In order to be both valid and valuable, laboratory research needs to be conducted with an extremely high amount of precision. If this is achieved, it is a good indicator that the results are reliable and repeatable.
The methods for achieving this, however, are often painstaking, slow, and incredibly boring. This is especially the case when it comes to liquid handling, which can require scientists to spend hours pipetting liquids between different places. Repetitive strain injuries are common.
Fortunately, there are now automated liquid-handling solutions that can do the work faster and more accurately than humans. This short guide will look at the guidelines for liquid handling in the lab and the benefits of automated solutions.
Best practices for liquid handling
Humans handling liquids have a higher error rate than machines, but there are some tips they can follow to reduce their mistakes. An automated liquid handler will follow them too, just more consistently.
- Pipette size: The size of the pipette used should be between 35% and 100% of the volume of liquid you need to move.
- Temperature: For the greatest accuracy, the pipette and its contents should be kept between 20°C and 25°C throughout most experiments. This is because the temperature affects the volume of the liquids inside.
- Keep the pipette vertical: This does not only mean keep it vertical while it is in use. When pipettes are stored they should be placed vertically on a stand. This allows leftover liquid to flow out rather than being stuck inside the pipette and possibly eroding it or cross-contaminating future samples.
- Fresh tips: For each new liquid that is handled, a fresh tip should be used. This is designed to prevent the risk of cross-contamination between different liquids.
- Keep it clean: Of course, cleaning pipettes with alcohol once you have finished handling a liquid is another way to prevent cross-contamination.
- Technique: For larger volumes, wet the tip of the pipette before extracting the sample. When you want to draw a sample, wait for a second before lifting the pipette out of the liquid, and squeeze the pipette slowly to empty it in the new location.
Liquid handling automation benefits
Whether you’re conducting medical research or creating lab-grown jewels, liquids in the lab are arguably better being handled by robots than people. These are some of the reasons why:
- Speed: Liquid-handling robots come with rows and columns containing multiple pipettes which can work simultaneously. This makes them significantly faster than a human who can only do one at a time and frees up scientists to focus on more important tasks.
- Safety: No matter the competency of laboratory professionals, mistakes happen, but there are fewer of them when things are automated. This is especially important when working with hazardous materials. Automated systems can even work while entirely contained inside biosafety cabinets.
- Reliability: Automated systems are able to pipette the programmed amount with a degree of accuracy humans cannot match, and they can easily repeat it over and over again.
With benefits like these, it is no surprise that many labs are making the move to automation. High-quality liquid handling systems can work consistently for years, so they are seriously considered as an investment for your laboratory.
Sebastian is an accomplished author with a passion for storytelling. His works span various genres, from thrilling mysteries to heartfelt romance novels. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for character development, Sebastian weaves engaging narratives that captivate readers and transport them to new worlds.