5 most useful sample prep accessories
Customizing an evaporator in your laboratory can be an overwhelming task.
What accessories do you really need? How will they help you during your process? Will you really use these things? As budgets get tighter, new equipment and accessories have to truly fit a lab’s needs and get real use, rather than just sit in a cabinet.
Use this list to find the accessories that will really serve a purpose in your laboratory. Here are my top 5 recommended accessories:
1. Micro tube holder for Vertex
Are you trying to evaporate small samples under nitrogen? If so, the Vertex micro centrifuge tube block is the answer. The Vertex is an inexpensive nitrogen evaporator with multiple blocks for your specific tubes. It uses dry heat vs. a messy water bath, which means no contamination from condensation.
Nitrogen evaporation in micro tubes can be done in as little as a few minutes for many solvents. If you only need to run a few samples, unused rows can be turned off.
If you’ve ever had to stop your vacuum concentrator to see how much liquid remains, then what you really need is a CentriZap. It allows the samples to appear to be standing still during the run for you to “see” the samples without shutting the unit down.
You can shave up to 20% of evaporation time by not opening and closing the lid. Who doesn’t like to save time?
Going to dryness isn’t ideal for some samples, especially if solvent exchange or analysis is required. In typical flat or round bottom glassware, samples can completely reach dryness before you can stop them. Not with the RapidVap N2 end point glassware. The stems on the glassware extend past the RapidVap heater in to the unique Cool-Zone ™ to prevent samples from going to dryness. Because the RapidVap uses a dry heat vs. a water bath, samples truly stay cool until you remove them.
Is your rotary vane pump oil getting contaminated from your samples? A secondary trap is the perfect accessory for you. It protects the pump from solvents or acids by trapping them before they contaminate the pump oil. Putting one before a diaphragm pump will reduce the amount of odors coming out of the exhaust of the pump. We still recommend venting a diaphragm pump into a fume hood, but the secondary trap will reduce the amount of fumes going through the hood.
5. Carts
Bench space is a premium in most labs. Remove the foot print of rarely used bench equipment by placing it on a cart and rolling it out when not in use. Carts come in all shapes and sizes, and have a life time warranty.
Bonus!
The RapidVap end point glassware is great, but how do you fill it prior to going into the RapidVap? It’s tippy on the counter top, having someone hold it would be time consuming, and laying it on its side would be useless. Enter—the stainless steel rack. The rack holds the end point glassware up right until it’s ready to be used.
This is my top 5 list, so I’d love to hear from you. What’s your favorite sample prep accessory, and why?
| chevron_left | How it works: Laboratory glassware washers protect your laboratory environment | Articles | How to answer the three most common Kjeldahl questions | chevron_right |
