Sample Preparation & Processing


Nested LiHa Disposable Tips Helps Repsol to Drive the Fuels of the Future


The Madrid Technology Center of global energy company Repsol relies on two Freedom EVO® platforms for colony picking and enzymatic assays for research into fossil fuel alternatives, using Tecan’s 350 µl nested LiHa disposable tips to achieve extended walkaway times. Jose Miguel Seoane, a researcher in the biotechnology department, explained: “The investigation of new biological applications involves screening large numbers of mutants of different micro-organisms, enabling the best performing candidates to be selected for further studies. As we test thousands of different mutations, automated high throughput screening is the key to our success.”


“We generate up to 10,000 colonies per week, and long periods of walkaway automation are absolutely essential, making nested tips indispensable; it makes no sense to invest in automation if you need to manually place tips on the workdeck every 20 minutes or so. The release of 350 µl nested LiHa disposable tips, with a novel design incorporating a frame between each tray, was an important development. The trays fit perfectly and the stack remains in perfect alignment, eliminating tip pick-up failures. This makes the workflow more robust and efficient, as well as providing the long walkaway times that we need. Tecan’s field engineers know the systems well and are very responsive, which we really appreciate as a project can be set back weeks, or even months, if the support is not there. It is a pleasure to work with the company.”


To find out more about Tecan’s nested liquid handling disposable tips, visit www.tecan.com/consumables 37104pr@reply-direct.com


Fast, Unattended Concentration of Environmental Samples


The Rocket Synergy Evaporator from Genevac is proven to provide fast, unattended operation that significantly improves environmental laboratory productivity. Developed as a result of users’ demands for an evaporator that could quickly process large-volume environmental samples in parallel without supervision, the Rocket Synergy Evaporator can concentrate or dry 18 ASE tubes or up to 6 large-volume 450 ml flasks. This enables the user to focus on other tasks, confident that the Rocket Synergy Evaporator will achieve reproducible evaporation with excellent recovery rates.


In addition using Genevac’s proprietary SampleGenie™ technology in conjunction with the Rocket Synergy evaporator enables samples to be concentrated directly into an autosampler or storage vial, eliminating the need for manual sample transfer. To automate transfers from ASE® vials the Genevac Flip-Flop™ system can be used. This elimination of manual transfer steps and the automation of the evaporation / concentration process deliver significantly improved environmental laboratory workflow, better reproducibility of results and maximises sample recovery.


To achieve the dual goals of very fast evaporation, with precise temperature control to protect environmental samples, the Rocket Synergy Evaporator uses a patented low temperature drying technology to directly heat the sample flasks.By pulling a vacuum on the samples, solvent(s) boil at a low temperature, which is determined by the pressure. The Rocket Synergy Evaporator is equipped with the advanced performance features, such as automated end point detection, Dri- Pure® anti-bumping technology, and accurate temperature regulation to further protect the integrity of your samples.


A two-stage cold trap is built into the Rocket Synergy Evaporator, providing high levels of solvent recovery, even with volatile organic solvents. Under the control of the evaporator, the cold trap automatically drains to ensure that high solvent recovery is maintained, no matter what mix of solvents are being removed. The compact Rocket Synergy Evaporator fits neatly onto a laboratory bench or into a fume hood.


For further information on environmental sample concentration using Genevac evaporators please visit www.genevac.com/environmental 37103pr@reply-direct.com


Collaboration to Co-Market Automated Sample Preparation Solutions Announced


Phenomenex, Inc and the Tecan Group have announced a collaboration to co-market automated solid phase extraction (SPE) sample preparation solutions. The two companies will jointly market Phenomenex Strata™ and Strata-X SPE sorbents adapted to Tecan’s Freedom EVO® series of robotics workstations. The solution is especially geared to high-throughput customers in pharmaceutical research, clinical and food testing environments using mass spectrometry detection methods. As part of the global agreement, Tecan will provide the instruments and automation support, and Phenomenex will provide the extraction chemistries as well as application and method development through its PhenoLogixSM group.


Solid phase extraction is a widely used sample preparation technique by which compounds in mixtures are separated, prior to chromatographic analysis. Phenomenex Strata and Strata-X SPE sorbents remove unwanted contaminants, including phospholipids, and are offered in a number of unique selectivities to cover a diverse range of analytes. SPE can be a time-consuming manual process that is prone to human errors resulting in additional time and costs for laboratories to confirm or repeat tests. Execution of this process on Tecan automated platforms combined with optimised conditions from PhenoLogix will decrease implementation efforts in the lab, increase throughput while reducing human error and enable sample traceability for regulated environments.


“We created this agreement with our high-throughput customers in mind,” commented Michael McGinley, Core Products Manager for Phenomenex. “We can now bring them complete, automated solutions, simplifying the previously daunting task of adapting a manual method to laboratory automation. The engineers at Tecan have an amazing insight on how to optimally automate liquid handling and the Freedom EVO is a proven platform with an established track record for reliability.”


“Phenomenex has a large customer base using their SPE products,” explained James O’Brien, Head of Clinical Diagnostics for Tecan. “By co-marketing our robotic workstations with their chemistries, we expect to expand our reach in these high-volume industries. The experts at Phenomenex and PhenoLogix have enhanced our knowledge of chromatography and enabled us to bring to market a product for mid- to high-throughput laboratories that increases the ROI of their high capital investment in mass spectrometry detection systems.”


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