Readers

the patented Filtermax F series readers deliver a unique combination of value, performance, and

sensitivity, putting high-performance multi-detection capabilities into the hands of any life science

researcher. this unique filter-based platform delivers unmatched assay performance across a broad

range of life science applications, and currently offers two models: the F3 with absorbance, fluo-

rescence, and luminescence detection modes and the F5 with those same modes plus fluorescence

polarization and time resolved fluorescence modes.

Read What you Want When You Want with the SpectraMax® Paradigm® Multi-Mode Microplate Reader

the patent-pending Spectramax Paradigm Platform is the only multi-mode detection platform on

the market today that allows users to upgrade the functionality of their instrument directly—no

service call, no factory shipment. upgrading is as easy as selecting from over 20 mix-and-match

detection cartridges and inserting them into one or more of 12 instrument slots. A single cartridge

can be changed in less than 2 minutes—the instrument can be fully reconfigured in 10 to 20

minutes. this unmatched flexibility provides a platform that can easily be adapted to meet con-

stantly evolving application needs and ever advancing detection technologies while accommodat-

ing most budgets. with multiple detection modes, including AlphaScreen® and HtrF®, as well as

1536 and 3456-well microplate compatibility to support high-through screening, the Spectramax

Paradigm reader is also ideal for assay development, lead identification, and lead optimization.

http://www.moldev.com/Products/Instruments/Microplate-Readers/Multi-Mode-Readers.html

1311 Orleans Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1136 USAPhone: 1 408 747 1700 | Fax: 1 408 747 3601Toll Free: 1 800 635 5577www.moleculardevices.com

From basic research to high-throughput screening, Molecular Devices’ expanding multi-mode microplate readers has you covered.




ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD MicroPlaTe readerS

MicroPlaTe reader ManufacTurerS

MiCROPLaTe ReaDeRSLiFe SCienCe

SpectraMax® Paradigm®Easily upgrade instrument functionality in < 2 minutes•Excellent sensitivity and performance•Up to 1,536- and 3,456-well plate format•High-speed detection •

Molecular Devices www.moldev.com

Applied Biosystems www.appliedbiosystems.com


Berthold Technologies www.berthold.com

Biochrom www.biochrom-us.com

Bio-Rad www.bio-rad.com

BioTek Instrutments www.biotek.com

BMG Labtech www.bmglabtech.com

Douglas Scientific www.douglasscientific.com

Molecular Devices www.moleculardevices.com


Tecan www.tecan-us.com


Turner Biosystems www.turnerbiosystems.com

Synergy™ H1 HybridMonochromator-based reader for UV-Vis absorbance, top/•bottom fluorescence and luminescence assays can be upgraded to a “hybrid” reader with the addition of a high-performance filter moduleIndependent filter module with dichroic mirrors supports FP, •TRF, TR-FRET and BRET assays

BioTek www.biotek.com

Anthos 2010Includes four filters that cover wavelengths for most common absorbance assays•A choice of software packages enables the user to connect to a PC and run both endpoint •and kinetic assays with easeSingle or dual wavelength measure-•ments plus kinetic measurements maximize analysis options

Biochrom www.biochrom.co.uk

Chameleon VBoth radiometric and non-radiometric •assays can be carried out with easeSeven measurement technologies are •available, such as fluorescence intensityCapable of reading Microtiter plates from 6 to 384 wells•Includes MikroWin Lite 2000 instrument control software•

LabLogic Systems www.lablogic.com

Get a better reaction

Within a decade of its discov-ery in 1983, polymerase chain re-action (PCR) evolved into one of biology’s most useful tools. PCR amplifies specific segments of genes so accurately that an early National Institutes of Health

publication dubbed the technique “Xeroxing DNA.” Today, PCR is used routinely in dozens of ap-proved medical tests in diagnostic labs and physician offices, and by millions of scientists worldwide.

Understanding PCR reagents requires a bit of knowledge about the reaction itself. The steps involved in PCR are:

• Denaturation:Heatingthesam-ple to separate the target DNA’s double helix into individual strands. Denaturation takes place in specialized buffers.

• Annealing:Coolingthesamplein the presence of an “anti-sense” (or complementary) DNA sequence, known as a primer (there are two primers, one for each strand separated in the first step).

• Elongation:Additionof anenzyme, polymerase, that builds the new DNA strands, and deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), which are building blocks for the new DNA copies.

These steps repeat 30 or 40 times in a thermocyling instru-ment. Each step doubles the quantity of DNA produced.

Each of the steps involves specific reagents that are general for all PCR experiments: TRIS or

some other buffer, enzyme, mag-nesium chloride (necessary for enzyme activity) and the dNTPs. Primers and templates are unique for every amplification. Since the patents on Taq polymerase expired, vendors have been free to develop and sell their own versions, resulting in downward price pressures.

PCR reagents are sold indi-vidually or as “master mixes.” The separate purchase route allows end users to fine-tune PCR reactions with favored (or less expensive) reagents, but this requires a fair degree of exper-tise. The debut of “real-time” or “quantitative” PCR (qPCR) al-lows investigators to quantify the number of copies made and, by backtracking, the concentration of the template in the sample.

Purchase decisions for PCR reagents are based on perfor-mance (speed of analysis, fidel-ity of DNA-copying) and price. Instruments used to play a role in choice of reagents, says Jeff

Williams, Ph.D., president of Lucigen (Middleton, WI), but “these days temperature cycling instruments have fairly similar performance characteristics and should not be a factor in reagent selection.”

Recently, environmental sci-entists detected the presence of Asian carp in the Great Lakes—not by capturing a fish, but by amplifying their genes with PCR. Similarly, beer brewers use PCR to uncover bacterial contamina-tion in their process. PCR may also be used at relatively large scale to manufacture genes for gene therapy or vaccine work.

One instrument-related is-sue that still concerns analysts is temperature. Specialized ex-periments may require reaching precise temperatures for exact times. “The wrong temperature can cause amplification of the wrong DNA segment,” notes Ms. Mason of Agilent, who believes that instrumentation is “lag-ging behind” reagents in terms of speed and quantity of DNA produced, particularly with mul-tiplexing (several samples in one run) becoming more common. “Screening experiments don’t have to be as precise as quantita-tion. It depends on what you’re trying to achieve with a particu-lar amplification.”

xeROxing geneS

“PCR reagents are sold individually or as ‘master mixes.’”

PCR ReagenTS LiFe SCienCe


PCR ReagenTSLiFe SCienCe

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD Pcr reaGenTS

Pcr reaGenT ManufacTurerS

qPCR Master Mixes USB® VeriQuest™

Includes dUTP and uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG)•Features ROX compatibility with all ABI and Stratagene instruments•Includes chemically modified VeriQuest Taq DNA Polymerase •in a proprietary reaction buffer

Affymetrix/USB www.affymetrix.com

qPCR Kits for SYBR® Green and Probe Chemistries DyNAmo™ ColorFlash

2x Master Mix contains a blue dye, and a separate sample •buffer contains a yellow dyeqPCR reaction mix containing both components is green•The dyes do not affect the specificity or sensitivity of qPCR assays•

Finnzymes www.finnzymes.com

Affymetrix/USB www.affymetrix.comAgilent Technologies - Stratagene Products www.stratagene.com

Ambion www.ambion.comAnaSpec www.anaspec.comApplied Biosystems www.appliedbiosystems.comBio-Rad www.bio-rad.comBulldog Bio www.bulldog-bio.comEMD Chemicals www.emdchemicals.comFinnzymes www.finnzymes.usGFS Chemicals www.gfschemicals.com

Invitrogen www.invitrogen.comLabnet International www.labnetlink.comLucigen www.lucigen.comNew England Biolabs www.neb.comPromega www.promega.comRoche Applied Science www.roche-applied-science.comSigma-Aldrich www.sial.comSPEX CertiPrep www.spexcsp.comSABiosciences - A QIAGEN Company www.sabiosciences.com

qPCR Reagents Brilliant III

Novel fast Taq mutant for qPCR results in under 35 minutes•Deliver qPCR results in about 40 minutes•Optimized fast cycling formulation ensures reliable and •reproducible data with shorter run timesConvenient pre-blended formulations compatible with •any sequence-specific probe detection chemistry


qPCR Reagents SsoFast Probes Supermix

Enables researchers using fluorogenic probes to •enhance the speed, reliability and sensitivity of their qPCR experimentsYields fast duplex qPCR results in 30 minutes or less•Fully compatible with universal cycling conditions and a wide range of primer/probe •concentrations without requiring additional optimization


PRODUCTS in aCTiOn

Fusion is an extremely effective method to

prepare oxides, sulfides, fluorides, ferroal-

loys, and other metals for analysis by xrF,

AA, iCP, dCP, etc. the samples are (if neces-

sary) pulverized and mixed with a flux; this

mixture is heated until the flux melts and

the sample dissolves in it, yielding a clear,

homogeneous melt. the melt can be cast as a

glass disc for xrF or dissolved in dilute acids

for analysis in solution form. in many cases

fusion fluxing is simpler and the analytical

results more accurate than if the sample was

prepared by conventional acid dissolution or

pressed powder methods.

SPex CeriPrep’s new line of Pure and ultra-

Pure Fusion Fluxes are available in a wide

variety of compositions for the most popular

fusion methods. Fluxes containing additives

are pre-fused for better accuracy. our micro

Bead formula ensures consistent component

ratios while eliminating harmful dust and

decreasing weighing time.

every SPex CertiPrep Fusion Flux product

comes with a Certificate of Analysis stating

impurity values. Custom Fusion Flux mixes

are available upon request. Also, take

advantage of quantity discounts for orders of

10 or more kilograms.

SPex CertiPrep Fusion Flux is made by the

leading manufacturer of Certified refer-

ence materials. SPex CertiPrep has been in

business for over half a century. Contact us

today to request a free sample of the SPex

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also receive a free SPexFusionFlux Scoop!

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SPEX CertiPrep®

SPex CertiPrep has introduced a new line of Pure and ultra-Pure Fusion Fluxes and

Additives. Both lines are of a high purity, with the ultra-Pure line being the purest on

the market at 99.998% pure. these fluxes are made from a “micro Bead” formula

that ensures the same ratio of components is in each bead. this new formula has no

harmful dust to clog your instruments which also reduces weighing times. our highly

standardized manufacturing process produces identical batches with no appreciable lot

to lot variations, thus maintaining a high level of consistency and quality.


www.spexcsp.com


RNA interference (RNAi) uses short strands of synthetic ribo-nucleic acid (RNA) to silence or “knock down” genes implicated in certain phenotypes—most com-monly (but not limited to) dis-eases. The “interference” occurs when interfering strands bind to complementary, naturally occur-ring RNA according to standard base-pairing rules. Unlike anti-sense technology, which operates on DNA, RNAi works by silenc-ing RNA, which is the immediate precursor of proteins implicated in the phenotype of interest.

Reagents consist principally of the interfering RNA con-struct and a transfection agent for introducing the RNA into cells. The most commonly used inter-fering RNAs are the short (19 to about 25 nucleotides) interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and short hairpin

RNA (shRNA). Approximately 75 percent of the RNAi reagent market uses siRNA, according to Chris Cunning, Ph.D., senior manager of market development at Invitrogen (Carlsbad, CA). Both reagent types bind to complimen-tary sequences on genes.

shRNA reagents are introduced in plasmid format, which means the target cells can incorporate the silencing agent into their genome and pass it on to offspring. “shR-NA is absolutely needed when the phenotype takes longer than about two weeks to develop,” says Steven Suchyta of Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). shRNA may also be introduced into cells via a virus transfection agent. Some ven-dors offer lentivirus transfection reagents that provide long-term, stable knockdown in almost any mammalian cell. Vendors also of-fer peptide-based reagents.

Reagent companies sell RNAi reagents as “virtual kits” consisting of the shRNA or siRNA sequenc-es and an appropriate transfection reagent. Vendors usually guaran-tee that a certain percentage of multiple knockdown constructs

they sell for a particular target RNA will succeed. Users can monitor the progress of

their knockdown by performing a before-and-after Western blot to determine if the protein coded by the putative knockdown gene is still being produced.

Length is a critical attribute of siRNA and shRNA reagents. In nature, interfering RNA species

are usually between 20 and 25 nucleotides in length. Longer con-structs could theoretically work better since they cover a greater fraction of the target gene, but 20 to 25 nucleotide lengths are ideal for entry into RISC complexes. Furthermore, larger genes tend to be recognized by cells as viruses, which induces an undesirable interferon response.

RNAi may eventually have greater impact on biology than polymerase chain reaction (PCR), although RNAi can be considered more complex than PCR.

The main obstacle is introduc-ing the interfering RNA sequence into the cell, into the location of the target gene, and then getting it to bind to and inactivate the target. Success with one sequence, transfection agent, and cell does not guarantee success when one variable changes.

Delivering interfering RNA into whole organisms (vs. cells) pres-ents even greater challenges, but the potential rewards are also high. Whole-organism or whole-tissue knockdowns would provide new opportunities in drug testing and, eventually, for human therapy.

enabLeRS OF The bRave neW WORLD OF Rna inTeRFeRenCe

“Approximately 75 percent of the RNAi reagent market uses siRNA.”

Rnai ReagenTSLiFe SCienCe

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD rnai reaGenTS

rnai reaGenT ManufacTurerS

Peptide Delivery System for dsRNA Transductin™

Uses the cell’s own mechanism for uptake to avoid •toxicity and immune response often observed with other reagentsWorks through a mechanism distinct from cationic lipids•Can be used to deliver dsRNAs to most cell lines, •including primary cells and ES cells

Integrated DNA Technologies www.idtdna.com

Complete Dicer RNAi Kit BLOCK-iT™

Provides an easy alternative to using •synthetic short RNA oligonucleotides for RNAi experimentsIncludes an siRNA purification module •specifically developed to isolate pure siRNA from the Dicer reactionProvides an effective way to screen as many as five genes in a mammalian model •

Invitrogen www.invitrogen.com

Lipid Reagent for RNAi siLentFect™

Consists of a proprietary cationic compound and a co-lipid•Low volumes of lipid required per transfection help to minimize cell stress•Offers excellent performance at culture densities between 50 and •90% and in the presence or absence of serum-containing medium


siRNA Generation Kit Turbo Dicer

Enables easy generation of a large number •of siRNAs from full-length target genesAllows the user to quickly produce multiple •siRNA species against target mRNAContains everything required for preparing •double stranded RNA from target gene(s), dsRNA cleavage, siRNA cleanup and transfection

AMSBIO www.amsbio.com

Ambion www.ambion.com

AMSBIO www.amsbio.com


Bio-Synthesis www.biosyn.com

Integrated DNA Technologies www.idtdna.com

Invitrogen www.invitrogen.com

Luminex Corporation www.luminexcorp.com

Promega www.promega.com

Sigma-Aldrich www.sigmaaldrich.com

SPEX CertiPrep www.spexcsp.com

Taconic www.taconic.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Dharmacon www.dharmacon.com


Analytical balances use enclosed weigh pans and come in two basic va-rieties: microbalances (accurate to 1 µg) and semi-microbalances (10 µg).

Modern balances come equipped with built-in applications for piece counting, density calculations, sta-tistical analyses and other straight-forward calculations. Additional features include color and/or touch screens, faster microprocessors and stability times, better repeatability, hands-free opera-tion, multiple interface options for open-architecture connectivity, and regulatory compliance (e.g., for pharmaceuticals).

Like many other instrument types, balances have come to rely heav-ily on electronics. Compensating physical weights were replaced long ago by strain gauges and frequency-modulated force measurement in low-end balances, and by electro-magnetic force compensation in higher-end analytical instruments.

According to Ryan Titmas, VP at Sartorius Mechatronics America (Bohemia, NY), the price of a bal-ance is a function of its capacity (maximum weight handled) to read-ability (resolution) ratio, plus num-ber of features. Users can expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 for an analytical balance.

application limits“Customers with unique weighing

needs often find that preloaded pro-

grams fall short,” says Steve Wildberg-er, product coordinator at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Columbia, MD). “Users always want an applica-tion to do one thing more than it can.”

The problem, Wildberger says, re-sults from balances’ limited memory and data processing capabilities. This

has, in turn, led to the emergence of “wedge” software packages that interface the instrument to the lab’s information backbone to provide au-tomated data entry and other func-tions. These packages, Wildberger argues, add an additional level of complexity for users, and a higher validation burden for labs operating in regulated industries. The future, he says, belongs to [instruments] that act as sensors or input devices, directing data into familiar comput-ing environments and applications, for example Microsoft Windows spreadsheets. “Microsoft Excel has tremendous capability for handling weighing operations, including sta-tistical analysis and checkweighing [for determining that a piece falls within a specified mass range].”

Purchase factorsSome experts believe the choice

of analytical balance is relatively straightforward. For Steve Wild-

berger, the decision tree reduces to instrument capacity and resolution (“the first criteria”), followed by calibration capabilities (internal or external) and interface/data features. And in the experience of Ryan Tit-mas of Sartorius, “Most users take the middle road and choose a solid

analytical balance with accuracy, speed, and a few other features.”

But Ian Ciesniewski, technical director at Mettler Toledo (Colum-bus, OH), recommends that users first generate a “design qualification” that accounts for the acceptable weigh-ing uncertainty, and from this figure define the required precision (repeat-ability). “Repeatability is adversely affected by changes in the laboratory environment, which can cause both acute and long-term problems,” he says. “We recommend selecting a bal-ance that is better than required by a safety factor of two or three. This will minimize out-of-tolerances and avoid the dreaded ‘do not use’ notice.”

Other factors to consider, Ciesniewski says, are “ergonomic and productivity” features such as the ability to enter data on sample identity, batch or users; touch-screen operation; color screens; built-in ap-plications; communication and soft-ware capabilities; and maintenance/calibration requirements.

STRaighTFORWaRD, COMPLex PURChaSing DeCiSiOnS

“… the price of a balance is a function of its capacity (maximum weight handled) to readability (resolution) ratio, plus number of features.”

anaLyTiCaL baLanCeSbaSiC Lab

USA 800-472-6703 · www.ricelake.com/weights© 2010 Rice Lake Weighing Systems

“ Thank you Rice Lake!“Maybe you could rate your customer service levels at a 10 rather than a 5. I am pleased to say that I have never worked with an organization that is so helpful and knowledgeable about product, pricing, and overall service. A four-day turn-over rate is phenomenal and your team of customer service and calibration techs are great to work with.”

Mary Anderson,DiaSorin, Inc

LabManager_RLWS_weight_testimonial_FullPage.indd 1 6/17/2010 10:44:28 AM

www.ricelake.com/weights


A and D Weighing www.andweighing.comAdam Equipment www.adamequipment.comDenver Instrument www.denverinstrumentusa.comFulcrum www.fulcruminc.netGram Precision www.gramprecision.comIntelligent Weighing Technology www.intelligentwt.comMettler Toledo www.mt.comOhaus Corporation www.ohaus.comRADWAG www.radwagusa.comRice Lake Weighing www.ricelake.comSartorius www.sartorius-mechatronics.comScientech www.scientech-inc.comShimadzu Scientific Instruments www.ssi.shimadzu.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.fishersci.comUDY Corporation www.udyone.com

ReCenTLy ReLeaSeD analYTical BalanceS

analYTical Balance ManufacTurerS

XA/Y SeriesIncludes a spacious weighing chamber with an •automatic opening functionIndicator can detach from weighing chamber, •to reduce the risk of shocks and vibrationsFeatures internal calibration, triggered by time •flow or temperature conditionsIncludes a 5.7-inch touch panel color display•

RADWAG www.radwag.com

TA SeriesFeatures mono-metal Tuning-fork Sensor Technology•Includes internal calibration and RS-232C interface•Includes an anti-electrostatic 360° transparent windshield•Large back-lit 16.5 mm LCD screen displays 8 digits•

Rice Lake Weighing Systems www.ricelake.com

anaLyTiCaL baLanCeSbaSiC Lab

PWMeasures to 0.1 mg•Bi-directional RS-232 interface enables data transfer •from the balance to computers or printersFeatures solid, durable metal construction and internal •motorized calibrationBuilt-in applications include density, percentage and comparison weighing•

Adam Equipment www.adamequipment.com

One Click™ Weighing SolutionComplete product bundles consist of an Excellence XP/XS balance, corresponding accessories and •LabX 2010 softwareOne Click performs all calculations and documentation automatically, shortening the time to prepare •a standard solution from 15 minutes to less than fourThe complete solution can be customized to meet •individual process requirements

Mettler Toledo www.mt.com

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BSCs are distinct from other safety enclosures. Fume hoods pull air over the work item and into the environment through a vent, whereas controlled at-mosphere glove boxes are com-pletely enclosed, protecting both users and samples through an airtight barrier. A distinguish-ing component of BSCs is their use of high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters, which scrub effluent between 99.5 percent and 99.99 percent of airborne par-ticles, or at least 99.97 percent of particles larger than 3 microns.

Class I BSCs protect person-nel and the environment only. Samples are vulnerable because workspace air is swept over them before filtration and vent-ing. Class II cabinets represent a broad category, with vary-ing capabilities that are further subdivided into categories A1, A2, B1 and B2. The main differen-tiator between Class I and Class II BSCs is that Class II cabinets employ a HEPA-filtered, vertical, unidirectional airflow within the work area. Class III BSCs, which provide the highest level of pro-tection to workers and samples,

are reserved for highly contagious or virulent biological samples.

Class II A2 cabinets are by far the most common BSCs in use today, comprising about 95 percent of installations, according to David Phillips, technical applications specialist at Thermo Scientific (Asheville, NC).

An ongoing controversy for speci-fying certain Class II cabinet types involves NSF Standard 49, which states that Class II A2 and B2 cabi-nets are designed to handle “min-ute” amounts of toxic chemicals and radionuclides. “But nobody has

defined the term ‘minute’ quantita-tively,” admits Phillips, who works on the NSF joint committee that determines BSC specifications.

To satisfy whatever that re-quirement might be, and to err on the side of caution, most labora-tories automatically specify the use of Class II B2 cabinets, which Phillips describes as “complex… and 10 times trickier to run” than Class II A2 cabinets. “A lot of people get stuck with B2s, but half of them should never have been installed. Users would be much better served by canopied A2 cabinets.”

Jim Hunter, senior project engineer at Labconco (Kansas City, MO.), suggests using B-type cabinets in situations where work-ers are consistently working with volatile toxic agents, isotopes or anticancer drugs that they don’t want coming back into the lab. Otherwise, the associated costs are simply not worth it. “B cabinets cost a lot of money and use a lot of energy,” says Hunter. “Unfor-tunately, architects assume a B cabinet is always better because it’s more expensive or because the let-ter ‘B’ comes after ‘A’ in the alpha-bet. All too often they simply over-ride a customer’s decision on which type of cabinet to purchase.”

An improvement in operat-ing costs and eco-friendliness is energy consumption. Older-model BSCs were energy hogs, but today’s units are downright miserly. However, unlike other laboratory products, purchasers of BSCs must perform their own due diligence, as no third-party organi-zations provide energy-efficiency ratings for cabinets.

nOT yOUR DaDDy’S FUMe hOOD

“…no third-party organizations provide energy-efficiency ratings for cabinets.”

biOLOgiCaL SaFeTy CabineTSbaSiC LabPRODUCTS in aCTiOn

the Baker Company’s FlexAir canopy exhaust connection offers significant energy and cost

savings to the laboratory, without sacrificing safety and performance. the Baker FlexAir

technology combines the security of a traditional canopy (or thimble) exhaust connection with

the lower exhaust flows of a traditional hard exhaust connection.

Baker’s FlexAir works by utilizing dynamic front and side panels that open or close depending

upon the variances in exhaust flow rate. with a FlexAir canopy exhaust connection (CeC),

only the minimum amount of air necessary to achieve cabinet exhaust containment is used,

Adding a FlexAir CeC reduces the amount of exhaust required to operate a biological safety

cabinet by up to 18%. Additionally, safety for both the product and personnel exceed nSF

standards even when the building’s exhaust system fails.

For more information, please visit: www.bakerco.com

P.O. Drawer E, Sanford, ME 04073(207)324-8773•(800)992-2537Fax: (207) 324-3869www.bakerco.com

The Baker Company’s FlexaIR® Canopy Exhaust Connection Saves Energy and Provides Safer BSC Performance


www.bakerco.com

52 Lab Manager Product Resource Guide 2010 www.labmanager.com

Recently Released BioLogicaL Safety caBinetS

BioLogicaL Safety caBinet ManUfactUReRS

Biological safety caBinetsBasic laB

LabcultureUses dual ULPA filters with 99.999% efficiency for particle •sizes between 0.1 to 0.3 micronsFeatures a raised airflow grille to maintain safety by preventing blockage•Features a frameless sash for easy cleaning•ISOCIDE™ antimicrobial coating on all surfaces •minimizes contamination

ESCO www.escoglobal.com

Purifier® Cell Logic® Scope-Ready™ feature allows a customer-supplied • microscope to be integrated into the cabinetPure-Vu™ Seal allows a clear view into the cabinet•Features a Stand-Still Isolation Platform which •reduces vibration up to 300%Temp-Zone™ option keeps heated or chilled •samples at their ideal temperatures

Labconco www.labconco.com

1300 Series A2 BSCUses a smaller aperture to extend the life of the HEPA filters by 20 percent•SmartFlow™ airflow compensation system maintains a safe environment for the user•Low airflow requirements can reduce noise levels to as low as 62 dB(A)•Requires only 180 watts to operate•


LabGard ES (Energy Saver) Features DC/ECM motor to consume less energy, •minimize vibration and lower noise outputIncludes HEPEX Zero Leak Airflow System to ensure •uniform airflow and proper filter loadingMade of 16 gauge type 304 stainless steel as a single •piece shell, eliminating leaksChoice of three control panel options, all with TouchLink •LCD touch screen controls

NuAire www.nuaire.com

Air Science USA www.air-science.com

AirClean Systems www.aircleansystems.com

Captair www.captair.com

Erlab www.erlab.com

ESCO www.escocorp.com

Flow Sciences www.flowsciences.com

Germfree www.germfree.com

HEMCO www.hemcocorp.com


Microzone www.microzone.com

Misonix www.misonix.com


Sentry Air Systems www.sentryair.com

Terra Universal www.terrauniversal.com

The Baker Company www.bakerco.com


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pRoducts in action

The H-C Mixer offers both mixing and

temperature control that can be applied to a

wide range of laboratory applications. The

H-C Mixer has advanced temperature control

from 18°C below ambient temperature to

99°C and accommodates a variety of Micro

tube and Plate configurations. In addition to

the controlled temperature mixing function,

the H-C Mixer also offers the additional

functionality of programmable mix-pause op-

eration and programmable timed temperature

modes. The user-friendly control interface

and 10 programmable settings per operation

mode and will contribute to an increase in

productivity of daily sample preparation and

laboratory procedures.

The H-C mixer is the ideal instrument when

preparing samples for various life science

applications. From denaturing DNA, RNA or

Proteins, to Plasmid purification and Enzyme

reactions, the precision temperature control

and mixing function will provide an efficient

and reproducible solution for many sample

preparation protocols.

The H-C Mixer offers three programmable

operation modes with up to ten program-

mable settings per mode. The first mode is

used to control the temperature and mixing

control for a set or unlimited period of time.

With the shaking feature off, users can control

the temperature from 18°C below ambient

temperature to 99°C while preparing samples.

With the addition of the programmable

mixing control users can control the mixing

function from 250-1400 rpm’s allowing for a

very gentle or vigorous mixing function. The

H-C Mixer is well suited for many controlled

temperature mixing applications in the life

science laboratory.

The second mode allows the researcher to control

the temperature of a sample with a mix/pause

function that can be programmed to control the

length of time that the samples are mixed and

paused for a controlled period of time.

The third mode allows the researcher to pro-

gram a set temperature and mixing speed for

a controlled period of time and then change

to a second set temperature and mixing speed

for a second controlled period of time. This

functional programmability offers research-

ers the ability to program the mixer for

controlled and reproducible enzyme reactions

or denaturation protocols. With the ability to

program up to ten user settings per mode, the

H-C Mixer allows multiple user functionality

while minimizing the time requirement to

reprogram end user protocols.

855 Pennsylvania Blvd.Feasterville, PA 19053Phone 800-336-6929www.boekelsci.com

Boekel Scientific Heat/ Cool Thermal MixerBiological shakers are used to

agitate a collection of biological samples simultaneously. Shakers consist of a motor attached to a flat surface, with fasteners for securing labware whose contents require mix-ing. All points on the surface move in the same fashion, either back and forth (reciprocal shakers) or in a circular motion (orbital shakers). Shaker flasks are similar in design to Erlenmeyer flasks but may have a baffled bottom to promote mixing.

The principal application of shak-ers is for growing yeast, bacteria, or mammalian cells in specialized contain-ers known as shaker bottles. Shaking promotes the growth of cells and microorganisms by improving aeration and oxygen transfer and by promoting more efficient mixing of cells with food and nutrients. Biological shakers generally operate at temperatures between ambient and 37ºC, but some models offer refrigeration, and high-temperature instruments operate at up to 100ºC.

“Orbital shakers can accept ves-sels of almost any size or shape, from Erlenmeyer flasks to test tubes and vials, as well as trays for stain-ing and destaining electrophoresis gels,” notes Janet O’Bryan, product manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific (Vernon Hills, Ill.)

Choosing a shaker comes down to such features as heating/cooling capability, capacity, shaking speed, orbital vs. reciprocating motion, ease of use, programmability and footprint. With research budgets tight and lab space even tighter, groups or departments are increas-ingly sharing shakers. “Customers frequently choose models based on how much space they require. It’s highly desirable to be able to stack shakers, pizza oven style, and keep them in a shared equipment room,”

O’Bryan said. Customers also value ease of use—the ability to utilize shakers fully, out of the box, with labware of any shape and size. Labware flexibility is particularly critical for shared instruments.

Microplate shakersMicroplate shakers facilitate

chemical and mechanical cell lysis and the homogenization of inert samples, cells, or cell components; they also help emulsify liquid-liquid and solid-liquid mixtures. An ef-ficient shaker can also reduce the time by half for assays that depend on rapid agitation.

Like their large-scale counterparts, microplate shakers operate at vari-able, user-specified speeds and em-ploy mechanical agitation—rocking or circular (orbital) movement—to mix components within microplate wells. A typical microplate shaker handles all common plate densities, rotates at up to 1,500 rpm, and ac-commodates sample volumes of up to 250 microliters.

Engineering issues come into play for mixing very small samples. As sample volume decreases, mixing

efficiently becomes an engineering problem, as the fluid’s low mass causes it to adhere to surfaces, says Sriram Kumaras-

wamy, Ph.D., product manager at ForteBio (Menlo Park, Calif.).

Plate shakers become the “slow step” in high-throughput workflows unless they are interoperable within a larger microtiter plate-handling environment, which generally includes a microplate handler. Es-sential integration features include a spring lock to retain the plate against the shaking surface and a robot-friendly lock/unlock mechanism. “Plate shakers, like other compo-nents in a microplate-handling sys-tem, should be automation-friendly,” notes Dr. Kumaraswamy.

essential tools at MacRo scale; autoMation fRiendly foR MiniatuRized assays

“Customers frequently choose models based on how much space they require.”

Biological sHaKeRs & stiRReRsBasic laB

55 Product Resource Guide 2010 Lab Manager

www.boekelsci.com


Recently Released Biological sHaKeRs & stiRReRs

BioLogicaL SHaKeR & StiRReR ManUfactUReRS

Biological sHaKeRs & stiRReRsBasic laB

Digital Magnetic Stirrers 170/220 mm

Two sizes: 6.25” plate with a 4-liter load capacity; 8.25” plate with a 5-liter load capacity •Supplied with two non-slip silicon plate pads •Wide speed range of 30 to 2,000 rpms •Large, bright VFD readout allows easy •monitoring of stirring speed

Jeio Tech www.jeiotech.com/eng

Biological Shakers Innova Series

Feature programmable changes to multiple parameters on a timed basis•Temperature is regulated ±0.1°C from 30°C to 40°C in incubated models•Features acceleration-deceleration circuit to prevent sudden starts and stops•Temperature-controlled models include thermostat •fail-safe, shutting off heaters if high limit is exceeded

New Brunswick Scientific www.nbsc.com

Zero Torque Overhead Stirrer BDC Series

Redesign of the BDC1850, BDC3030 and BDC6015 high-•torque stirrers includes the addition of a zero torque buttonAllows the user to zero the torque at any stage of mixing, or •zero out any additional overhead torque created by the mixing paddle and chuck before mixing starts

Caframo www.caframo.com

Platform Shaker PSU-20

Can be programmed to provide orbital, reciprocation and •vibration mixing functionsThree functions can be set for continuous or timed operation •in a single function mode or any combination of all threeA variety of interchangeable platforms accommodate differ-•ent sized flasks, beakers, Petri dishes and other vessels

Grant Instruments www.grantsci.com

Bel-Art Products www.belart.com

BioCold www.biocold.com

Boekel Scientific www.boekelsci.com

Caframo www.caframo.com

Eberbach www.eberbachlabtools.com

Eppendorf North America www.eppendorfna.com


Heidolph www.heidolph.com

IKA Works www.ika.net

Jeio Tech www.jeiotech.com

Kinematica www.kinematica-inc.com

Labnet International www.labnetlink.com

Labnics Equipment www.labnics.com


Pro Scientific www.proscientific.com

Sartorius Stedim www.sartorius-stedim.com

Scientific Industries www.scientificindustries.com

Silverson Machines www.silverson.com

Stovall Life Science www.slscience.com

Thermo Scientific www.thermo.com

Torrey Pines Scientific www.torreypinesscientific.com

Troemner www.troemner.com

UDY Corporation www.udyone.com

Yamato Scientific America www.yamato-usa.com

twitter.com/labmanager

www.twitter.com/labmanager

www.twitter.com/labmanager


pRoducts in action

The new Eppendorf line of microcentrifuges consists of

• Models5418/5418R(18-placecapacityfor 1.5/2.0ml tubes, speed up to 16,873 x g) for medium throughput needs

• The new lab standard Centrifuges 5424 / 5424 R(24-placecapacity,speedupto21,130xg)

• Unique cross-over Centrifuges 5430 / 5430R(30-placecapacity,speedupto30,130 x g). These 2 models combine the bestfeaturesofamicrocentrifuge(smallfootprint) and multipurpose centrifuge (versatility)inoneinstrument.Thesecentrifuges spin rotors for Eppendorf tubes and PCR strips as you would expect from any microcentrifuge. But that’s not all. In a compact size—just over a foot of bench space—Models 5430 and 5430 R also ac-commodate a fixed-angle rotor for 15/50 ml conical tubes, Vacutainer, 10 to 50 ml OakRidge tubes, cryo and HPLC vials as well as a swing-bucket rotor for MTP and PCR plates. Until now, this has only been pos-sible with large multipurpose centrifuges.

As a commitment to the environment and future generations we constantly look for ways to improve the eco-friendliness of our products. This already started many years ago when we switched all our refrigerated models to CFC-free refrigerants with zero ozone depletion potential. With our new line of mi-crocentrifuges, we have now reached a level of performance and energy efficiency that

defines an entirely new laboratory standard.

By equipping our new refrigerated microcentrifuges 5418 R, 5424 R, and 5430 R with the latest innovations in cooling technology, we’re able to sig-nificantly reduce the overall energy consumption:

• Up to 20% improved energy-efficiency com-pared to predecessor models with optimized motordesignandelectronicparts(5415Cvs. 5418, 20 min run at 16,000 x g)

• Optimizedinsulationmaterialofrotorchamber improves temperature efficiency.

• 60%lessenergyconsumptionwithModel5424 R during precooling to 4°C due to a unique, patent-pending compressor technology that allows for fast, 8 min precooling of centrifuge and rotor.

• Upto47%energysavings(overnight)areachieved due to unique ECO shut-off feature that deactivates the compressor after 8 hours of non-use. This feature comes standard with all refrigerated Eppendorf centrifuges.

• Up to 79% lower energy consumption with uniqueFastTempprofunction(Model5430R).FastTemppro allows for automated pre-cooling based on pre-programmable time and date. Turn off the compressor and let FastTemppro take care of pre-cooling in the morning.

There are a lot of centrifuges that offer speed and capacity. Eppendorf decided to take centrifugation to the next level and offer you features that benefit you, your applications and the environment.

EPPENDORF - MICROCENTRIFUGATION REDEFINEDThe Eppendorf approach to product development is—and has always been—about giving you more. More quality. More innovation. As a result, the new line of Eppendorf microcentrifuges delivers product performance that goes far beyond speed and capacity to benefit you and your work environment.

In addition to the speed, capacity and versatility you need for all your applications, our new Eppendorf microcen-trifugesofferunparalleledergonomicoperation(e.g.,whisperquietoperation,soft-touchlidclosures,intuitivecontrol) , superior temperature management for maximum sample protection and the Eppendorf quality you’ve come to expect. Some say that it’s the little things in life that make a difference. We couldn’t agree more.

Reward yourself with an Eppendorf centrifuge.

Silence | Speed | Simplicity™

Centrifuge 5430 R (refrigerated):Microcentrifuge with multipurpose capabilities – spins tubes from 0.2 to 50ml as well as MTP and PCR plates. Fits on your lab bench - only 15 inches wide.

In the US Tel: 800-645-3050In CANADA Tel: 800-263-8715www.eppendorf.com

Centrifuges are among a select group of laboratory instruments that are as scalable as they are con-figurable. Individuals who have used benchtop centrifuges that handle sub-milliliter volumes may be sur-prised to learn that centrifuges—some as large as rooms—are used in industrial processing.

Basic centrifuge designs are simple, consisting of an enclosed compartment inside which a rotor spins rapidly. Ro-tors, which can usually be inter-changed, contain equally spaced openings into which sample tubes are inserted. Samples will either spin at a fixed angle relative to the rotating axis or “swing out” to perpendicular under centripetal force as the rotor speed increases. Forces generated as the rotor spins cause components in the sample to migrate toward the bottom of the sample tube, accord-ing to weight or density.

Entry-level mini-centrifuges easily fit on a benchtop, operate at a single, relatively low speed, gener-ate low gravitational (g) forces, and cost only a few hundred dollars. “Minis” are used for samples whose components are easily separated by density. Most medical and veteri-nary office centrifuges are of this type. The next level up, compact benchtop centrifuges, spin tubes of up to about 2 mL and create tens of thousands of g’s. Researchers use

them to separate DNA, proteins, and cellular components.

There are many ways to differ-entiate centrifuges by type, speed, and features. Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, Calif.), for example, divides its product line into three basic platforms: benchtop devices operating at up to about 10,000

rpm, “washing machine” centrifuges that provide up to about 100,000 g, and ultracentrifuges that deliver in excess of one million g. In fact, one could argue that all centrifuges exist along a continuum of features that may be mixed and matched, which include g-force generated, sample tube size, refrigeration capabilities, rotation angle, computerization, and others.

Michael Rosenblum, market-ing VP at LabNet International (Edison, NJ), offers the following considerations when purchasing a lab centrifuge:

• What size tubes do you expect to run?

• Howfastdoesyoursampleneedto spin to achieve the desired separation?

• Isanangledrotororaswing-outrotor best for your application?

• Does your sample require re-frigeration?

• Whatistherangeof applicationsyou are likely to encounter?

Angled vs. swing-out tube de-sign affects speed and g-force, and provides sample collection options (spin-out is slower but provides a clean pellet). Re-frigeration is desirable because samples heat up during a long run. It all comes down to your expected application range and the likelihood that the

instrument you buy will be flexible enough to meet your needs.

Price was conspicuously absent from the list because lab centri-fuges tend to be inexpensive com-pared with other high-use lab in-struments. The price “sweet spot” of about $300 for unrefrigerated, single-speed mini-centrifuges up to about $6,000 for high-speed, refrigerated benchtop instruments covers most applications in the life sciences and other industries.

continuuM of options and featuRes foR HigH-use devices

“Lab centrifuges tend to be inexpensive compared with other high-use lab instruments.”

centRifugesBasic laB


www.eppendorf.com


Recently Released centRifUgeS

centRifUge ManUfactUReRS

centRifugesBasic laB

ROTINA 380 RFeatures a maximum speed of 15,000 rpm•Features infinitely variable refrigeration from -20°C to 40°C•Maximum capacity in swing-out rotor: 4 x 290 ml•Maximum capacity in an angle rotor: 6 x 94 ml•

Hettich www.hettichlab.com

KITMAN-T24Includes a multi-memory function that allows recall of up to 6 sets of operating conditions•Features a power-saving mode, which activates after a period of standby•Set temperature of 4°C from ambient temperature of 25°C is reached in about 5 minutes•When temperature inside chamber increases in power •saving mode, the system will automatically cool the chamber

TOMY www.digital-biology.co.jp

Optima MAX-XPProvides fast separations for samples as small as 175 µl up to 13.5 ml• Features speeds up to 150,000 rpm and RCF of more than 1,000,000 x g• Includes a customizable touch-screen user •interface for up to 12 individuals Includes software that enables users to spec-• i-fy up to five steps, set multiple programs or delay start time

Beckman Coulter www.beckmancoulter.com

5430 RSpins tubes from 0.2 ml to 50 ml as well as microplates•Features a maximum speed of 17,500 rpm•Small footprint – requires only 15 inches of bench space•A refrigerated model is also available•


Ample Scientific www.amplescientific.comBeckman Coulter www.beckman.comEppendorf North America www.eppendorfna.comHelmer www.helmerinc.comHettich www.hettweb.comLabnet International www.labnetlink.comMidSci www.midsci.comNew Brunswick Scientific www.nbsc.comSartorius Stedim www.sartorius-stedim.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.comTomy Tech USA www.tomytech.com

Do it with one glove tied behind your labcoat.

Seal buckets with a simple one-handed snap. It’s just one way

Thermo Scientific centrifuges make your life easier because they’re

designed for the way you work. With superior performance, reliability

and rotor support built-in — it’s the little things that are no small

matter when it comes to keeping you happy and productive:

• Innovative and certified ClickSeal® bucket sealing system:glove-friendly, one-handed snap-on covers replace screw caps and clips.

• Easy and secure AutoLock® rotor management: exchange rotors in less than 3 seconds with the push of a button, switching fromhigh capacity to high performance.

• Thermo Scientific Fiberlite carbon fiber rotors: speed, versatilityand corrosion-resistant design to maximize performance.

Getting the max out of your centrifuge shouldn’t take extra work .

To learn more about Thermo Scientific general purpose centrifuges,

visit www.thermoscientific.com/centrifuge

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Moving science forward

Thermo Scientific Sorvall Legend XT centrifuges:Accelerate your research withincreased capacity in the same bench space.

GPCent_LabMan_0510:Thermo 4/15/10 9:04 PM Page 1

www.thermoscientific.com/centrifuge


pRoducts in action

October 2010 - Buchi, a leading provider of

integrated lab-scale evaporation solutions and

robust industrial evaporation equipment is proud

to announce the launch of an all-new range of

recirculating chillers designed to work seamlessly

with a rotary evaporator and vacuum controller.

The F-series chillers provide the final step to a

fully integrated evaporation or distillation pro-

cess. This new line of chillers, which connect to the

rotary evaporator and can be controlled from the

evaporation system’s vacuum controller, includes:

• F-100 – an entry level model which offers an

attractive alternative to chilling with tap water

• F-105 – smart control through vacuum con-

troller with a cooling capacity of 500W at

15oC for use with a single rotary evaporator

• F-108–smartcontrolthroughvacuum

controller over a range of -10oC to +25oC

with a cooling capacity of 800W at 15oC

• F-114–smartcontrolthroughvacuum

controller over a range of -10oC to +25oC

with a cooling capacity of 1400W at 15oC

• F-125 – a powerful industrial chiller with a

cooling capacity of 2500W at 15oC and an in-

tegrated trolley for use with the Rotavapor®

R-220 SE industrial rotary evaporator

“Recirculating chillers that are not fully

integrated with the entire evaporation system

waste a lot of energy and generate heat

between the distillation runs because they do

not shut off automatically,” remarked Michael

Stern, Director of Marketing at BUCHI Corpo-

ration. “Buchi’s new F-series chillers actively

save energy and reduce heat emissions when

integrated with Buchi rotary evaporators and

Buchi vacuum controllers“, he added.

In addition to their use with rotary evapora-

tors, these new chillers are well suited for

cooling applications with Buchi’s parallel

evaporation, solvent extraction, and auto-

mated Kjeldahl products.

For over 50 years, Buchi has been known as

the market leader, inventor and innovator

of lab instruments based on Evaporation and

Vacuum technologies, and as the supplier

of the Rotavapor® products worldwide.

In addition, BUCHI Corporation is a proven

North American provider of spray dryers for

pharmaceutical and food agglomeration and

microencapsulation, Kjeldahl and solvent

extraction equipment for environmental and

food analysis, NIR spectroscopy instruments

for pharmaceutical and food Quality Control,

modular flash chromatography systems,

and other related laboratory equipment.

Headquartered in New Castle, Delaware,

BUCHI Corporation is an affiliate of BUCHI

LabortechnikAG(Flawil,Switzerland).

BUCHI Corporation launches a new line of recirculating chillers“Reduced energy consumption and heat emission through full evaporation system integration.”

19 Lukens Drive, Suite 400New Castle, DE 19720 USAT 302 652-3000 • F 302 [email protected]

Lab chillers remove heat from one object and transfer it to another, usually by means of a liquid. Thermo Fisher Scien-tific defines chillers as “refriger-ated recirculating liquid cooling system[s] consisting of a com-pressor, condenser, evaporator, pump, and temperature controller, all in one package.”

Chillers cool and maintain temperatures through one of three main methods. Compressor cycling, similar to thermostatic temperature control, maintains a desired temperature by turning the cooling engine on and off.

The main disadvantages are dif-ficulty achieving precise tempera-ture control and compressor wear. By adding a heater to the return loop, the compressor remains con-stantly on. While less stressful to the chiller mechanism, heater cy-cling is energy-intensive. Hot-gas bypass is a sort of compromise, providing relative energy-efficien-cy and long compressor life.

Regardless of the cooling meth-od employed, chillers must release the heat they absorb through either an air- or water-cooled condenser. Because it releases heat to the atmosphere, air-cooled condensing works best with large rooms and small chillers. Large units in small rooms typically use the water-cooled method. Air-cooled chillers require less maintenance than water-cooled units, are simpler in construction,

and consume slightly less power; water-cooled chiller condensers must be maintained periodically because of mineral buildup.

Chillers are technically not the same as circulators, although the terms are sometimes used inter-changeably (and together). Cir-culators tend to be small, operate in a wide temperature range, and provide high temperature stabil-ity, although they have limited heat removal capability. Chillers are suitable for larger industrial applications and operate in a rela-tively narrow temperature range with modest (±0.5ºC) stability, but provide much higher heat remov-al. A circulator’s reservoir can be used as a circulating bath, while a chiller’s cannot.

Chillers are rated by the quan-tity of heat they can remove per unit of time, which depends on the heat characteristics of the ap-plication. Most lab managers will be put off by the calculations re-quired for sizing a chiller. Luckily, vendors will perform the calcula-tions provided the user knows the general parameters of heat removal required. A vendor can often help specify a chiller based solely on its intended application.

Chiller capacity is specified in tons, a misleading term that implies mass or weight. In this case, a ton is simply a measure of

heat capacity in BTUs. Twelve thousand BTUs equal one “ton.” Tabletop systems used mostly for laboratory processes are referred to as fractional chillers and are available in capacities of one-quarter to one-third ton (3,000 and 4,000 BTUs, respectively).

When purchasing a chiller, fac-tors to consider include ambient operating temperature, desired process temperature range, temperature control tolerance, process fluid type, process fluid pumping volume, process fluid supply pressure, and most im-portant, the amount of heat to be dissipated from the process.

poRtaBle cooling at tHe point of use

“Most lab managers will be put off by the calculations required for sizing a chiller.”

cHilleRsBasic laB


www.mybuchi.com


pRoducts in action

Food Safety continues to grow as an issue as both internal and external threats to our food supply rise. Companies are looking at ways to make sure they are protecting their processes and putting out the best products possible. There are many facets of food safety and food monitoring to keep every cog in the food machine running smoothly. Visit the Lab Safety Supply Food Safety Resource Center (www.labsafety.com/foodsafety/) for the products and information essential to meet the challenges of producing first-class food products safely and efficiently.

The government also wants to ensure they have the proper regulations and regulatory agencies in place to protect the American people from any external sources of harm to our food supply. The FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA) has a primary purpose to protect citizens against harmful, unsanitary or falsely labeled foods, drugs, cosmetics or therapeutic devices. The FDA publishes their regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 21. The U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) assists agriculture in the production and distribution of high-quality food and fiber commodities.

During production, many food products are tested to quality-control parameters. Temperature measurement is a key parameter. The standard “danger zone” for food is 40º–140º F. That is the range when pathogens are most likely to grow. Monitoring food temperatures assures your product will be the best it can be.

Proper pH measurement not only affects the look, taste and quality of products, but maintain-ing a proper pH level is also a food safety issue.

A low pH reading of 4.6 will prevent the growth of deadly bacteria such as botulism in canned or preserved foods. Accurate monitoring of pH dur-ing the productions of these types of foods may be mandated by state or federal regulations.

Plastic or metal contaminants getting into a product creates problems both from a health and from a public relations standpoint. Metal-detect-able products provide quality assurance and help you find foreign objects in products before they reach your customers.

Find out more about Food Safety topics by visiting www.labsafety.com/foodsafety/ today. In addition to the resource center, there are more than 270 EZFacts® documents available at www.labsafety.com/refinfo, including:

No. 500 Metal Detectable in the Food Industry No. 502 pH Electrodes No. 503 Food Defense No. 506 Who Governs the Food Chain

No. 507 Temperature Measurement Instrumentation

401 S. Wright Rd.Janesville, WI 53546-87291-800-356-0783www.labsafety.com

NEW FOOD SAFETY RESOURCE CENTER— NOW AVAILABLE AT LABSAFETY.COMMake Lab Safety Supply’s new Food Safety Resource Center your online source for safe food handling information. The Food Safety Resource Center features technical information, product information and articles relating to Food Safety. Safe food production demands incredibly high standards for safety, quality, sanitation, maintenance and handling. Lab Safety is devoted to helping you with Food Safety. Visit the Food Safety Resource Center today at www.labsafety.com/foodsafety/.

Every lab needs a terrific resource and we’ve got it. Lab Safety Supply’s Lab Supplies catalog is your best choice for quality lab supplies and equipment to keep your lab running smoothly, safely and

efficiently. Call 1-800-356-0783 today to request your 1060+-page catalog.

Forget the hassle of storage solutions with the IQ 160 Waterproof pH/mV/Temp/ORP Meter because you can store the stainless steel probe dry! It requires no maintenance and, unlike delicate glass probes, you don’t have to fret over possible breakage. It stands up to harsh use in difficult applications. Ask for No. 141821.

Created by Lab Safety Supply October 2010

Recently Released cHiLLeRS anD BatHS

cHiLLeR anD BatH ManUfactUReRS

cHilleRsBasic laB

Bead Bath™Designed for use with proprietary beads, which naturally hold items in place•No need for racks, floats and bottleneck weights•Users can safely incubate multi-well plates, •Petri dishes and open-top samplesThermal uniformity is ±0.5°C at 37°C and •±1.0 at 65°C with temperature range of 5°C above ambient to 80°C

Lab Armor www.labarmor.com

Cincinnati Sub-Zero www.cszindustrial.com



Julabo www.julabo.com

Legacy Chiller Systems www.legacychillers.com

PolyScience www.polyscience.com

TECA Corporation www.thermoelectric.com

TEK-TEMP Instruments www.tek-tempinstruments.com



VWR International www.vwrsp.com

EchoTherm™ Model IC20XRCan freeze, chill or heat samples from -10°C to 110°C in assay plates, centrifuge tubes, •vials and test tubesFeatures a digital display and control of temperature to 1°C•Includes data logger and RS232 interface to control unit by computer or to record data•A variety of over 25 standard sample blocks are available•


ThermoFlex 24000Newest addition to the NESLAB ThermoFlex series•Features a cooling capacity of 24,000 watts•Includes water filters that can be changed while the unit •is in operationFeatures an intuitive user interface for ease of operation•

Thermo Scientific www.thermoscientific.com

Aqua Plus SeriesFour models available: digital and analog controlled Unstirred Baths, digital controlled •Linear Shaking Baths, and safety protected Boiling BathsAll models are available in a variety of sizes to meet a wide range of applications•Feature easy-to-clean stainless steel tanks, drain taps and non-drip polycarbonate lids •and bases



www.labsafety.com


Choice of clean room casework, or furniture, is one of the most important decisions made when setting up classified space. Cabi-nets and associated doors, hinges, handles, panels, benchtops, shelv-ing, and vertical/horizontal sur-faces must be compatible with the application and the clean room’s classification by Federal Standard 209E for airborne particulate cleanli-ness. Surfaces must be as easily cleaned as walls and floors, emit no particulate con-taminants, and above all resist exposure to liquids and solids processed inside the room. Since the purpose of a clean room is to protect the envi-ronment from hazardous materials or sensitive materials from the environment and humans, or both, clean room casework must fulfill those missions and be environ-mentally “invisible.”

Most clean room casework today is made from coated steel, stainless steel, and polypropylene. Polypropylene casework has been around for years, remaining a niche product due to its high cost, but Terry Thompson, polypro-pylene sales manager at NuAire (Plymouth, MN) says polypro-pylene is the material of choice

for clean rooms that use corrosive acids or chemicals or that experi-ence high humidity.

Polypropylene is about 2.5 times as expensive as steel or wood casework and just slightly more expensive than stainless steel. As Thompson explains, “Polypropylene is made from a petroleum product, so we’re at

the mercy of the oil markets. But more important, a polypropylene cabinet needs a lot of handling during manufacture—much more than stainless steel… Polypro-pylene edges are sharp and must be smoothed and de-burred, then welded together.”

Clean room casework is normal-ly specified by whoever plans the room, which is either an architect or a company engineer. Own-ers increasingly ask for modular casework, Thompson explains, because it provides versatility and changeover capability when a clean room’s mission changes.

Outside design firms some-times over specify for casework,

Thompson says, to cover all con-tingencies. In one instance where polypropylene casework was designated, Thompson called the owner to confirm that the appli-cation called for it. “They didn’t realize how expensive it was and wound up ordering a less costly alternative that suited their needs just as capably. If you can get by

with metal casework, that’s obviously the way to go.”

Hemco specializes in Class 1000 and Class 10,000 clean room furnishings and instal-lations, a niche that

Campbell describes as “clean labs” to distinguish them from higher-class semiconductor processing suites. Hemco has done Class 100 installations, but usually as sub-areas of Class 1000 rooms. Within that marketplace the company sells casework fashioned from welded steel coated with an epoxy pow-der coat finish. These structures are fabricated as easily as stainless steel but have much higher resis-tance to acids and moisture. They are also available for about one-third the cost of polypropylene and stainless.

Holding up to WoRKloads in classified space

“… Clean room casework must be environmentally ‘invisible.’”

clean RooM fuRnisHingsBasic laB

Recently Released cLean RooM fURniSHingS

cLean RooM fURniSHing ManUfactUReRS

American Cleanroom Systems www.americancleanrooms.comBEVCO www.bevco.comCleanAir Solutions www.cleanroomspecialists.comClean Rooms West www.cleanroomswest.comGerbig Engineering Company www.gerbig.comHEMCO www.hemcocorp.comLiberty Industries www.liberty-ind.comPortaFab www.portafab.comSovella www.sovella.usTerra Universal www.terrauniversal.comUnited Lab Equipment www.unitedlabequip.com

InterMetro Clean Room TablesFeatures an electropolished stainless steel work surface that •eliminates dust accumulationBottom shelf and frame are adjustable in two-inch increments•Support structure virtually eliminates “drumming”•Available with a bottom shelf, H-frame or 3-sided tubular frame•


Airegard 301 Horizontal Laminar Flow Cabinet

Features a HEPEX™ Zero-Leak airflow system for consistent •airflow and HEPA filter loadingFeatures a work surface splash-back to protect the HEPA filter•Includes a Minihellic® pressure gauge, fluorescent lighting •and an adjustable motor speed controllerCan be customized with UV lamps, taller filters, wider work •surfaces and stainless steel work surfaces


7000 Silver Series SeatingCertified for Class 10 cleanrooms; Meets ANSI/BIFMA Standards•Features heavy-duty chrome-plated back bar and spring- •loaded hinge assemblyFeatures easy-to-use pneumatic seat height adjustment •and fully adjustable contoured backIncludes sturdy five-legged polished aluminum base with •standard glides or optional casters

BEVCO www.bevco.com

Series 19 Dessicator CabinetsCan be purged to create a controlled environment for long-term storage•Constructed with a heavy-gauge stainless steel outside shell and a •stainless steel divider between each compartmentAlso available in polypropylene•

Clean Air Products www.cleanairproducts.com


It would be difficult to imagine a chemistry laboratory without at least one fume hood. Despite their ubiquity and the notion that they are not “sexy” lab products, a great deal of innovation has occurred in fume hoods during the last decade.

Fume hoods are connected to a building’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which removes air through the hood’s front panel. Wasting air by forcibly removing it is the most sig-nificant ongoing cost of fume hood operation—greater than the cost of acquiring and installing a hood, and much greater than the hood’s operating costs.

About ten years ago, the industry introduced the first low-flow fume hoods, which operated at lower face velocities than did traditional hoods. The standard used to be about 100 cfm; low-flow systems vent toxic gases just as well at 60 cfm, a 40 per-cent energy savings. Typical lab air entails costs of about $5/cfm/yr, so a typical old-style hood costs about

$5,000-$6,000 per year to operate.Low-flow systems are designed

to operate at 60 cfm at all sash positions. Yet low flow is by no means universally acknowledged as an improvement. Alvin Heath, director of business development at ESCO Technologies (Hatboro, PA), says low-flow hoods “chal-lenge the traditional concept that higher inflow equates with better containment. Convincing end us-ers to work with these hoods is an uphill task.”

Some notable features available on modern fume hoods include: improved ergonomics, making them easier to work in for long periods;

“intelligent” sashes, which close when a motion sensor detects no movement in front of the hood for a given time period, reducing energy consumption; improved hood baffle designs, to allow for best airflow navigation; and digital airflow monitors, which can alert personnel when problems arise. Perhaps the most striking development is the

ductless fume hood, which recycles conditioned air.

Users should be aware of prob-lems that may crop up during specification and installation of fume hoods. Most new fume hood purchases are for new laboratories, according to Alvin Heath, direc-tor of business development at ESCO Technologies (Hatboro, PA). Traditionally, laboratory furniture suppliers provide the fume hoods as well. Although a few manufacture hoods that are standards-compliant, Heath says, “many still construct fume hoods as though they were simple boxes. Fume hood prices are often bundled with furniture prices, and that makes it difficult for the end user to make informed decisions.”

Heath provides the following wish list for potential fume hood buyers:

• Local installation and support for ducting, controller, and ex-haust blower

• Appropriatesafetycertifications

• Construction materials for specific application, for example, polymer inner liners for corro-sive acids, ceramic work tops for high temperatures

• Localreferencesforthesupplier/installer

• Aestheticsandcost

coMModity laB appliances, But stRong on innovation

“Fume hood prices are often bundled with furniture prices, and that makes it difficult for the end user to make informed decisions.”

fuMe HoodsBasic laBpRoducts in action

AirSafe™ TOUCH, the first touch-screen micro-processor controller with software written exclu-sively for use with ductless fume hoods, serves as the technology backbone for many features debuted by Independence™. An engaging, user-friendly interface, AirSafe™ TOUCH allows the user to quickly access all controls while providing displays of vital data such as fume hood face velocity, gas levels and alarm status.

Moving beyond the industry-standard metal oxidesensor,aPID(photoionizationdetector)monitors the system’s gas-phase filtration, providing gas saturation readings in parts-per-million. The filtration bed, fume hood exhaust and laboratory air are all monitored by the PID. User-defined alarms can be enabled for each sensor and monitoring location, ensuring the user is notified of any potential exposure.

Carbon-based filtration, as found in most ductless fume hoods, has been in use for centuries. With the invention of Silconazyne™, AirClean® Systems has improved upon carbon filters by increasing the adsorption capability on a wider spectrum of commonly manipulated laboratory chemicals. Silconazyne™ has an improved efficacy for capture of polar organic solvents, nonpolar organic solvents, inorganic bases and inorganic acids.

Filtered air is recirculated by ductless hoods, mak-ing it imperative that the filtration be capable of capturing chemicals used within the hood. Built into the Independence™ software is a chemical refer-ence library containing more than 1,000 chemicals approved for use with Silconazyne™. During factory QA/QC, the approved chemical application is programmed into Independence™. In the event another chemical is to be added, the administrator

can updated the approved application through AirSafe™ TOUCH. The system then validates the new application against the installed filters and gas detection package to confirm compatibility.

For years, fume hoods have been seen as the laboratory’s biggest consumer of energy. Duct-less hoods such as Independence™ recirculate clean, filtered air, limiting the amount of energy spent removing and reconditioning air within the laboratory. To further reduce energy use, lack of operator interaction activates the Inde-pendence™ ‘standby mode’. Once in standby mode, energy consumption is reduced to a minimum while maintaining operator safety.

Independence™ provides three methods of airflow monitoring and control. The most popular is automatic mode, where a user preset value is entered into the microprocessor and face velocity is maintained automatically during the course of operation. Manual mode allows the end user to increase or decrease blower speed at their discre-tion while high/low mode sets the blower to one of two speeds based on sash position.

For labs with multiple hood users, Indepen-dence™ includes the ability to have eight unique user profiles with definable operation perimeters for each. At the owner’s or administrator’s discretion, an individual user can be given access to certain features. Examples of definable user access include enabling burning gas, modifying alarm settings, and changing blower modes.

Engineered as a platform capable of evolving as technology and market demands change, Independence™ is the foundation for all future ductless fume hood solutions.

Raleigh, NC USA919-255-3220 • [email protected]

AirClean® Systems’Independence™ Ductless Fume HoodAs research and laboratories evolve, AirClean® Systems continues to innovate with sophisticated, efficient fume containment solutions. Independence™ is the culmination of two decades of research and development in airflow design, gas-phase filtration, fume detection and hood control technologies. Drawing on feedback from thousands of customer applications, the Independence™ fume hood incorporates unique features not currently incorporated into other fume hoods.


www.aircleansystems.com


Recently Released fUMe HooDS

fUMe HooD ManUfactUReRS

fuMe HoodsBasic laB

UniFlow SE Constant VolumeFeatures a unitized flame-retardant composite resin construc-•tion for chemical and corrosion resistanceAngled picture-framed sash opening has an aerodynamic air •foil for uniform air flow entry into the fume chamberSurfaces are glass smooth for ease of cleaning with excellent •reflectivity

HEMCO www.HEMCOcorp.com

Protector XStreamAvailable in 4’, 5’, 6’ and 8’ sizes•Operates at a broad range of face velocities from 60 to 1,000 fpm•Sash handle, air foil, upper dilution air supply and rear down-•flow baffle contribute to horizontal airflow patterns to reduce concentrations of contaminants


Mobile EDU DuctlessCompletely self-contained and provides all around visibility•Features a Multi-Layered EDU Filter with 99.9% filtration efficiency•Base is mounted in large heavy-duty wheels for ease of transport•Exceeds OSHA, ANSI, BSI and AFNOR Safety Standards•

Air Science USA www.airscience.com

Purair Advanced DuctlessFace velocity at 100 fpm ensures containment of fumes•An alarm will alert the operator when the airflow falls to an unacceptable level•The work area features a removable spillage tray which can be easily cleaned•Main filter can be chosen from 14 different types of carbon•

Air Science USA www.airscience.com

Air Science www.air-science.com

AirClean Systems www.aircleansystems.com

CLEATECH www.cleatech.com

Erlab www.greenfumehood.com

ESCO www.escoglobal.com

Flow Sciences www.flowsciences.com

Genie Scientific www.geniescientific.com

Germfree Laboratories www.germfree.com

Hanson Lab Furniture www.hansonlab.com

HEMCO www.hemcocorp.com

ISEC www.isecinc.com

Lab Synergy www.labsynergy.com


LM Air Technology www.lmairtech.com

Misonix www.misonix.com

Mott Manufacturing www.mott.ca

mottLAB www.mottlab.com


RDM Industrial Products www.labspacesolutions.com

Salare www.salareinc.com

Sentry Air Systems www.sentryair.com


TFI/Inline Design www.tfiinlinedesign.net



pRoducts in action

Fume Hood Safety & Flexibility – Like never beforeCaptair solutions are designed with safety in mind. The Captair Flex filtration technology is based on the proven principal of molecular adsorption; the toxins emitted in the workstation are adsorbed by the activated carbon within the filtration column and captured – keeping the user and the environment safe.

The Flex also has a unique modular filtration design which allows the hood to handle liquids and powders individually or at the same time. This interchangeability of the filters allows the filtration column to be configured specifically for the applications carried out within the enclosure.

The containment and filtration effectiveness of the Captair Flex, make this shared protective equipment a reliable, economical, flexible and environmentally-friendly solution.

The Captair Flex can:1) Save on energy costs in your labThe air balance necessary to run ducted systems results in high energy consumption. A Captair solution eliminates the energy costs related to systems for extracting and supplying conditioned air. It is able to keep operating costs low, even when the cost related to filter replacement is taken into account.

2) Eliminate installation costs associ-ated with fume hoodsImplementing a Captair Flex is simple and quick. It does not involve the installation of a

ventilation system for air supply and extraction as required by ducted systems. A single electrical outlet is all you need to run the Captair® Flex® fume hood. It can be installed at any time, without complex planning.

3) Easily transport and instantly use your fume hoodCaptair solutions may be moved from one location to another within the same laboratory according to protection needs. They can be easily relocated without affecting the air bal-ance of the equipment

4) Protect the environmentFree of any ducted airflow system, Captair solutions eliminate the direct emission of pollutants into the atmosphere and help to protect the environment. They also avoid the pollution generated as a result of the energy needed to run the airflow systems of traditional ducted fume hoods.

388 Newburyport TurnpikeRowley, MA 019691-800-964-4434www.captair.com

Captair® Flex™– Ductless Mobile Fume Hoods with Modular Filtration ColumnFrom the people who brought you the energy saving GreenFumeHood®, ERLAB, the one and only inven-tor of the ductless filtering fume hood and worldwide leader since 1968 innovates once again with the low cost Captair® Flex™ Technology, an all in one filtration fume hood design configurable at will for use in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, forensics, histology/pathology and more. New modular filtration column can handle liquids and powders individually or at the same time. Innovative liquid seal technology insures filtration integrity for both molecular and HEPA filters. Unique design allows for single or double back-up safety filtration to comply with the AFNOR NFX 15-211 Class I and II safety standard.

Captair Flex, designed to protect the user, the environment and your budget.


www.captair.com

72 Lab Manager Product Resource Guide 2010 www.labmanager.com 73 Product Resource Guide 2010 Lab Manager

Glove boxes are completely closed compartments ranging in size from a few cubic feet to several hundred cubic feet. They differ from other safety enclosures in two ways: users can introduce articles into glove boxes and manipulate them inside through ports fitted with gloves, and glove boxes typi-cally use a specialized atmosphere.

Glove boxes consist of the main chamber, two glove ports, and an air-locked antechamber for introducing labware and materials into the box. Opening the antechamber without taking preventive measures will introduce ambient atmosphere into the working chamber. This is dealt with by providing vacuum-assisted purging with the desired atmosphere. Sensitive applications will often add sensors for oxygen and/or water, with some type of scavenger mechanism to achieve ppm concentrations of those species. In regulated industries, the purge cycle is software-controlled and documented to ensure that mate-rials are handled to specification.

Although glove boxes are most often associated with biology, all scientific and engineering disciplines use glove boxes for one application or another. They are most commonly used when a process or operation requires low humidity or low oxygen levels, or when either the product/process must be protected from the lab environment or the operator

needs protection from the process or operation. One often hears the terms “isolation” and “containment” with respect to glove boxes. Isolation is meant to protect the product, while containment refers to protecting the operator and/or environment. Isolation normally involves positive pressure, while containment operates under negative pressure.

A quick online shopping search for “glove box” leads to a dizzying array of devices ranging in price from $411 to $50,000, from simple plastic boxes to sophisticated mini–clean rooms that meet ISO sterility requirements. Glove boxes for regu-lated industries will almost always

include pressure gauges, validatable oxygen and moisture monitoring, and built-in data transmission.

According to Bob Applequist, product manager at Labconco (Kansas City, MO), price is the principal factor affecting most glove box purchase decisions. “Most of our customers have to watch their budgets.”

Any glove box can achieve very low oxygen or moisture readings, he explains, “but the cleaner it is on the inside relative to the outside, the greater the equilibrium dif-ference.” Without taking ad-

ditional measures, he says, “oxygen and moisture can creep up to 10 percent in 10 minutes.”

Customers, he says, often over specify for oxygen and moisture removal based not on actual data but on perception or assump-tion. “They know they want low oxygen and moisture, but when you ask them how low, 95 percent don’t really know. Maintaining 1 ppm levels 24 hours a day will be quite expensive, particularly with respect to scavenger systems.”

veRsatile, on-deMand isolation oR containMent

“… the cleaner it is on the inside relative to the outside, the greater the equilibrium difference.”

glove BoxesBasic laB

Recently Released gLove BoxeS

gLove Box ManUfactUReRS

BioSafe™Features smooth, ultra-clean surfaces to eliminate •germ traps and simplify cleaning and disinfectionContinuous-seam interiors create a hermetically •sealed chamberEach chamber includes a pair of 10-inch diameter •glove ports (twin models include two pairs)


PureLab HE SeriesProvides a < 1 ppm O• 2 and H2O Inert AtmosphereIncludes a single-column gas purification system as •standard (dual-column available)Expansion features include additional antechambers for •thru flow work processes, cold storage freezers, process vacuum ovens and furnaces

Innovative Technology www.gloveboxes.com

LCPW SeriesComplete glovebox system with gas purification; for users with limited space•Can be supplied with a stand, or fits on any standard benchtop•Capable of producing a < 1 ppm oxygen- and moisture-free environment•Features a one-piece radius corner construction for easy cleaning•

LC Technology Solutions www.lctechinc.com

ProtectorFeatures a HEPA inlet filter for a particulate-free internal •environmentClosing two internal valves creates a controlled atmosphere •that can be pressurized up to ±5 inches water gauge achieving a leak-tight inert atmospherePhysical barrier and filtration system protects user from •exposure to hazardous materials


Coy Laboratory Products www.coylab.com

Innovative Technology www.gloveboxes.com


LABREPCO www.labrepco.com

La Calhène – Getinge www.lacalhene.com

LC Technology Solutions www.lctechinc.com

MBraun USA www.mbraunusa.com

MTI Corporation www.mtixtl.com


Plas-Labs www.plas-labs.com

Plastic Concepts www.plastic-concepts.com



Vacuum Atmospheres Company www.vac-atm.com

Walker Barrier Systems www.walkerbarrier.com


pRoducts in action

Complete sterilization is the only way to eliminate contamination from a CO2 incubator, and the 180 °C hot air cycle used in the BINDER incubator exceeds all international standards. Here’s how it works: At the end of a given run, the user wipes up any spills that may have occurred, empties the water pan and replaces it, and, with the shelves still in place, closes thedoorandpushesthreebuttons(threeareusedtoprevent accidental start-up) to start the cycle. When 9-1/2 hours have passed, the incubator is completely sterilized and ready for the next batch of cells.

Leaving the shelves in the incubator during the steril-ization procedure means that there is no reassembly. This results in less handling, and it also means that the shelves are sterilized along with the rest of the interior.

These incubators feature a one-piece, weld-free interior with rounded corners, eliminating spots in which contaminants can lodge. The chamber interior is guaranteed to be condensation free, with excess moisture re-condensing in the water pan.

BINDER CO2 incubators do not use HEPA filters, which harbor the very pathogens they trap. Filter replace-ment and disposal costs are eliminated. Air within the unit’s APT.LINE™ preheating chamber is blown over heating elements and around the culture compart-ment, providing uniform temperatures and fast recov-ery times. Heating elements never make contact with the unit’s walls, eliminating hot spots. A double-latch locking system tightly seals doors and facilitates quick return to set point for temperature and CO2.

The growth of healthy cells in all locations is dependent on environmental conditions remaining

constant throughout the incubator over the length of the culture process. How stability is accomplished, monitored and maintained is integral to unit per-formance. If CO2 percentages are out of balance, culture pH changes, resulting in an environment that is either too acidic, or one in which ammonia can form, either of which is deadly to cells.

Figure 1 is a graph of a 5% CO2 set point showing virtually drift-free conditions over a 24-hour period. CO2 was monitored for the test shown using nine sensors placed throughout the chamber. These infrared sensors are dedicated to measurement of CO2, operate independently of other gases, and are not affected by humidity levels. There performance is critical because CO2 percentages that are out of bal-ance can lead to culture pH changes and result in an environment that is either to acidic, or one in which ammonia can form, either of which is deadly to cells.

BINDER’s quality control process adheres to the German industrial, or DIN, standard. After heating a newly made incubator to steady state over a two-hour period, temperature is sampled six times a minute at 27 points throughout the chamber. What this means is that a scientist using a BINDER CO2 incubator can be confident in the unit’s performance and the environment provided for their cells.

Taken together, the anti-contamination features, performance features and demanding quality con-trol standards mean that the scientist culturing cells can be assured that Binder Inc. incubators provide the best conditions for their success.

Toll Free 866 885 [email protected]

CO2 Incubator’s 180 C Sterilization Cycle Protects CulturesContamination in culture experiments is so widespread that many labs accept a low level of contamination as a “norm.” But this pernicious problem costs laboratories a lot of money, is re-sponsible for lost time, can ruin experiments and invalidate research, and in some cases is even responsible for the loss of invaluable or irreplaceable cell lines. There are a number of features exclusive to CO2 incubators from Binder, Inc., of Great River, New York, most prominently a 180 °C hot air sterilization cycle, that protect cultures and that are not found in other incubators. Here is a look at what these features mean for researchers.

The Binder CB 53 CO2 incubator.

A 5% CO2 set point is virtually drift-free over 24 hours.

Laboratory incubators are used to grow and maintain cell cultures and are available in a variety of sizes and types. They are divided into two main categories: gassed incubators (CO2 incubators) and non gassed or microbiological incubators. CO2 incubators are mainly used for cell culture and provide control over factors such as temperature, CO2 for maintaining proper pH levels, and humidity, all of which affect cell growth. CO2 incubators are typically heated to 37°C and maintain 95% relative humidity and a CO2 level of 5 percent. Microbiological incuba-tors are essentially temperature-controlled ovens that work within the biological range of 5ºC to 70ºC and are mostly used for growing and storing bacterial cultures. Most incubator units are water-jacketed, air-jacketed or use direct heat to maintain the temperature around the culture chamber.

Incubators can be used in a wide variety of applications including cell culture, biochemical studies, hematological studies, pharmaceuti-cal and food processing. Shaking incubators are often used for cell aeration and solubility studies. Refrigerated Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) incubators, with a temperature range of 20°C degrees to 45°C below ambient, are com-monly used in insect and plant studies, fermentation studies and bacterial culturing.

“The cell culture market today is thriving predominantly due to new applications in areas like stem cell research and hence there is more potential for growth in these prod-ucts,” says Douglas Wernerspach, global product manager, CO2 incu-bation at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Many manufacturers are work-ing toward addressing some of the common challenges associated with culturing cells, the most important of which is reducing aerial con-tamination. A number of incubators offer a high-temperature decon-tamination cycle that works much like a self-cleaning oven. “With the press of a button, the customer can heat-sterilize the incubator and get rid of any decontaminants or hazardous spills,” says Wernerspach. This option also eliminates the need to take apart individual components for autoclaving.

Besides units that can be activated when needed, there are also con-tinuous contamination prevention units that work all the time and do not have to be initiated manually. One technology uses HEPA filtra-tion to continuously cycle the air and remove airborne particulates and contaminants. Incubators with

interiors made of solid copper com-ponents are also gaining interest. “Solid copper or 100% pure copper is naturally antimicrobial and for the first time the U.S. EPA has also recognized copper, a nonchemical, as an effective antimicrobial agent,” says Wernerspach. This has led to a

number of companies developing copper-based products.

Incubators also come with op-tions that can further increase user ease and convenience, including touch screens, data storage, remov-able shelves and programmable alarms. At the end of the day what customers really care about is hav-ing a reliable unit in which to grow their cells. Hence, the lab envi-ronment, the application and the customer’s comfort level with the technology is what plays a big role in the selection of the equipment. “Ultimately you want to go with something that best meets your requirements,” says Wernerspach.

BetteR teMpeRatuRe contRol

“Ultimately you want to go with something that best meets your requirements.”

incuBatoRsBasic laB


www.binder-world.us


pRoducts in action

control promoting cell culture growth. Control

mechanisms are built in to prevent contamina-

tion within the growth chamber. Programmable

digital solid-state infrared [IR] CO2 Sensor pro-

vides a stable, drift-free output, making neces-

sary corrections to the chamber environment and

supports faster recovery times. The Closed Loop

HEPA filtration system creates an ISO Class 5 air

quality inside the chamber, creating Constant

ContaminationControl(C3)foradependable

contamination-free environment.

NuAire AutoFlow CO2 Incubators

NuAire’s AutoFlow CO2 Water Jacketed

Incubators maintain up to 98% Rela-

tiveHumidity(RH)reducingdesicca-

tion inside the chamber, therefore, less

media is needed and less handling of

cultures is required. This reduces the

chance for contamination. The Incubator jacket

creates a gentle insulator surrounding the inner-

chamber providing unsurpassed temperature

stability. AutoFlow Water Jacket Incubators have

been designed to provide a reliable controlled

in vitro environment for optimum tissue cell

culture growth. The chamber also provides an

environment for the storage and preservation of

embryos, gametes and animal tissue cell cultures

at on near body temperature.

The DH AutoFlow NU-5100 CO2 Incubator is the

perfect workhorse incubator for research where

there are multiple door openings per day. De-

signed to provide a sterile, constant temperature,

constant CO2 level and naturally humidified

atmosphere for optimum growth of tissue cell

cultures and other organisms requiring this

precise environment. The growth environment

is applied equally to all microorganisms within

the chamber. The 99.99% HEPA filtration system

ensures ISO Class 5 clean air quality inside the

work chamber, which produces Constant Contam-

inationControl(C3).Witha4.4cubicfeet[130

liter] chamber capacity and an overall height of

31 inches, this compact incubator fits under most

standard lab benches, saving lab space.

NuAire’s NU-5500 DH AutoFlow Direct Heat

CO2 Incubators offer a unique HEPA Filtra-

tion System that converts this incubator into a

miniature Clean Room, within 4 – 5 minutes

after door closure ISO Class 5 clean air conditions

is achieved. The exterior chamber walls are lined

with high tech R5 insulation to provide excellent

temperature stability and energy efficiency. A

chamber capacity of 188 liters provides more

usable space at a lower price per liter than other

incubators. The coved corner interior makes

chemical disinfection easy. The NU-5500 is the

ideal incubator for optimum tissue cell culture

growth and an array of clinical applications.

NU-5510 DHD AutoFlow Direct Heat CO2 Incuba-

tor was designed for such applications as AIDS

Research. It provides dual sterilization

cycles; +95°C humidified decontami-

nation and a +145°C dry sterilization

eliminating all contamination. Perfect

for cell line changes and/or working

with hazardous agents. Designed with

an external IR Sensor, there is nothing

to be removed from the chamber prior

to heat sterilization; which makes

this the easiest incubator to use for

delicate applications. As with all NuAire AutoFlow

Incubators, the NU-5510 offers Password

Protection capabilities to prevent users who are

unauthorizedtochangethesetpoints(CO2%,

Temp) or running conditions of the incubator.

NuAire AutoFlow IncubatorsExperience Constant Contamination Control

NuAire offers both Direct Heat and Water Jacket CO2 AutoFlow Incubators assuring the highest

level of performance and dependability for optimum growth conditions. An environment is

provided for storage and preservation of embryos, gametes and animal tissue cell cultures at or

near body temperature. Designed to provide precise CO2, temperature, and relative humidity

Best Products • Best Performance • Best Protection2100 Fernbrook LanePlymouth, MN 55447 www.nuaire.com/co2-incubators


Sanyo www.sanyobiomedical.com

Sheldon Manufacturing www.shellab.com

So-Low www.so-low.com



UVP www.uvp.com

Wheaton www.wheatonsci.com

Yamato Scientific www.yamato-usa.com

Setting the StandardS for demanding environmentS

Recently Released incUBatoRS

incUBatoR ManUfactUReRS

incuBatoRsBasic laB

Oasis™6 cu. ft. model features infrared CO• 2 control, direct heat and high relative humidityExterior is powder-coated with ISOCIDE antimicrobial paint to protect against contamination•In the event of contamination, an overnight sanitization cycle can be activated•

Caron Products www.caronproducts.com

CytoGrow™ GLP SeriesSeries includes 6.0 cu. ft and 12.0 cu. ft. models•Features inCu safe™ copper enriched stainless steel interior •surfaces to protect against cross contaminationOptional SafeCell™ UV contamination control system •minimizes decontamination interruptionsDirect Heat and Air Jacket™ surrounds inner walls with •natural convection airflow

SANYO North America www.us.sanyo.com

GALAXY® Direct HeatAll models feature a fanless design, eliminating a possible source of contamination•Employs six-sided, direct heating with gentle convection •circulation of chamber atmosphereR-Series models are available in 48-liter and 170-liter •capacities; S-Series models are available in 14-, 48- and 170-liter capacities


Forma Series II 3110Features triple-wall cabinet construction for optimal temperature uniformity•Includes a validatable in-chamber HEPA filtration system to maintain Class 100 air quality•Features a CFC-free foam insulated outer door•Extra options include available oxygen control, relative humidity •monitoring and antimicrobial copper interiors


BINDER www.binder-oven.us


Carbolite www.carbolite.com

CARON Products www.caronproducts.com

Darwin Chambers www.darwinchambers.com







www.nuaire.com/co2-incubators


Basic laB

LIMS products vary from software for small laboratories to systems for enterprise-class distri-bution, where large implementa-tions can cost millions of dollars and encompass licensing, train-ing, validation and other required services. As with other software products, there are many ways to implement and purchase a LIMS, from boxed software to commercial licenses for COTS (Commercial Off-the- Shelf) to open source to SaaS (Software as a Service).

It is important to note that a LIMS and an ELN (Electronic Laboratory Notebook) are not the same thing. An ELN is a literal replacement for your paper labora-tory notebook. As such, it is a place to enter and keep your laboratory notes and get signoff; you use it just as you would use a paper notebook.

The confusion between LIMS and ELN occurs partly because there is some overlap between them. Additional confusion arises now that some LIMS include ELN features, some ELNs contain LIMS features, and some products com-bine LIMS and ELN. Beyond the LIMS/ELN question, there are yet other products that sound like they might be a LIMS but have different names. There are still other prod-ucts that are called “LIMS” but do not appear to be like anything that has just been described.

Selecting and buying a LIMS

takes effort and time in advance of the actual purchase for the follow-ing reasons:

1. The functions and distinguishing factors among available products are always changing.

2. LIMS is in a period of especially high transition as LIMS and ELN software continue to converge. Things might become even more confusing before this period is over.

3. Even before LIMS, ELNs and other products took on some of the functions of each other. Now the types of LIMS available are somewhat overwhelming. There are Environmental LIMS, general-purpose LIMS, Web-only LIMS, PC-only LIMS, R&D-focused LIMS, QC-focused LIMS and Fo-rensic LIMS—to name just a few.

A good idea might be to ignore the labels and look closely for the features that meet your needs. Ken Rapp of VelQuest, whose product combines LIMS and ELN features, explains, “The GMP-ELN and LIMS layers contain very differ-ent functionality. However, market pressures are forcing a “conver-gence” of the requirements into

a fully integrated Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) solution available either from one solu-tion provider or as a best-of-breed integrated solution.” At Thermo Fisher Scientific, where an integra-tion plan is used to turn specialized products into a single solution, Informatics marketing director, Su-san Najjar, says, “…from a usability perspective, if users are working with a well-integrated solution, the merging of these technologies becomes irrelevant.”

What all this means is yet more choices to consider. But even though more choices may make the selection process lengthier, there is an increased likelihood that the best solution for your laboratory will be out there and readily available.

a pRoduct categoRy in tRansition

“The GMP-ELN and LIMS layers contain very different functionality.”

liMs pRoducts in action

Waters NuGenesis Scientific Data Manage-

mentSystem(SDMS)provideslaboratories

with an effective foundation for scientific

information management by making data

easier to access, facilitating compliance

with regulatory requirements, and aiding in

the administration of intellectual property

throughout its lifecycle. NuGenesis SDMS

automatically imports diverse

data, generated by instruments,

scientists, and outside sources

into a centralized data ware-

house. This information can eas-

ily be searched, communicated,

and shared among scientists and

team members collaboratively

– delivering measurable gains

in time to market and employee

efficiency while reducing cost

and risk.

NuGenesis SDMS is an

application-independent soft-

ware and database platform that

you can use to create a common

electronic repository for scientific information

throughout your company – from the raw

data generated by instruments to project

documents and electronic laboratory notebook

reports, spreadsheets, summary documents,

and presentations created by researchers.

NuGenesis SDMS technology scouts all

servers, projects, and data types for all new

content and then automatically extracts

metadata(dataaboutthedata)during

the capture process. This process builds a

database catalog, which gives you the ability

to quickly and easily perform searches across

servers, projects, and data types.

Sophisticated data mining becomes much

easier: search, retrieve, and view information

according to a variety of data types, and

restore results to their original applications.

NuGenesis SDMS provides a single interface

to a wide variety of instruments and data

exporting sources. It can work independently

or in conjunction with existing IT systems

such as LIMS, ERP, and electronic laboratory

notebooks. Fully configurable, the SDMS

platform scales from a single lab to the global

enterprise without major modifications to

your existing IT infrastructure.

NuGenesis SDMS also includes SDMS Vision

Publisher,™ an analytical

electronic laboratory notebook

(ELN)thatallowslaboratoriesto

document scientific observa-

tions, control procedures, and

easily find and collaborate on

scientific results. SDMS Vision

Publisher optimizes the utiliza-

tion of information collected

and cataloged by the NuGenesis

SDMS platform. With an open

and flexible design, Vision

Publisher easily adapts to fit

and support existing free-flow

or prescribed workflows in your

lab. SDMS Vision Publisher

includes the SDMS Intelligent Procedure Man-

ager, a workflow software package designed

to guide the laboratory analyst through a

routine, comprehensive method standard op-

eratingprocedure(SOP)andintegrateresults

with a chromatography data system.

Waters® NuGenesis® Scientific Data Management SystemThe ability to collect, process, and distribute scientific information is fundamental to the long-term

success of science-driven organizations. Waters® NuGenesis® Scientific Data Management System

(SDMS)hasaproventrackrecordofoptimizingthemanagementofscientificdataforhundredsof

companies around the world. With SDMS, laboratories are able to automatically capture, secure, access,

and disseminate information from a wide variety of analytical technologies. The instant accessibility of

this information has resulted in stronger collaboration, more efficient operations, better decision mak-

ing, and ultimately, accelerated product development and delivery for these world class organizations.

34 Maple StreetMilford, MA 01757Tel: 508 478 2000, 800 252 HPLCwww.waters.com


www.waters.com


Basic laB liMs

Recently Released liMs

LiMS ManUfactUReRS

LIMS-on-DemandSoftware-as-a-Service LIMS; no need for costly installation and setup costs•Users can securely and easily create workflows, map sample lifecycles and generate •automatic updates from any standard Internet connection and through any web browserEnables connectivity with a variety of instruments•

Thermo Fisher Scientific www.limsondemand.com

Matrix Gemini version 5.2.7Compatible with Windows 7•Features a “configuration wizard,” allowing free choice •of screen and menu designs, customer specific tables/modules, and multiple sample numbering systemsAssists with audit trails, time and date stamping of all •actions, version control of all reference data, and helps with 21CFR Part 11 compliance

Autoscribe www.autoscribelims.com

Exemplar Version 4.0Improvements in performance and scalability so a single server instance can now support •several hundred concurrent users Includes enhancements to freezer management with support for configurable freezers and •easy viewing of samples in shelves/racks/boxesFeatures a configurable data model and user interface with zero programming required•

Sapio Sciences www.sapiosciences.com

Debra 5.7.7Compound Received data can be displayed in micrograms and milligrams in Dosing Data report•Treatment concentrations are displayed to four decimal places on all screens•The order preferred by each user in the Pooling Splitting screen is now saved on a user-by-user basis•Importing WBA data from MCID analysis software is much easier•



Aurora Systems www.visualab.com

Bruker www.bruker.com

ChemSW www.chemsw.com

ChemWare www.chemware.com

Computing Solutions www.labsoftlims.com

H&A Scientific www.hascientific.com


Labtronics www.labtronics.com

LabVantage Solutions www.labvantage.com

LabWare www.labware.com

Novatek International www.ntint.com

RURO www.ruro.com

Sapio Sciences www.sapiosciences.com

STARLIMS www.starlims.com

Symyx/Accelrys www.symyx.com

Velquest www.velquest.com

Thermo Scientific Informatics www.labsystems.com

pRoducts in action

Recently, the demand for low-cost DNA sequencing has driven the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies that are based on several parallel instances of the sequencing process. This approach produces thousands or millions of DNA sequences at once, followed by algorithmic analysis and alignment of the data. The challenges of this approach are associated with handling mas-sive amounts of the generated information.

Next generation high-throughput DNA se-quencing technologies are widely used by the scientists who embark on a monumental task of deciphering genetic information from a statistically significant population group. With the emergence of Epigenetics as one of the frontiers of biological science, the research-ers face even greater challenges of piecing together genetic information and DNA-protein interactions. These research projects are insurmountable without a flexible laboratory data management system capable of storing, analyzing and sorting the data generated as a result of several experimental work-flows.

In order to communicate results, manage processes at various stages or make common decisions, a software like LIMS 24/7 used in all labs could help to coordinate the work. The goal is to retain result achievement, elabora-tion, further decision and final review directly at the workplace. Indeed, all laboratory users can login and use this software from any-

where on the network. Projects are organized by type, subtype, priority and other criteria and all the related information is recorded within such projects. Moreover, instruments can send data directly to LIMS that is configured to guarantee the traceability of the work. With LIMS it is possible to save time and money, and to improve rate and productivity.

LIMS 24/7 is an easy to use yet provides powerful analysis tool for streamlining the overwhelming sequencing process. It is an excellent solution for data management and sharing that can handle complex ChiP-Seq data including collaborators, donors, cohorts, antibodies, samples, DNA libraries, raw ChiP-Seq data files, and analysis results. Powerful data mining capabilities help lab managers to make decisions on the next steps in the pro-cess, find bottle-necks and track performance. RURO is making genomic data easier to share, search and archive.

We have presented one possible application of LIMS 24/7 in sequencing, but this software could also be successfully employed for the management of clini-cal trials, preclinical and animal research, drug discovery, microarray, genotyp-ing, gene expres-sion, biobanks and

proteomics labs.

321 Ballenger Center Dr., Suite 100Frederick, MD 21703 [email protected] (7876)www.RURO.com

RURO introduces the most comprehensive laboratory information management solution with LIMS 24/7.

Single and secure lab data repository Lab processes automation Unlimited workflow scenarios Data mining and knowledge discovery 100% Web based Install once, access from anywhere Always up and running 24 / 7 / 365 State of the art architecture and design

LIMS 24/7 meets CFR, GLP, ISO, CLIA and HIPAA standards providing you, your lab, and your clients with the best laboratory management possible.


www.RURO.com


pRoducts in action

The New Brunswick freezer lineup consists

of two levels, Innova and Premium, that

share many green features. Each freezer

line is equipped with the same two-stage,

high-efficiency cascade refrigeration system

from Embraco, each fine tuned for maximum

performance by model. This allows every unit

to run shorter cycle times further reducing

energy usage for a greener product. All NBS

ULT’s are CFC- and HCFC-free to reduce emis-

sions of greenhouse gasses and minimize the

depletion of the ozone layer- plus every unit

is 95% recyclable!

Innova Freezers:

The Innova line has the widest capacity range

from the smallest under the counter at 3.6 cu-

bic feet to the largest at 26.9cu.ft. A total of

six space-saving Innova models are available

from stock for quick delivery. Included in the

six models, there are two unique upright sizes

which include the U101 under the counter and

ultra-slim U360 with advanced LCD control

panel. Two large capacity uprights for easy

access to samples choose between the U535

and U725 each with three compartments and

two adjustable height shelves to store any

sized rack. Energy efficient, quiet running

and dependable all Innova freezers use

Vacuum Insulation Paneling technology to re-

duce wall thickness resulting in larger storage

capacity without increasing footprint. Other

features unique to the Innova line include

new gasketed and insulated inner doors with

ice proof latches that lift off without tools for

easier cleaning and reduce cold air loss when

other compartments are accessed. Internal

voltage stabilizers are also standard on the

Innova line with Buck/Boost.

Premium Freezers:

Are conventionally filled with polyurethane

foam insulation. These cost effective alterna-

tives to the Innova line do not have a built-in

voltage stabilizer or vacuum insulation panel-

ing however, still retains many of the same

quality features of the Innova line such as the

easy to read LED display with SMART PLUS™

controller, Heated Vent plunger to relieve

vacuum formation and password protection

to prevent unauthorized changes to the

freezer settings. The Premium line offers Five

models, three large upright models the U410,

U570 and U700 all offered in both 120 or

208/220volts. Each Premium upright utilizes

five compartments with four adjustable height

shelves. Two chest models are available, the

C340 and C660 also with insulated inner lids.

New Brunswick Ultra Low Freezers.New Brunswick Scientific, world renown shaker company, are also producers of high

quality ULT freezers. These freezers are now being distributed in the US and Canada

by Eppendorf North America. Carrying the same high quality, innovation, design,

reputation and heritage as Eppendorf, NBS products carry on their legacy while

creating a new one, together with Eppendorf. For the past 25 years, NBS have been

offering ULT’s that are environmentally friendly and exceptionally energy efficient.


Low-temperature laboratory freezers can achieve tempera-tures of about -40° C or lower. Kitchen freezers, by contrast, operate to about -20° C. The temperature “sweet spot” for lab freezers is about -85° C. “Me-chanical” (compressor-based) freezers reach the -40° to -50° C range with a single compressor. A second compressor is required to cool below that point. To achieve energy efficiency and extend the life of the compressors, the low-stage compressor turns off automatically when the set-point temperature is reached, while the high-stage compressor remains on continuously.

“Some systems using exotic refrigerants can get much lower than -85° C,” explains Buckner Richerson, VP of international sales at NuAire (Plymouth, MN). For example, ultra-low-tempera-ture freezers reach temperatures of -150° C, which is useful for storing bone marrow for medical procedures. “But these are quite expensive, and not too many are sold,” Richerson said.

Factors to consider when pur-chasing include communications

and data storage, alarms, quality/configuration of the inner and out-er door closures, vacuum release that permits reopening a freezer immediately after door closure, temperature uniformity, and tem-perature recovery after opening.

Where floor space is at a pre-mium, users can opt for vacuum-insulated panels, which take up less room than polyurethane insu-lation. Vacuum insulation used to be a rather expensive option, but it has come down in price, Richer-son says. Another cold-conserving feature is double outer doors or double inner doors to minimize the loss of cold air.

High-end freezers should main-tain uniform tem-perature through-out the unit and recover quickly from openings. Opening the door of an ultra-low-temperature freezer introduces

warm, moist air that causes the device to work harder to retain its set-point temperature and causes condensation and freezing of water vapor inside the unit. The speed at which a freezer recovers from temperature excursions is a function of BTU reserve capac-ity, which, according to Thermo Fisher Scientific, is defined as “a measure of a freezer’s ability to maintain a cold temperature across the entire cabinet in the presence of a heat load.” Higher

BTU reserve is better.Concerns with carbon footprint

are spurring innovations in low-temperature refrigeration. Among the trends are alternative cooling mechanisms such as liquid nitro-gen, which boils at -196°C. Cryo-genic nitrogen is readily avail-able and relatively inexpensive and remains liquid for extended periods, provided its container is insulated. A liquid nitrogen freezer does not use a compressor, and electrical consumption is less than for conventional freezers. But while the acquisition costs are comparable, ongoing costs for liquid nitrogen are higher than for the electricity it takes to run a mechanical freezer.

Purchasers of low-temperature laboratory freezers can select from numerous options and tem-perature ranges, but as Chris Wil-kes, director of product manage-ment for cold storage at Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville, NC) notes, “Once you get below -135° C, there is not a huge benefit to getting colder.”

HoW loW can you go?

“Once you get below -135˚ C, there is not a huge benefit to getting colder.”

loW-teMpeRatuRe fReezeRsBasic laB


www.eppendorf.com


pRoducts in action

The i.C3 is modular, and options can be added

at any time. Options currently available include

i.D™ Integrated Electronic Access Control. Fu-

ture options will be available for release in 2011.

Set for release in early 2011, all i.Series® Prod-

ucts from Helmer will offer many new feature!

The NEW i.C3 leads the way for the Next Gen-

eration of i.Series® Products. The interactive

temperature graph provides access to 42 days

of temperature data and may be viewed in 1

or 7 day increments. Users may scroll to any

day to view a graphical representation of the

temperature function. Automatic alarm tests

are noted with icons for documentation and

conformance. Alarm events are represented

by icons that are touched to automatically

transport to the event log. All temperature

data can be downloaded via the download

screen for documentation.

The optional i.D3 Integrated Electronic Access

Control module provides secure access without

the use of external locks. The lock is integrated

into the door and is accessed via the i.C3. The

Access Control Screen may be used as the

alternative home screen. Up to 100 User

profiles may be programmed directly from the

i.C3 Access Control Setup Screen.

i.C 3 is easy to use and all functionality is easily

accessed. As with our previous i.Center®, all

i.C3 settings are password protected for your

security. The Icon Transfer screen allows users

to customize Home Screen icons.

In addition, Blood Bank Refrigerators will now

feature 7 drawers in single door models and

14 drawers in double door models. Pharmacy

Refrigerators will feature 6 roll out baskets and

1 shelf in single door models and 12 roll out

baskets plus 2 shelves in double door models.

This will increase storage capacity by over 17%

in blood bank refrigerators.

Adjustable LED spot lighting will provide energy

savings as well as provide users with the ability

to direct lighting where it is most needed. A re-

chargeable battery will offer 72 hours of backup

protection in the event of a power outage.

Other updates include an ON/OFF power

switch, hospital grade power cord, and optional

leveling feet.

Contact Helmer at helmerinc.com for more

information on i.C3 and the next generation of

i.Series® Products. Why wait for the future,

when the future is NOW.

Contacts: Wade Reichart [email protected] Donna Holpuch [email protected]

www.helmerinc.com

Helmer Introduces i.C³™ Monitoring for the Future…NowHelmer introduces the New i.C3 which offers constant temperature monitoring and

multiple information logs with historical information on all i.Series® products.

The i.C3 is icon driven, featuring a 7” full-color touchscreen door mounted at eye-

level! An interactive temperature graph, home screen customization, password

protection, and temperature download capabilities are also included.

Full-color, 7” touchscreen is door mounted. Undercounter model shown with standard Home Screen. Upright model in shown with optional Access Control Home Screen.

Recently Released loW-teMpeRatuRe fReezeRs

Low-teMpeRatURe fReezeR ManUfactUReRS

loW-teMpeRatuRe fReezeRsBasic laB

Revco® PLUS SeriesAvailable in 17, 21 and 25 cubic foot capacities•Feature up to 20% more heat removal capacity compared to ordinary freezers•Introduce up to 15% less heat into the lab, to minimize air conditioning costs•Feature an automatic voltage buck/boost system•


Platinum SeriesUpright models feature inner doors with anti-shock panels •in polystyrene on a polyurethane coreCooling system is based on a cascade cycle using two •hermetic compressorsPlus models feature BIOGUARD®, a proprietary door lock-•ing system with a personal identification tag for each user

Angelantoni www.angelantoni.it

Glacier 9668Uses HFC CFC-free refrigerants•Cascade system uses two air-cooled compressors•Features a temperature range of -50°C to -86°C•Features two access ports: one on back for CO2 backup; •one on bottom for recording


UF 755G and UF 455GFeature temperature set points from -20°C to -86°C•Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) offers improved insulation •at a lower wall thicknessFeatures stainless steel “Rollbond” evaporator technology •for uniform and stable temperaturesInner chamber temperature variation: ±3°C at -82°C (set point, preset)•

Baker BioScience Solutions www.bakerbio.com

Cincinnati Sub-Zero www.cszindustrial.com



Sanyo Biomedical www.us.sanyo.com

So-Low www.so-low.com




www.helmerinc.com


pRoducts in action

horizontal or tap sieve shakers are limited to

particles above 40 µm. When using vibratory

shakers for wet sieving, it is possible to sieve

downto20microns.Airjetsieving(Fig.1),

however, allows for the dry particle separation

and sieving of materials from 10 – 20 µm.

The principle of air jet sievingFor dry sieving of samples with particle sizes

below 20 microns, air jet sieving is the most ef-

ficient method. It can also be a faster alternative

to vibratory sieving for particle sizes up to 200

microns(Fig.2).Incontrasttoothermethods,

air jet sieving is usually carried out with only one

sieve fraction. Together with the sample material,

the single sieve is placed on the unit and covered

with a lid. A powerful industrial vacuum cleaner

generates a strong jet of air which disperses

the particles on the sieve, through the slotted

nozzle rotating below the sieve mesh. Thus, the

particles are dispersed with each rotation and are

distributed over the complete sieve surface. Two

unique effects occur:

• The jet of air causes a

continuous new orientation of

particles on the sieve surface.

Particles with sizes smaller

than the sieve apertures are

pulled through by the vacuum

cleaner(A“cyclone”attach-

ment can be added to collect

the smaller-than-mesh sample).

•Whenusing25mm(1inch)

tall sieves, the inflowing air

causes the particles to impact the lid,

which helps to deagglomerate the sample.

The speed of the nozzle and force of the air are

both adjustable, enabling the user to customer

the parameters according to their specific applica-

tion.Sensitivesamples(i.e.pharmaceuticals)can

be sieved at slower speeds, while particles which

tendtoagglomerate(i.e.plastics,paints)benefit

from aggressive air flow and fast nozzle rotation.

Fine-meshed sieves are particularly susceptible

to “near-mesh particles” which blind the sieve

screen. This not only can result in erroneous

data, but also leads to premature wear of the

sieve. The Open Mesh Function of the AS 200

Jet has proven to be a key feature in eliminating

near-mesh particles and prolonging the life of the

sieve. This function moves the nozzle according to

the principle “two steps forward, one step back”;

the nozzle first moves forward by 20° then back-

wardsby10°,insteadofrotatinguniformly(Fig.

3). With this technology, near-mesh particles are

blown effectively from the mesh so no material

lies on the sieve surface, obstructing the air jet.

74 Walker Ln, Newtown, PA 18940Phone: 866-473-8724 • Fax: [email protected]/as200jet

Retsch Air Jet Siever, AS 200 Jet, for the Separation of Fine ParticlesParticle size analysis and distribution are important criteria for the quality

control of bulk materials. In an ever-changing environment, the results of a

quality check must be available quickly and reliably to allow for immediate

adjustment of production parameters. Depending on the expected particle

size and sample volume, different sieving methods and machines are suitable

for analysis. The traditional methods of sieving bulk materials with vibratory,

Fig. 1: Air Jet Sieving Machine AS 200 jet by RETSCH Fig. 2: Comparison of sieving times of commercial flour with vibratory sieve shaker and air jet sieve

Fig. 3: Open Mesh Function

Mills and grinders are used to prepare samples (of minerals, plants, food, drugs, pigments, and forensic materials, for example) through particle size reduc-tion (comminution). Afterward, samples are analyzed for their components or to demonstrate specific properties. Milling/grind-ing methods may be classified as impact, crushing, cutting, and abrasion, operations that Glen Mills’ (Metuchen, NJ) director Stanley Goldberg compares to using a “hammer, pliers, scissors/knife, and nail file.”

Over the last decade, specified target particle sizes have become smaller and size ranges narrower, two factors enabled by more power-ful milling/ grinding machines that are safer and easier to clean and more rapidly achieve desired particle sizes.

For the pharmaceutical indus-try, which is a growing market for mills/grinders, experts believe that many drugs that fail in clinical trials could be improved by pro-ducing them as nanoparticles or within very narrow size ranges. Similarly, existing solid drugs might benefit from tailoring their particle size. Lab-scale mills can rapidly produce small sample batches of a drug during product R&D for

subsequent testing. “Every major pharmaceutical company in the U.S. uses a planetary mill for that purpose,” says Kyle James, sales manager at Retsch (Newtown, PA).

“Working in nanoscale provides greater bang for the buck,” says Goldberg. “Whether it’s greater coverage area for pigments, taste enhancement for foods, or im-proved efficacy for drugs, the control of size is important, and smaller is often better.”

Tim Osborn-Jones of Spex SamplePrep (Metuchen, NJ) says throughput is the leading issue factoring into purchase decisions. “Labs are taking in more and more samples and need to process them in a shorter time frame. They have the option of doing one sample at a time manually or employing a miller or grinder that handles

multiple samples.” Two other related factors are reproducibility and yield. Analytical labs must be assured that grinding a particular sample under specified conditions will always lead to the same result and provide the same quantity of the target material. Osborn-Jones says price is a relatively minor factor since “the purchase price is paid back relatively quickly, par-ticularly for grinders with automa-tion features.”

Freezer mills (also called cryo-genic mills or cryomills) have been around for about forty years. Cryogenic mills pulverize nonbrit-tle materials by first freezing and then milling them in specialized sample containers.

Although not appropriate for every sample, freezer mills work wonders with samples that typi-cally do not grind well—plastics, rubber, biological articles, and heat-sensitive materials, for exam-ple. “When we used a conventional laboratory blender, our product was coarser and took twice as long to grind. Incorporating the freezer mill into our protocols has in-creased throughput and efficiency,” says Sharhara Anderson at Rice-Tec (Alvin, TX), which researches rice plants and seed.

BRinging out tHe Best in analytical saMples

“Labs are taking in more and more samples and need to process them in a shorter time frame.”

Mills and gRindeRsBasic laB


www.retsch-us.com/as200jet


Recently Released MiLLS anD gRinDeRS

MiLL anD gRinDeR ManUfactUReRS

Mills and gRindeRsBasic laB

Micron-Master® Jet Energy MillDesigned to grind any type of crystalline or •friable material, producing product in the size range of 0.25 to 15 micronsAble to handle materials as diverse as talc •and diamondsAvailable with IQ/OQ protocol documenta-•tion for Qualification Test Plans

The Jet Pulverizer Company www.jetpul.com

M 20 Universal MillBatch mill suitable for dry grinding of hard and brittle substances•Double-walled grinding chamber can be cooled with water •through two hose adaptersGrinding chamber is removable for easy cleaning•Two grinding chambers can be alternatively operated using •one drive

IKA www.ika.net

BioSpec Products www.biospec.com

Cianflone Scientific www.cianflone.com

E.A. Fischione Instruments www.fischione.com

Glen Creston www.glencreston.com

Glen Mills www.glenmills.com

Fritsch www.fritsch.de/en

Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems www.hmicronpowder.com

IKA Works www.ika.net

Retsch www.retsch.com

Spectrum Chemicals Laboratory Products www.spectrumchemical.com

Spex SamplePrep www.spexcsp.com

Thomas Scientific www.thomassci.com

UDY Corporation www.udyone.com

PULVERISETTE 6 Planetary Ball Mill Premium Line

Features automatic imbalance compensation and a grinding bowl lock system•Able to grind larger sample quantities down into the nano range•Includes a special emptying device with 2 sieves for grinding bowls•EASY GTM ensures the set grinding parameters are not exceeded•

Fritsch www.fritsch.de/en

SM 300 Heavy-Duty Cutting MillFeatures a powerful, high-torque 3 kW (4.02 horsepower) motor•Fold-back housing and removable, push-fit rotor allow •for quick and easy cleaningCapable of processing power cords, batteries, circuit •boards and LCD screens to a fineness of <2 mmAvailable in a heavy, metal-free version for •contamination-free results

Retsch www.retsch-us.com

SolutionS in milling & Sieving

ovens Basic laB

Most basic lab uses employ oven temperatures from just above am-bient to several hundred degrees Fahrenheit, although ovens used for materials processing reach temperatures in excess of 1000ºF. Kilns, specialty ovens used to pro-cess ceramics, may reach 2400ºF.

Basic components common to all general-purpose lab ovens are an electrical heating coil, insulation, temperature measurement and/or recording, and a circulation mech-anism that provides even tempera-ture distribution. Advanced fea-tures include double doors, digital control, and temperature recording (useful for regulated industries requiring documentation).

Cabinet ovens are used for batch processing, while conveyor designs—common with medium-to-industrial-sized process applica-tions—provide continuous heating of many samples.

Circulation ovens (the most common in labs) come in two types: gravity convection or mechanical (forced) draft. The former often suffer from tem-perature inhomogeneities and stagnation, which is why ASTM and AASHTO standards call for forced draft ovens.

Larger labs primarily interested in glassware drying are better served by large ovens with custom-izable configurations than by high-tech units with advanced controls. Materials testing or pharmaceuti-cal development groups involved

in drying or curing should focus on temperature stability/uniformity and perhaps automated record-ing and diagnostics. Users should modestly overbuy on temperature range to ensure that their applica-tions will easily be covered.

However, for a given heat rating, oversized ovens consume consider-ably more energy than compact designs, have a larger footprint, and may require specialized electrical hookups. Smart buyers whose oven volume and applica-tion needs vary often purchase sev-eral smaller ovens rather than one large one. Lab ovens range in size up to capacities of 25 cubic feet, but most applications employ units of 6 cubic feet and smaller.

Other features to consider are general location, exhaust capabilities, mounting (floor or tabletop), fire/explosion protec-tion, ambient or inert atmosphere, and controls/displays. Location is connected with unit size, ease of use, compatibility with other equipment, exhaust, and access to electric utilities.

Uwe Ross, executive VP at Bind-er (Great River, NY) notes that in recent years, users’ preferences have shifted from gravity ovens

without fans to fan-based forced-air units. Fans distribute heat more rapidly on startup, and “people are becoming less willing to wait for units to heat up,” Ross observes.

Fans provide more even heat-ing by minimizing temperature

variability within the oven, to the point where temperature distri-bution becomes a selling point. ASTM, for example, specifies an oven’s temperature deviations by measuring at nine locations inside the oven, while the newer DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) standard uses 27 points. Vendors supply temperature specifications, which vary from fractions of a degree in high-end ovens to sev-eral degrees. “Users will tell you that an application works great—on the middle shelf in the rear left corner—but nowhere else,” comments Ross.

contRolling teMpeRatuRes to a fRaction of a degRee

“People are becoming less willing to wait for units to heat up.”


ovensBasic laB

Recently Released ovens

oven ManUfactUReRS

Little SHOT III™ Medium Hybridization Oven

Provides rapid heat-up, excellent temperature stability, and •efficient mixing Suited for all types of hybridization and incubation applications •PID controller enables heat-up from ambient to 65°C in 20 •minutes with a stability of + 0.5°C Forced air convection maintains excellent uniformity throughout the heating chamber •


OF-G Series Forced Convection Oven

Temperature range is 10°C above room temperature to 250°C•Features an over-temperature limiter and door opening alarm•Optional adjustable fan speed helps to •prevent powder sample blowingDual-wall door opens to 180° and •features a double-rack door handle

Jeio Tech www.jeiotech.com/eng

FD Series Drying OvensAvailable in four models, sizes ranging from 0.7 cu. ft to 8.6 cu. ft.•Feature temperature range from 5°C above ambient to 300°C•Include digital temperature setting with accuracy of one degree•Feature homogeneous temperature •distribution and rapid dynamic response

BINDER www.binder-oven.us

SHEL LAB Model 1425 Vacuum Oven

Sizes range from 0.6 to 9 cu. ft.; include three shelves, seamless welds and strong bracing•Features solid brass vacuum valves with Teflon seats to prevent leaks•Features positive latch handles with spring-loaded glass for a good vacuum seal•Temperature range is 10°C above ambient to 240°C •

Sheldon Manufacturing www.shellab.com

BINDER www.binder-world.us


Carbolite www.carbolite.com

Cascade TEK www.cascadetek.com



LABREPCO www.labrepco.com

Lucifer Furnaces www.luciferfurnaces.com

MTI Corporation www.mtixtl.com

Ontario Ovens www.ontarioovens.com

SHEL LAB www.shellab.com

SP Industries www.spindustries.com

Stovall Life Science www.slscience.com

Ted Pella www.tedpella.com



Wisconsin Ovens www.wisoven.com

Yamato Scientific www.yamato-usa.com

pipettes Basic laB

The high-throughput demands of modern laboratories have led to a rise in pipette-related repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). In a worst-case scenario, RSIs can lead to surgery and lost productivity cost-ing tens of thousands of dollars. Improved ergonomics is therefore the most easily identifiable trend in pipettes. Materials used to manufacture pipettes have become lighter, and draw/dispense mecha-nisms easier to actuate.

According to Andrea Dickstein, director of marketing at Eppen-dorf (Hauppauge, NY), preventing RSIs should be a top priority in high-throughput labs. She provides the following tips for selecting and using pipettes:

• Makesurethepipettefitswellinthe hand.

• Determinethatthevolumeiseas-ily adjustable and that all buttons are easily accessible.

• Chooseapipettewhoseplungermechanism requires low activa-tion force.

• Makesuretheoperator’shandcanflex without removing the pipette.

• Whenusingapipetteformorethan two hours a day, choose an electronic pipette for high-

throughput needs, or multichan-nel pipettes for microtiter plate applications.

• Considerautomatingthroughaliquid-handling workstation.

Electronic pipettes are becom-ing more popular because of the reduction in sample volumes and simultaneous increase in the number of samples processed. Electronic pipettes offer a reduc-tion in the force necessary for

operation, and multi-functionality in dispensing techniques.

Calibration is perhaps the most important service-related activ-ity for pipettes. It ensures that the pipette is delivering precise volumes after thousands of cycles. Regulated industries calibrate their instruments several times a year: all labs using pipettes should consider taking advantage of calibration services every six to twelve months.

Some pipettes may be calibrated by the user, but most calibrations are carried out at the original manufacturer’s facility or through a third-party service provider. Some service companies perform calibration at the customer’s site.

Calibration is conducted by

dispensing volumes of water and weighing them on an analytical balance. Calibration usually takes place off-site at the calibrator’s facility, under conditions of strict environmental control and using standardized methods and ma-terials. For example, Eppendorf employs a weighing vessel and a trap to reduce evaporation from small samples. The company’s calibration room is maintained at 50 percent relative humidity and a constant temperature. Water used during testing is degassed and distilled; technicians test three different volumes for variable-vol-ume pipettes; and all volumes are measured at least ten times.

A typical calibration costs between $20 and $100 per pipette. Off-site calibration has a turn-around time of two days, while on-site calibration can be done the same day.

Like most routine maintenance, calibration may be viewed as more of an inconvenience than a necessity. “Some users are less concerned about the quality of calibration than about getting a sticker on their pipette that says it’s been calibrated,” says Christian Petrilli, director of marketing at BrandTech Scientific (Essex, CT). “But most recognize the value of a pipette that is calibrated properly. Certainly anyone in a regulated environment knows the impor-tance of calibration.”

Manual liquid Handling focuses on eRgonoMics

“Improved ergonomics is… the most easily identifiable trend in pipettes.”


pRoducts in action

Reproducible results are essential for your laboratory work! Of course, dispensing results are affected by many factors; for example, by signs of fatigue or the aspiration and dispensing speed of the liquid. With the Eppendorf Xplorer, all relevant factors, e.g., volume, speed, mixing cycles, etc., can now be precisely and reproducibly set. Every day, consistently perfect. No matter where you are in the world, or which liquid you’re using, the Eppendorf Xplorer can be individually adjusted to your environment and requirements. Program the Xplorer to an altitude or specific liquid density. Your unit can also be personally labeled to prevent an accidental exchange with another Xplorer.

Everything at a glance with one clickYou can easily select all functions with the practical selection dial. The clearly arranged color display of all adjustable parameters means no more getting lost in the submenus! An optional help function can be installed in your language of choice.

Simple logicTo make pipette operation even more logical, we have developed a unique multi-function rocker for the Eppendorf Xplorer. The switch enables ultra precise control of liquid aspiration and dispensing. It follows the “Up is up and down is down”™ prin-ciple: Press the rocker up to aspirate liquids and down to dispense liquids. When the tip is ejected, the piston automatically returns to zero position.!

Everything under controlFor slow pipetting, loading gels or dispensing supernatant, a feel for your task is required—and complete control of the piston movement! With the Xplorer, the “Manual pipetting” function and opera-

tional rocker make precise and flexible directional control of the piston possible.

The Eppendorf Xplorer was developed and produced by renowned ergonomic experts according to the strict criteria of the PhysioCare Concept.

The Eppendorf Xplorer’s perfect balance and hand rest guarantee a low-impact position and efficient relaxation periods. The handle and size of the control buttons feature a user-friendly design, regardless of hand size.

Improved viewAll information on the Xplorer display is clearly readable, regardless of your hand position or work position. The optimally angled pipette head and high-resolution display with individual brightness setting guarantee a comfortable work environment.

Improved balance of energyThe more energy you need to expend, the quicker your energy reserves are depleted. But because your performance is the most valuable resource, we have signifi-cantly reduced the weight and required operating force of the Eppendorf Xplorer.

When tips are optimally seatedThe Eppendorf Xplorer’s spring-loaded tip cone provides maximum tightness with inimal attach-ment force, noticeably reducing the energy re-quired for ejection without compromising tightness. Because the tip always rests in the same position, the reproducibility of your results is heightened.

Xplore new ground with the Eppendorf Xplorer pipettePeople who give 100% every day deserve the best tool and the best equipment. You work on demanding problems, and important decisions depend on the results of your work. Your standards are extremely high and your performance is professional. The new Eppendorf Xplorer electronic pipette was specially designed for high professional standards to provide optimal support for you in your work, with a new intuitive operating concept and design based on the proven Eppendorf PhysioCare Concept®.

These features set new standards for simplicity, precision and reproducibility, which mean no delays due to complicated programming or inflexible processes. Instead, you get precise adjustable param-eters, reproducible results, fatigue-free work and full control over the pipetting processes.


pipettesBasic laB


Recently Released pipettes

pipette ManUfactUReRS

Biohit www.biohit.com


BrandTech www.brandtech.com

Drummond Scientific www.drummondsci.com

Eppendorf www.eppendorf.com

Gelcompany www.gelcompany.com

Gilson www.gilson.com

Globe Scientific www.globescientific.com

Hamilton www.hamiltoncompany.com

Hirschmann www.hirschmann-inc.com

Jencons Scientific www.jenconsusa.com


Nichiryo America www.nichiryo.com

Oxford Instruments www.oxford-instruments.com

Rainin Instrument Company www.rainin.com

Rice Lake Weighing Systems www.ricelake.com

USA Scientific www.usascientific.com/ergoone

VistaLab Technologies www.vistalab.com

Wheaton Science Products www.wheatonsci.com

HandyStep® Electronic RepeatingAutomatically recognizes the size of encoded proprietary syringe tips•Features continuously adjustable volume selection from 1 µL to 50 mL•Compatible with standard syringe tips from variou MANUFACTURERS•Features three operational modes: Pipette, Dispense, and Auto-Dispense, which eliminates •up to 97% of repetitive motion from repeat pipetting

BrandTech Scientific www.brandtech.com

Xplorer® Electronic Features electronic piston stroke, low weight and intuitive user •guidance to minimize user strainFeatures an innovative rocker: when tip is ejected, piston •automatically returns to zero positionFeatures a spring-loaded tip cone for maximum tightness•Single-channel and multi-channel models are available•


Ovation MultichannelFeatures a 50% drop in tip insertion forces and line-of-sight enhancements to further •minimize physical effort and save time when acquiring pipette tipsFour 12-channel models are available for precision liquid dispensing from 0.5 µL to 850 µL•Four 8-channel models are available for volumes from 0.5 µL to 1,250 µL•Three user-defined volume settings can be stored for later recall with a single keystroke•

VistaLab Technologies www.vistalab.com

ErgoOne™Available in single-channel and multi-channel formats•Tapered tip cones accept TipOne® and other universal tips•Plunger forces minimize stress and maximize control•Light, balanced weight reduces fatigue•

USA Scientific www.usascientific.com

www.eppendorf.com


pRoducts in action

Select™ models feature advanced digital LCD

4x20 character display, microprocessor control

system with key pad. Includes audible and visual

high/low alarms, 2 product sensors with glycerin

bottles, 2 to 10 volt DC output, remote alarm

contacts, door ajar alarm, password protection

of set points and factory settings, real time

clock, operation diagnostic monitoring of defrost,

compressor and fan, low and high alarm test,

event logging and sensor failure alarm.

Cabinet construction features include white

painted exterior front, sides and back, with

galvanized steel on the top and bottom. The

interior is white and there are three epoxy-coated

shelves per door, which can be adjusted in 1”

increments. Standard features include interior

lights (switch activated), easy roll low profile

casters, magnetic door gaskets, key door locks,

and 1”diameter lead sensor port.

Cabinets are formed-in-place with high-density

CFC-free polyurethane foam insulation. Doors

have heavy-duty pivot hinges and pull handles.

Select™ Refrigerators and Freezers feature

top-mounted refrigeration, air-cooled condensing

unit and automatic condensate evaporation.

The combined features of the Select™ control

refrigeration system and cabinet construction

produce a precise, uniform controlled temperature

environment and energy efficient operation for

long lasting reliable and durable performance.

Available options (depending on model) include:

extra shelves, stainless steel drawers, sliding

basket drawers, temperature chart recorder

and chart paper, stainless steel interior and/or

exterior, reverse hinge doors, 4-20ma output,

RS485, seismic mounting, Secure Guard lock

system, internal electrical outlet, access port 2”

sleeve with cover and export crating.

Laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers. Nor-Lake® Scientific Select™ laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers are designed

for heavy-duty long term cold storage for a wide range of demanding laboratory,

scientific, pharmacy and life science applications. Product selection includes full-

size reach-in +4C Solid and Glass Door Refrigerators, Sliding Glass Door Refrigera-

tors, Pass-thru Refrigerators and -25C Freezers. Select™ Refrigerator and Freezer

models are available with one, two or three doors. Pass-thru models are available

in two, four and six door configurations with solid or glass door combinations.

Chamber capacities include internal volumes of 24ft3, 33ft3, 53ft2 and 80ft3.

Nor-Lake® Scientific pass-thru refrigerators have a front door and a rear door, so they can be accessed from two sides. They are available with one pair, two pairs or three pairs of doors in a variety of materials: with glass front door and solid back door, with all glass doors or with all solid doors. Available with sliding baskets as shown.

Nor-Lake Scientific727 Second StreetHudson, WI 54016800-477-5253www.norlakescientific.com

Lab refrigerators and freez-ers are similar in construction to household units, and come in a variety of temperature ranges, shapes and sizes.

Freezer and refrigeration options fall into four general temperature categories: +4ºC refrigerators for chromatography supplies, blood storage, and pharmaceuticals; -20ºC (and below) freezers for enzymes and biochemicals; -30ºC to -40ºC for biological samples, and -80°C freezers for long-term storage and stability. Units range in size from under-counter systems as small as 3.6 cu. ft., to standalone chests as large as 70 cu. ft.

After considering tempera-ture capabilities, capacity and footprint, choosing among lab refrigerators and freezers often reduces to secondary or subjec-tive criteria. Eye-level controls, mechanisms to prevent door freezing and/or vacuum pressure build-up, space-saving insulation, automated data recording, alarms, digital temperature control, rapid temperature recovery after door openings, temperature uniformity throughout the box, and condition monitoring are differentiators. However, purchase decisions often come down to brand name recog-nition, perceived reliability, price and availability.

Tamper-proof temperature log-ging and recording are desirable features for regulated industries and those called on to testify in

court. Thermo Fisher Scientific (Marietta, OH) plans to offer a wireless recording/logging option in 2010, but companies have been slow to adopt such equipment due to difficulties in changing estab-lished SOPs. The traditional chart recorder is still the industry stan-dard for temperature monitoring. However, most industries are mov-ing toward electronic temperature monitoring.

One notable development in refrigeration has been the emer-gence of cold storage to support vaccine work, particularly for H1N1 influenza vaccine storage. H1N1 vaccine is stored within a narrow temperature range (35ºF to 46ºF), and health agencies mandate twice-daily temperature measurements.

Many labs use household kitchen refrigerators to store very low-risk laboratory materials, but these units are designed for low-traffic use and lack the precise temperature control and refrigeration capabili-ties of lab-designed units. Several vendors have nevertheless made a business of refurbishing and retrofitting home-appliance cooling

chests for labs. Common upgrades include alarms, controllers, door locks and special shelving.

Energy efficiency has become a key driver in refrigerator/freezer purchase decisions. Many vendors have been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish industry-wide Energy Star standards for lab refrigerators and freezers, which surprisingly do not yet exist. Beginning in late 2008, vendors began submitting energy efficiency and perfor-mance data to EPA, from which the agency will eventually issue guidelines for the coveted Energy Star designation. Energy consump-tion for “always-on” appliances is a serious concern for large organiza-tions like pharmaceutical compa-nies and universities.

“Due to their heavy usage, lab refrigerators and freezers will never be as energy efficient as units purchased for the home,” said Gordon Shields, director for cold storage at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The key is to reduce overall energy usage while main-taining performance.”

a teMpeRatuRe foR eveRy taste

“… purchase decisions often come down to brand name recognition, perceived reliability, price and availability.”

RefRigeRatoRs/fReezeRsBasic laB


www.norlakescientific.com


pRoducts in action

Superior Temperature Control, Accuracy and Monitoring

Marvel Scientific refrigerators have always been the most dependable and reliable, maintaining stable temperatures to protect valuable research and costly materials. Now, that reliability is measurable and recordable.

New general purpose lab refrigerators feature the exclusive MicroSentryTM Scientific refrigeration control, with the ability to control, confirm and capture temperature performance, giving you the ultimate confidence in your refrigeration.

The MicroSentryTM Scientific control is an interior-mounted digital electronic control that allows you to set temperature, high/low alarm values and alarm delay period. Temperature is confirmed via the large LED display and audible/visual alarms notify if there is a high/low temperature event or if the door is left open. A remote alarm interface allows communication of any alarm event, including power failure, to a remote or central monitoring system.

There is a history record of high/low tempera-tures for monitoring programs, and notification of periodic maintenance and diagnostic codes.

Lab refrigerators with the MicroSentryTM Scientific control are available in 15” and 24” undercounter models, with either a solid or glass door. All models are front vented so they can be built into casework with zero clearance.

Innovative Two-Drawer Lab Refrigerator

Marvel Scientific’s 6CRDE is the first Two-Drawer Undercounter Lab Refrigerator with a Commercial UL Listing. The unique configuration allows full

access even from a seated position. Two super glide, full-extension drawers store all types of containers and provide superior visibility and access—no more reaching to the back of a crowded refrigerator shelf.

The two-drawer lab refrigerator features interior lighting, automatic defrost, hidden touchpad controls with LED digital display, extra deep draw-ers and heavy duty drawer slides for full loads. Full-wrap drawer fronts come in white or stainless steel with matching handles.

ADA Height Lab Refrigerator

Designed to comply with the height standards set bytheAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA),Mar-vel Scientific’s 6CADM general purpose laboratory refrigerator addresses the differing physical needs of individuals.

Title III of the ADA requires that all new construction of, or modification to, public and commercial facilities be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Because the 5.4 cu. ft. laboratory refrigerator is built for lower countertops and users of all abilities, its design includes numerous unique features. Two slide-out shelves feature safety stops to prevent shelves from being disengaged from the refrigerator. The top shelf includes an ingenious flip-up section to vertically store tall items on the shelf below.

The model 6CADM now features the MicroSentryTM Scientific controller, ultra efficient compressor, lifetime fan motor, and Commercial UL and C-UL listing to ensure optimum performance and unwav-ering reliability. An optional door lock and access port are available when product security or alarm probes installation require them.

Marvel Scientific: Refrigeration for Health, Science and IndustrySerious about Standards

In laboratories worldwide, household refrigerators are pressed into duties they were not designed to fulfill. When these units operate inconsistently or fail, consequences can range from inconvenient to costly to dangerous. At Marvel Scientific, we believe it’s time to get seri-ous about standards. Marvel Scientific refrigeration products are engineered and constructed to meet or exceed the stringent standards required by health, science and industry. Each general purpose, flammable material storage and explosion proof product has been designed specifically for the lab with a Commercial UL Listing for your peace of mind. Let Marvel Scientific help you professionally protect your research, your specimens and your lab.

P.O. Box 400Greenville, MI 48838Tel: 1-800-962-2521 | Fax: 1-616-754-0970E-mail: [email protected]

Recently Released RefRigeRatoRs/fReezeRs

RefRigeRatoR/fReezeR ManUfactUReRS

RefRigeRatoRs/fReezeRsBasic laB

Scientific Series™Features front ventilation and a bacteria-resistant powder coating•Features a field-reversible Sure-Seal door design and interior •volume of 5 cu. ft.Customizable with interior lights, swivel casters, stainless •steel interior/exterior and glass doorOperating temperature range is 2°C to 10°C, factory set at 4°C•

Helmer www.helmerinc.com

Jewett® CollectionDesigned to store high value, critical samples, reagents, vaccines, blood and plasma•24 models range in size from 4.9 cu. ft. under-counter styles to 51.1 cu. ft. uprights•Include microprocessor control, giving the user precise temperature regulation and set-point security•Feature powerful industrial-grade compressors and positive, forced-air circulation•

Thermo Fisher Scientific www.thermoscientific.com/cold

6CADM SeriesFeatures MicroSentry™ Scientific control for temperature accuracy and monitoring•Includes a powerful compressor for faster pull-down times and quick temperature recovery•Features positive-close hinges to reduce door ajar occurrences•Front-vented for true integration into laboratory casework•

Marvel Scientific www.marvelscientific.com

ArcticTempAvailable in capacities of 19 cu. ft. up to 72 cu. ft.•All standard shelves are epoxy coated wire •(SS shelves available)Sliding doors or swing-out doors are available•Includes one year parts and labor warranty with •additional four year compressor warranty

MidSci www.midsci.com

BioCold www.biocold.comDarwin Chambers www.darwinchambers.comHelmer www.helmerinc.comKelvinator www.kelvinator.usLABNICS Equipment www.labnics.comMarvel Scientific www.marvelscientific.comNew Brunswick Scientific www.nbsc.comNor-Lake Scientific www.norlake.comNuAire www.nuaire.comSanyo www.sanyobiomedical.comSo-Low www.so-low.comThe Baker Company www.bakerco.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.com/cold


www.marvelscientific.com


Defining the term “specialty gas” seems simple at first. But after considering the numerous ways specialty gases might differ from their commodity counterparts, it becomes tempting to apply the aphorism “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.”

Bob Jefferys, marketing commu-nications director for Air Liquide America Specialty Gases (Plum-steadville, PA), applies what is arguably the number one differ-entiator. “Specialty gases are very high-purity products consisting of single gases, up to mixtures of fifty or more individual compo-nents,” says Jefferys. “And they tend to be a lot more expensive than run-of-the-mill industrial gases.” For example, high-purity helium is employed as the mobile phase for gas chromatography. “It’s not the same product you’d use to inflate helium balloons at a birthday party,” Jefferys says.

“The definition of ‘specialty gas’ comes up at every training ses-sion I conduct,” says Todd Morris, director of laboratory markets at Airgas (Radnor, PA). “The basic definition I use is ‘any gas that’s tested for purity after the cylinder is filled.’ That can include pure gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, or custom gas blends.”

All major ga MANUFACTUR-ERS provide specialty pure gases in several grades, ranging from high purity (99.998% min. purity)

to ultra-high purity (99.999% min. purity) to research grade (99.9999% min. purity). Each grade is tested for a defined set of impurities, such as levels of oxygen, moisture, total hydrocar-bons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and others.

Like commodity gases, spe-cialties are distributed under an unusual economic model: Cus-tomers purchase the gas and rent the container (usually a steel or aluminum high-pressure cyl-inder fitted with a heavy-duty valve). Depending on the size of the container and the type of gas, the costs can run from $100 to as much as $3,000. Rental, or “demurrage,” typically amounts to less than a dollar per day per cylinder. While not expensive for a single tank, costs can add up quickly for large companies with hundreds of cylinders. Because gases are often deployed at the laboratory or individual level, large organizations have difficulty keeping track of which cylinders are empty or are no longer in service. Best-in-class specialty gas companies send out periodic e-mail messages or other reminders

for customers to check their gas inventories.

Two main factors enter into specialty gas purchase deci-sions: price and quality. For gases, “quality” means some desir-able combination of purity and mixture accuracy. For each end

use, the grade required is entirely customer-driven. “The first thing we ask when a customer specifies a pure gas is which impurities will adversely affect their application,” notes Morris. “Once that is under-stood, it is relatively straightfor-ward to set the customer up with the appropriate gas.”

The specialty gas business has become more competitive dur-ing the past decade, with many smaller businesses being acquired by large manufacturers. At the same time, end users have become more demanding in terms of spe-cialty gas purity and composition. Keeping up with the marketplace involves staying abreast of gas analysis and blending techniques. “A major supplier should maintain a high degree of technical exper-tise,” Jefferys says, “in order to retain its customers.”

a guaRantee of puRity

“For gases, ‘quality’ means some desirable combination of purity and mixture accuracy.”

specialty gasesBasic laB

Recently Released specialty gases

SpeciaLty gaS ManUfactUReRS

Specialty Gas RegulatorsMade from solid bar stock with a needle valve built in the •regulator body to reduce internal volumeFeature stainless steel diaphragms for consistent, • high-purity resultsCheck-valve cylinder connection option prevents contami-•nants from entering gas stream during cylinder change out

Airgas www.airgas.com

Perma-Cyl Gas VesselAllows liquid to be held for long periods of time without venting, •limiting product lossAuto shut-off feature allows remote filling with wall box and piping•Constructed of stainless steel•Features a Cyl Tel gauge on 450-, 1,000-, and 1,500-liter models•

Middlesex Gases & Technologies www.middlesexgases.com

ALPHAGAZ™ SeriesAvailable in three grades and two purity ranges•ALPHAGAZ 2 exhibits the absolute lowest impurity levels •available in the industryALPHAGAZ 1 exceeds purity recommendation of most laboratory •instrument manufacturers, making it suitable for general lab use

Air Liquide www.alspecialtygases.com

NitroVap-1LV and NitroVap-2LVProduce more than 320 LPM of pure evaporation grade nitrogen•Require less than 1 square foot of bench space and can supply •more than 100 evaporator nozzle positionsUse a combination of filtration and membrane separation technologies•High-efficiency coalescing filters remove all contaminants down •to 0.01 micron

Parker Balston www.labgasgenerators.com

Airgas www.airgas.com

Air Liquide www.airliquide.com

Air Products and Chemicals www.airproducts.com

CONCOA/Controls Corporation of America www.concoa.com

Matheson Tri-Gas www.matheson-trigas.com

Norlab www.norlab-gas.com

Parker Balston www.labgasgenerators.com

Praxair www.praxair.com


Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis measures the carbon con-tent of dissolved and particulate organic materials in water. It’s non-specific, meaning it tells how much organic carbon is present without identifying the contaminant. The carbon measured in TOC analysis may arise from any combination of living or dead organisms and chemical contamination.

Water utilities use TOC to monitor by-products of chlori-nation or ozonation. TOC often serves as a surrogate for more dif-ficult measurements, for example, contamination from petrochemi-cals, solvents, pharmaceuticals, chlorinated industrial chemicals, and pesticides. It can also act as a screen for additional analysis. For example, pharmaceutical manu-facturers might use liquid chro-matography-mass spectrometry to analyze water samples containing unacceptable TOC values.

The two main approaches to TOC measurement involve either initial removal of inorganic carbon (mostly carbonate) followed by TOC measurement, or the subtrac-tion of inorganic carbon from total carbon present. The four steps in TOC measurement are acidifica-tion to remove inorganic carbon, purging to release volatile organics (which are measured separately), oxidation of the remaining carbo-naceous material, and detection.

The latter two operations form the heart of TOC analysis. Several types of oxidation may be used: high- or low-temperature combus-tion, catalytic oxidation, photo-oxi-dation, thermochemical oxidation, or electrolytic oxidation.

Detection limits for TOC de-pend on the mea-surement technique used and the type of analyzer. High-temperature (up to 950ºC) oxidation produces a sensitiv-ity of 0.1 mg/L of carbon, while low-temperature methods (below 100ºC) are five times as sensitive, to about 0.02 mg/L. Response times for TOC analyzers vary widely, but instruments generally take five to fifteen minutes to report stable readings.

Online TOC analyzers are ca-pable of continuous, unattended operation, but regular calibration, inspection, and maintenance by skilled technicians is required for reliable operation.

TOC analyzers are reasonably priced as lab instruments go. A basic unit costs approximately $20,000. Autosamplers will add to the cost, as will the addition of detectors for nitrogen or isotopic carbon.

“Over the past decade, the popu-larity of TOC analysis has been driven by regulations,” notes Steve Poirier, VP of business development

at GE Power and Water (Boulder, CO). “Every pharmaceutical com-pany that ships drugs into the U.S. and Europe is required to measure TOCs to certain specifications.” In the drug industry, high-purity water is used both for cleaning and in ster-ile drug products.

The second regulatory front is the environment. According to Poirier, every municipality of greater than 10,000 population is required to control TOC to specified levels in drinking water.

“Additionally, some companies have demonstrated equivalency between TOC measurements and other tests and use TOC as the primary regulatory assay for releas-ing wastewater,” Poirier adds. The advantages are that TOC analysis is straightforward and does not require the specialized skill set of chro-matography. “But in the end, most purchase decisions are based on productivity, and that comes down to analysis time or throughput,” Poirier says.

suRRogate MeasuReMent foR cHeMical, BacteRial contaMination

“TOC analyzers are reasonably priced as lab instruments go.”

toc analyzeRsBasic laB

Recently Released toc analyzeRs

toc anaLyzeR ManUfactUReRS

9210eEnsures processed and purified water is safe for human consumption •Maintains excellent long-term calibration stability, providing accurate •and dependable data with minimal maintenance Created using reagentless electrochemical oxidation technology •developed for use on the International Space Station Efficiently oxidizes organic compounds using hydroxyl radicals, peroxides and ozone •

OI Analytical www.oico.com

FusionEmploys UV Persulfate oxidation for increased carbon •liberation from challenging matricesUses static pressure concentration (SPC) technology, •for low-end sensitivity from a NDIR detectorAllows unattended auto-calibration monitoring and •automated self-diagnostic tools

Teledyne Tekmar www.teledynetekmar.com

Sievers InnovOx On-LineSupercritical Water Oxidization (SCWO) technique offers enhanced •reliability, ease of use and low maintenance Handles difficult samples such as brine, humic acid and cellulose •Features a dynamic linear working range of 0.5 to 50,000 ppm •

GE Healthcare www.geinstruments.com

Analytik Jena www.analytik-jena.comEST Analytical www.estanalytical.comGE Analytical Instruments www.geinstruments.comHach Company www.hach.comOI Analytical www.oico.comParker Balston www.labgasgenerators.comShimadzu Scientific Instruments www.ssi.shimadzu.comSkalar Analytical www.skalar.comTeledyne Analytical Instruments www.teledyne-ai.comThermo Fisher Scientific www.thermo.comTOC Systems www.tocsystemsinc.comUIC www.uicinc.com

astroTOC UV TurboFeatures a response time of less than 5 minutes with 100% oxidation•Multi-point calibration compensates for background TOC in make-up water•Available in ranges of 0-2000 up to 0-50,000 µg/l•Housed in a spacious, robust, dual-compartment enclosure•



pRoducts in action

Two Black Forest RoadTrenton, New Jersey609-890-8600www.knf.com

KNF NEUBERGER’S VACUUM PUMPS & SYSTEMS KEEP ON GOING FOR CLEAN, RELIABLE, OIL-FREE VACUUM IN YOUR LABAt KNF Lab, we know you’d rather work on your research than on your equipment. No matter the amount, fre-quency, or kind of solvents you use, we’ve designed our chemically-resistant diaphragm air, gas and liquid pumps to keep on going, so you can too. Used for a wide variety of applications including rotary evaporation, filtration and liquid metering/dosing, researchers find these versatile pumps to be extremely quiet and sturdy – even when continuously running corrosive solvents. LABOPORT® vacuum pumps feature premium chemical resistance and oil-free design, and are perfect all-purpose pumps for your laboratory researcher. We think you’ll like them because of their light weight and small footprint – physically and environmentally. See more online at www.knflab.com.

KNF Neuberger’s SC920 vacuum pump system(right)includesawirelessremote control for easy monitoring and control of vacuum system functions, even behind a closed hood sash from across the lab.

Whether adjusting the system pressure or open-ing/closing the coolant valve, researchers can instantly make a change using the touch screen and control knob on the hand-held remote control. For instance, say you want to have pre-cise control over vessel pressure – our system display allows you to monitor and control it to defined values, making adjustments while the system is safely behind a closed sash. Thanks to this remote control capability, it is no longer necessary for the vacuum system to occupy valuable bench space. Instead, position the SC920 under your lab bench or in a fume hood.

How the SC920 system worksAt the start of a process, the pump operates at low speed to prevent any overreaction to small chamber volumes or low boiling solvents. A pressure sensor measures the actual pressure in the system several times per second, and compares it with the programmed setpoints. The microprocessor then monitors any changes in pressure curve and adjusts the pump’s perfor-mance instantly. This ensures fast process times with exceptional accuracy and repeatability.

The SC920 vacuum pump system offers four different operating modes:

• Evacuation: The vacuum system pumps down at full speed.

• Pressure Control: The vacuum system regulates pumping speed to achieve and maintain the desired vacuum setpoint.

• Automatic Mode: The vacuum controller automatically finds the vapor pressure of the sample and regulates pumping speed to maximize evaporation, then monitors for changes in the pressure curve and optimizes pumping speed instantly.

• Individual Pressure Function: The system regulates the vacuum according to a user-defined pressure curve. The setpoint pressure and the opening/closing of the coolant valve are easily entered for a set range of times. A repeat function allows successive repetitions of the programmed pressure curve.

With our wireless technology you’ll conserve precious lab resources by keeping the fume hood sash closed during processing. This will reduce building heating and air condition-ing costs. By accessing all system functions from outside a closed hood, harmful vapors are less likely to enter the lab, and give you some protection if things go wrong, reducing everyone’s exposure to solvent vapors, glass breakage and chemical spills.

Like the remote control, the included Win-dows® based software makes it possible to display pressure curves as charts, which can then be saved as permanent logs and exported to spreadsheet or text files.

Costs associated with generating a vacuum, such as process costs, user costs and cost to the envi-ronment, have never really been considered seriously. Although technology has advanced to pro-vide smaller, cleaner and quieter options, not many people are taking advantage of it. “Vacuum pumps last a long time and many people go through their careers without actually buy-ing one,” says Peter Coffey, vice president of sales and marketing at Vacuubrand. “Hence, people tend to replace their vacuum pumps with what they have used before and not take the time to find out about the alternatives.”

Vacuum pumps used in labo-ratories can be classified into two categories—rotary vane pumps, sometimes referred to as oil-lu-bricated pumps, and dry (oil-free) pumps. They operate in differ-ent ways to create vacuum and aspirate fluids. Centrifugal pumps use centrifugal force to push the fluid through an outlet; metering pumps, such as diaphragm, peri-staltic, piston and syringe pumps, pull fluid into a chamber and

then push it through the outlet valve; while positive displacement pumps use bellows, piston, rotary lobe and rotary vane to push fluid through a cavity, leaving a vacu-um that pulls in more fluid.

Oil-lubricated pumps have been around for many decades, while oil-free diaphragm pumps are a

more recent addition. Although oil-free pumps tend to be more expensive than oil pumps, there are a lot of advantages to their use as well as significant savings. First of all, no oil is used, and therefore there is no cause for oil contamination and no necessity for oil change or disposal. Oil-free pumps can be built to be corrosion resistant and hence do not require regular maintenance. “Service intervals on better oil-free pumps exceed 10,000 operating hours,”

says Coffey. “If you use your vacuum pump 20 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, that’s 10 years before the first scheduled service!”

A misunderstanding regard-ing oil-lubricated pumps is that people assume more vacuum is always better. Oil-free diaphragm pumps can provide vacuum levels

from atmosphere to below 0.5 mbar/Torr, whereas oil-lubricated pumps offer high capacities and higher vacuum levels up to 10-3 mbar/Torr. “What is more important is matching the vacuum to the application, and almost any application can now be performed using an oil-free pump, with the exception of freeze-drying,” says Coffey.

For certain applications he also recommends consider-ing buying a pump with controls that provide a good balance of speed and control. “Even manual controls are better than none, but electronic controls offer huge productivity advantages,” he says. “In many applications, the type of vacuum control used will deter-mine how much scientist time is needed for oversight and how fast the application proceeds.”

oil-fRee alteRnatives offeR nuMeRous advantages Besides Being Kind to tHe enviRonMent

“… people tend to replace their vacuum pumps with what they have used before and not take the time to find out about the alternatives.”

vacuuM puMpsBasic laB


www.knf.com


pRoducts in action

What is the most valuable resource in the lab? Reagents? Equipment time? Sample material? No. The most valuable resource in the lab is the time and intellect of the researcher. Why use that precious resource to babysit evaporative applications? No one would consider manually maintaining temperature of critical processes—introducing and removing a heat source manually to maintain a constant temperature. Why waste precious researcher time on manual control of vacuum applications?

VARIO® vacuum control technology relies on innovative electronics to detect vapor conditions in evaporative applications and automatically and continuously adjusts vacuum to optimize conditions—without programming—to acceler-ate processes while protecting samples.

Consider the rotary evaporation of a mixture of solvents. Vacuum provided by an uncontrolled pump often leads to over-pumping, exceed-ing vapor pressures needed for evaporation and leading to boil-over and loss of sample. Manual control of vacuum conditions requires continuous oversight, adjusting vacuum to accommodate the continuously changing vapor pressure of the sample mixture as the more volatile solvents evaporate. It’s manageable—if inefficient—with a major commitment of concentrated attention, but aren’t there better ways to use your time and education?

Electronic two-point control is another option. You can pick optimum conditions for one solvent

out of a manual or solvent library, and set a target vacuum pressure, expecting the system to maintain conditions the way that a thermostat controls ambient temperature or the heat on a hotplate. Unfortunately, the proper set-point changes as the more volatile solvent evaporates, so manual control—and systems that find only the first boiling point—fall short. Soon, vacuum conditions will be less than optimal, and the process will slow to a crawl. You could program set-points and a ramp, but only by running time-consuming trials and programming the controller to maintain vacuum conditions at an approxima-tion of optimum as it changes over time.

The better option is with VARIO® control by VACUUBRAND. The VARIO® controller monitors vacuum conditions and continuously adjusts pumping speed to optimize vacuum conditions moment to moment. There is no over-pumping, as with uncontrolled vacuum; no time-wasting babysitting to control the evaporation manually. No test runs or programming of approximate conditions. Instead, you press “Start,” and rely on the VARIO® controller to avoid over-pumping that causes bumping and foaming and loss of sample, while achieving the highest evaporation rates that protect your samples.

Should your application be destined for scale-up, VACUUBRAND’s PC3002, PC3004 and PC3010 VARIO® systems let you easily scale up evaporations to 20 liters or more with the

same level of precision and ease.

Tel 860-767-5341www.vacuubrand.com

VACUUBRAND PC3001 VARIO™ The VACUUBRAND PC3001 VARIO™ vacuum pumping system provides self-regulated control of evaporative applications like rotary evaporators and concentrators without test runs or program-ming. The unit monitors vapor flow from the application and adjusts its own pumping speed to continuously optimize evaporative conditions. It detects multiple boiling points in complex mixtures and generates the pressure curve that accelerates the process while minimizing bumping and foaming caused by over-pumping. The result is an evaporation that is often completed in 30 percent less time than with conventional two-point electronic control, while protecting samples and minimizing need for operator intervention. A computer link is available for process documenta-

tion. VARIO™ vacuum pumping systems are also available for evaporations up to pilot scale.

Recently Released vacuuM puMps

vacUUM pUMp ManUfactUReRS

vacuuM puMpsBasic laB

HiPace™ SeriesFeature a range of pumping speeds from 10 to 800 liters per second•Integrated drive electronics reduce the need to costly cabling•Installation is possible in any orientation•Features a sealing gas connection to safeguard bearings•

Pfeiffer Vacuum www.pfeiffer-vacuum.com

V-710Speed and stroke controlled operation for a precise •hysteresis-free vacuumFeatures a sound insulation system, full housing enclosure •and weight balance for quiet operationIncludes an integrated gas ballast for a constantly high •suction volumesThree-stage vacuum creation process delivers 3.1 m3/h at a •low final pressure of less than 2 mbar

Buchi www.buchi.com

MS40+ Rotary VaneInverter electronic allow user to tailor pumping speed to each application•Features a high pumping speed over a wide range, from atmosphere to 1 mbar (0.75 Torr)•Features a base pressure below 5x10• -2 mbar (3.75x10-2 Torr)T-Plus software enables control of pump parameters from a PC•


VACUUBRAND ME1 and ME1CDeliver pumping speeds of 14 lpm and ultimate vacuum of 100 mbar•Feature robust PTFE diaphragms and valves for optimal chemical resistance•Feature a well-proven and long diaphragm life of 10,000 to 15,000 operating hours•ME1C features a full fluoropolymer flowpath, •for a complete chemistry-design pump


Alcatel www.adixen.com


Buchi www.buchi.com

Cole Parmer www.coleparmer.com

Ebara www.pumpsebara.com

Edwards www.edwardsvacuum.com

Gast Manufacturing www.gastmfg.com

Ilmvac www.ilmvac.com

KNF www.knf.com

Myers Vacuum www.myers-vacuum.com

New Star Environmental www.newstarenvironmental.com

Oerlikon www.oerlikon.com

Pfeiffer Vacuum www.pfeiffer-vacuum.net

Precision Scientific www.precision-scientific.com

Shimadzu www.ssi.shimadzu.com


US Vacuum www.usvacuumpumps.com

VACUUBRAND www.vacuubrand.com

Vacuum Research www.vacuumresearch.com


Welch www.welchvacuum.com

technology for vacuum SyStemS


www.vacuubrand.com


pRoducts in action

From water treatment labs doing trace metal analysis to university tissue culture

labs, the Miele G 7883 sets the standard for brilliant results in an under counter

design and can be installed into an immediate laboratory area. This washer offers

8 standard and 2 utility wash programs, one custom program, a DI rinse cycle,

steam condenser with low ambient heat, and precise sensors.

The G 7883 also offers adjustable temperatures up to 93º C for superior cleaning

ability. With individually adjustable wash and rinse temperatures, this glassware

washer allows you to custom tailor settings to the task at hand. If aggressive

cleaning is needed, a high temperature can be set. If not, the temperatures can

be lowered, therefore shortening the cycle time. The G 7883 is good for cleaning

laboratory glassware pipettes, beakers, volumetric flasks, petri dishes, test tubes,

anything up to 18 height.

Manufactured to last through 15,000 operating hours with minimal heat loss, the

G 7883 is engineered to run at maximum efficiency, and is a great “Green Choice”

for today’s labs.

[email protected]

Still Handwashing? Get repeatable results with the G 7883

Many labs today rely on glass-ware washers, as they ensure consistent cleaning of critical labware, free up technician time for more value-added work, and provide assurance and validation in regulated industries. “Gener-ally, the more critical the research, the more likely it will employ an automated washing process,” ob-serves Ken Austin, who manages Miele Professional’s (Princeton, NJ) laboratory division.

Efficient cleaning is a function of cycle time, wash temperature, mechanical action, and cleaning agents. The ideal combination is high water throughput at rela-tively gentle spray pressure, suf-ficiently high temperature, a spray pattern that reaches the entire wash load, and selection of clean-ing agents suitable for the task.

Because of the heavy demands placed on cleanliness and the unusual form figures of labware, unmodified household dishwash-ers are not suitable for laboratory use. For example, the pump in a high-end under-counter glassware washer is rated at a minimum of 100 gallons per minute, com-pared with 25 to 30 gallons per minute on a home washer. Cy-cling time for lab units is longer; holders and baskets are custom-ized for lab equipment; and the final rinse uses heated, recircu-lated, deionized water instead

of tap water. Some lab-designed machines employ bottom-heating for drying, as do kitchen units, but high-end washers employ forced HEPA-filtered air. Many kitchen models lack a pump powerful enough to provide effective wash coverage; others with more robust pumps cause glassware to launch and break,” Austin adds.

Factors to consider include type of labware and residues being cleaned, throughput (pieces per day), and current wash methods.

Labs operating in regulated industries, or those that come in contact with the legal sys-tem, should consider automated controls that verify and validate cleaning cycles, from initial wash through drying. The ultimate ma-chines of this type are validated to pharmaceutical Good Manu-facturing Practices.

Austin says a trend he sees is the use of individual lab washers in facilities where a central wash room had been the norm. The interplay between centralized and individual lab washing involves

the general aversion to washing glassware. But central washers often do not thoroughly clean items, and breakage is higher than when scientists wash their own. “Researchers don’t trust the wash room, and wind up cleaning their critical pieces anyway.”

Increasingly, lab managers and facility designers are specifying lab washers based on environ-mental and ergonomic factors. “Purchasers are interested in how the machine coordinates with the building, the lab, and an organi-zation’s ‘green’ strategies,” says Mike Henley, general manager at Lancer (Winter Springs, FL). Utilization of water, energy, and cleaners and wastewater disposal are important factors that affect operating cost. “Purchasers have moved beyond up-front cost and are beginning to take these other issues into account.” Research space is expensive, and so are salary and upkeep of personnel. “They don’t come to work to wash glassware,” Henley notes.

MoRe tHan a convenience

“Generally, the more critical the research, the more likely [a lab] will employ an automated washing process.”

WasHeRsBasic laB


www.labwashers.com


Recently Released WasHeRs

waSHeR ManUfactUReRS

WasHeRsBasic laB

SW3000 SeriesFeatures rotating spray washing arms and versatile cycle programming•Available in single-door or two-door pass-thru configurations•Includes a simple touch-control user interface, displaying •event, time and temperatureCapacity for culture dishes, tubes, slides, pipettes, •cylinders, flasks, beakers, bottles, etc.

Scientek www.scientek.net

FlaskScrubberFeatures a lower spindle rack that holds up to 36 pieces of primarily narrow-neck •glasswareIncludes specialized inserts for pipets, BOD bottles, •Petri dishes, culture tubes and small utensilsWater and detergent are pumped through •spindles to reach innermost areas of glasswareFeatures forced-air drying through spindles to •ensure thorough drying inside and out


G7893A complete washing and drying cycle takes one hour•Saves space with a 24-inch footprint•Incorporates true HEPA-filtered forced-air drying•A cool-down step can be programmed at the end of •cycle to ensure glassware is safe to handle

Miele www.labwasher.com

WD 290Dynamic Filling provides resource savings of up to 20% per cycle•Each cycle requires 40 liters less water and energy turnover •is reduced by 20%Productivity boost of up to 25% can be achieved with DI •water preheating optionFeatures full glass doors and chamber illumination so the •cleaning process can be monitored

Belimed www.belimed.com

BeliMed www.belimed.us

Getinge www.getingeusa.com

Hotpack www.hotpack.com


Lancer www.lancer.com

Miele www.labwashers.com

Scientek www.scientek.net

SteelCo www.steelcospa.com

STERIS Corporation www.steris.com


Yamato Scientific America www.yamato-usa.com

Editor’s BuzzThis Week in Your Labby Pam Ahlberg

discussing themost up to date information forthe Lab Managers

www.labmanager.com/blogs/Editor

www.labmanager.com/blogs/Editor


pRoducts in action

5 Earl CourtWoodridge, IL 60517(877) 315-3542Email: [email protected]

PURELAB flex - the future of pure waterEnsure accurate consistent results with ELGA’s PURELAB flex. We understand how important it is to use reliable ultrapure and pure water. The PURELAB flex is designed around your needs, delivering accuracy, flexibility and ease of use with an innovative and ergonomic design.

ELGA’s PURELAB flex is a state-of-the-art water purification system. It integrates in-hand monitoring and accurate pure water dispensing in one unique product. This innovative water purification system has won many awards including the 2010 Instrument Business Outlook Award for Laboratory Equipment Industrial Design.

ELGA is the global laboratory brand name of Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies, the world’s leading water service company.

The water quality conforms to international water standards e.g. CLSI, CLRW, ISO 3696: Grade 1,2,3, ASTM D1193-06, Pharmacopeia USP, EP and JP. The PURELAB flex can be used for analytical and lifescience applications in all pharmaceutical, university, hospital, food and beverage laboratories.

The PURELAB flex is easily adaptable to facilitate changes to laboratory design layouts and applications.

Handset designed for today’s laboratory• Intuitivetouse

• Ergonomichandsetdesign

• Clearwaterpurityforabsoluteconfidenceasyoudispense

• Handsetdisplaysprioritizedinformationshownatalltimes(systemstatus, TOC, alarm)

• POUfiltersformultipleapplicationstoremoveendotoxins,DNase,RNase and bacteria

• Flexibledispensinginfourdifferentways

o Variable flow – drop by drop or up to 2 liters per minute

o Autovolume dispense from 50ml to 60ml and repeat dispensing

o Hands free with optional foot pedal

o Locked dispense for glassware filling

Water Purification made easy• Fastandsimplesanitizationtominimizemicrobialgrowth

• DatacaptureviaUSBportforsystemvalidation

• UsersettingscanbecustomizedviathewebanduploadedusingtheUSB post in seconds

• Multipledispensepositioning

o Wall, bench, height adjustable arm, hand-held dispensing

The PURELAB flex delivers 18.2 MΩ-cm water quality.

As instruments have become more sensitive and applications increasingly complex, the demand for high-purity water has also in-creased. Parts-per-million (ppm)

is no longer the smallest level of contamination, as users are testing for parts-per-billion (ppb) or parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels. Contaminants in water can consist of particulates, organics, inorgan-ics, microorganisms and pyrogens. Renaud Bardon, director for North American Sales, Lab Water at Millipore, says in the past, peo-ple were mainly concerned with ionic contaminants, but today, people are more concerned with organic contaminants, particulates and microorganisms.

Eight commonly used methods to purify water are distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, ac-tivated carbon filtration, micropo-rous filtration, ultrafiltration, ultraviolet oxidation and elec-trodialysis. The National Com-

mittee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) has specified three types of water: I, II and III, as well as special-purpose water, depending on their use. Type I refers to the purest water on the scale and is used for most analyti-cal applications, while Type III water is used for general wash-ing. Special-purpose water refers to water that has been treated to remove specific contaminants.

When selecting a water purifica-tion system, several factors need to be considered. However, accord-ing to Bob Applequist, product manager at Labconco, the most important ones are to fit the prod-uct to the application and differ-entiate between the need for pure and ultrapure water. In most cases, the pure water generated from tap water can be used for most appli-cations, while ultrapure water gen-erated from a point-of-use system can be used for applications that have more specific and stringent purification needs. The first-step purification or the system that is used to convert tap water into pure water has to be very efficient, says Bardon. If you have that first step right, converting that pure water into ultrapure water is going to be very easy and consistent.

When considering a water pu-rification system, both the quality and the quantity of water have to

be taken into account, as well as daily water volume requirements, says Bardon. For labs with variable demands on quality and quantity, flexibility and modularity become very important. The key then is to invest in a flexible system that will meet your needs today and grow with the lab and change with the applications, says Matthew Ham-mond, global sales and marketing director for ELGA LabWater.

After choosing the right system, performing regular, preventative maintenance is equally important. Modern systems have built-in alarms and calibrators that warn customers if certain components are nearing the end of their life cycles. Sample the water rou-tinely to make sure that it doesn’t contain impurities that will interfere with your analysis, says Hammond. The level of monitor-ing can be done daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the strin-gency of the application. What-ever system you buy, make sure its dynamic, so that the water can recirculate regularly, Hammond adds. Water needs to be kept mov-ing, as still water ends up build-ing biofilms quicker, so look for a system that is easy to sanitize.

WateR deMands youR Respect: tHeRe is MoRe to pRocuRing puRe WateR tHan investing in tHe RigHt WateR puRification systeM

“Invest in a flexible system that will meet your needs today and grow with the lab.”

WateR puRification systeMs


Basic laB

www.elgalabwater.com


Recently Released WateR puRification systeMs

wateR pURification SySteM ManUfactUReRS

Aqua Solutions www.aquaa.com

Aries Filterworks www.arieswater.com

Aurora Biomed www.aurorabiomed.com

ELGA LabWater www.elgalabwater.com


Millipore www.millipore.com

Pall Corporation www.pall.com

Sartorius Stedim www.sartorius-stedim.com

Siemens www.water.siemens.com


PURELAB flexDelivers up to 2 liters per minute of type I, II and III water•Flexible dispense tip filtration guarantees microbial purity <1CFU/10ml•Water purity maintained by recirculation of purified water through ion •exchange and UV purification technologies to the dispense point

ELGA LabWater www.elgalabwater.com

CRYSTA SeriesProduces high-quality ultrapure water (Type I) and pure water (Type II)•CRYSTA 1000 and 2000 models require reverse osmosis or deionized water as input source •and can be used with CRYSTA 500 to create a complete purification systemFeatures a timed dispense mode for walk-away, unattended operation•

Aurora Biomed www.aurorabiomed.com

LaboStar™ Produces analytical grade water on demand•Features easy push-button operation and quick •sanitization regimensRecirculation feature maintains optimal water quality •while minimizing bacterial growthProduces up to 18 megohm ASTM water quality•

Siemens Water Technologies www.siemens.com

Q-POD® Element Unit Ensures delivery of ultrapure water with very low levels •of elemental contaminationFeatures a footswitch for hands-free water delivery•Ideal for use in a Class 1000 clean room environment•Supplies water in volumes required by the user •(up to 1.5 L/min)

Millipore www.millipore.com

Basic laB WateR puRification systeMs pRoducts in action

Cell culture is an exacting and time-consuming

prerequisite for cell-based assays, which require

cells that exhibit reproducible phenotypes and

are free of contamination from yeast, bacteria,

and other cells. Because microbiological

contamination is commonly introduced during

liquid transfer steps, minimizing liquid transfer

increases cell culture reliability. Speed can also

determine cell culture success; the time required

to transfer or sterilize sensitive reagents

can result in degradation of labile, essential

molecular species. Millipore’s Steriflip filter

eliminates liquid transfer and speeds sample

handling by integrating a filter into the mouth

of a sterile tube to which the original sample

tube is directly attached.

Fast, Easy, Sterile Cell Culture With Steriflip Filters

The Steriflip filter’s revolutionizing design has

made it a popular tool among cell culturists

aiming to eliminate contamination while

simultaneously increasing experimental

throughput. Filtration using the Steriflip device

is straightforward, requiring only three steps:

1. Attach filter to 50 mL sample tube

2. Flip assembly

upside down

3. Apply vacuum and

recover sample in

new tube

Sterilize Quickly With High Protein Recovery

Cell culture reagents and media often contain

high concentrations of serum, proteins, and

viscous solutions. As a result, filter clogging

and protein binding are common challenges.

Steriflip filters provide both fast flow and high

protein recovery. Sterilizing-grade Steriflip

filters are available with either fast-flow

MilliporeExpress®Polyethersulfone(PES)or

low-protein-binding Durapore® polyvinylidene

fluoride(PVDF)membranes,andfeature0.22

µm or 0.45 µm pore sizes.

Isolate Cells Fast For High Viability

For cell isolation applications, researchers can

use nylon mesh Steriflip filters, which enable

faster separation of large volumes of cellular

material, improving recovery and reducing time

to collect isolated cells. Four mesh sizes allow for

optimal performance in stem cell, cardiomyo-

cyte, neurological and skeletal tissue applica-

tions. Nylon mesh Steriflip devices are available

in 20 µm, 40 µm, 60 µm, and 100 µm sizes.

290 Concord Road Billerica, Massachusetts Phone : 800-645-5476 www.millipore.com

Steriflip® Vacuum-Driven Filtration DeviceFor decades, the Steriflip filter’s innovative design has provided cell biologists with ease of use, speed, and sterility.


www.millipore.com

www.labmanager.com

pRoducts in action

StaRLine plug-in Raceway, has revolutionized the power distribution industry! Universal Electric Corporation created STARLINE Plug-In Raceway to meet the ever-changing power distribution and datacom needs of research, pharmaceutical, univer-sity, hospital and data labs.

It offers a flexibility that no other product has – the ability to add or relocate electrical outlet modules anywhere on the raceway quickly and easily – without shutting down power!

STARLINE Plug-In Raceway not only offers flexibility and low cost of ownership, additional benefits are:

• Reliability

• AestheticallyAppealing

• Re-locatableandScalable

• ReducedInstallationCosts

To learn more about Universal Electric Corporation and its products, please visit www.uecorp.com or call us at 800-245-6378.

168 Georgetown Rd.Canonsburg, PA 15317 Phone 800-245-6378 www.uecorp.com

THE FUTURE OF RACE WAY…


ADVERTISER INDEX

AirClean Systems, Inc. www.aircleansystems.com 69

BINDER Inc. www.binder-world.us 75

BioTek Instruments, Inc. www.biotek.com 29

Boekel Scientific www.boekelsci.com 55

Buchi Corporation www.mybuchi.com 63

ELGA Labwater / Veolia Water www.elgalabwater.com 111

Eppendorf North America www.eppendorf.com 59, 83, 93, 116

Erlab, Inc. www.captair.com 71

Gilson Pipetman www.gilson.com/pk2020 15

Hamilton Robotics www.HamiltonRobotics.com/LM! 3, 33

Helmer Inc. www.helmerinc.com 85

KNF Neuberger Inc. www.knf.com 103

Lab Safety Supply www.labsafety.com 65

LabWrench www.labwrench.com 53

LabX www.labx.com 49, 114

Marvel Scientific www.marvelscientific.com 97

Metrohm USA, Inc. www.IC-changeisgood.com 7

Miele, Inc. www.labwashers.com 107

Millipore Bioscience www.millipore.com 113

Molecular Devices Corporation www.moleculardevices.com 35, 39

Nor-Lake Scientific www.norlakescientific.com 95

NuAire Inc. www.nuaire.com/co2-incubators 77

Retsch www.retsch-us.com/as200jet 87

Rice Lake Weighing Systems www.ricelake.com/weights 47

Ruro www.RURO.com 81

SPEX CertiPrep www.spexcsp.com 43

The Baker Company www.bakerco.com 51

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc www.vwrsp.com/performancelabware 5, 61

Universal Electric www.uecorp.com 2, 115

USA Scientific, Inc. www.usascientific.com/CytoOne 37

Vacuubrand, Inc. www.vacuubrand.com 105

Waters Corporation www.waters.com/sdms 17, 79

Company URL Page

BUY & SELL EQUIPMENT • ONLINE AUCTIONSNEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS • GREAT DEALS

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Register today to run ads, bid in LabAuc-tions, or contact buyers and sellers. LabX showcases over 190,000 listings of new, surplus, pre-owned lab equipment, and supplies. Visit LabX today and get the product you’ve always wanted NOW!

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www.bakerco.com

www.vwrsp.com/performancelabware

www.uecorp.com

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www.vacuubrand.com

www.waters.com/sdms

www.labx.com

Full page journal ad LabManager – LMG

Available

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Simply better pipetting!Eppendorf Xplorer®—the new electronic pipette

001.A1.0134.A.US-LMG.indd 1 9/3/10 9:44 AM

www.eppendorf.com

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Lab Manager November 2010

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