What are some innovative ways to reduce pipette contamination in the laboratory?

1 Use disposable tips

One of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce pipette contamination is to use disposable tips for each sample and solution. Disposable tips are designed to prevent cross-contamination, aerosol formation, and carryover of liquids. They are also easy to dispose of safely and hygienically. However, disposable tips are not always available, affordable, or environmentally friendly, so you may want to consider other options as well.

2 Use filter tips

Another option is to use filter tips, which are disposable tips that have a built-in barrier that prevents liquids and aerosols from reaching the pipette barrel. Filter tips can reduce the risk of contamination from microorganisms, nucleic acids, enzymes, and other substances that may interfere with your experiments. They can also extend the life of your pipette and reduce the need for frequent cleaning and calibration. Filter tips are especially useful for sensitive applications, such as PCR, qPCR, and cell culture.

3 Use positive displacement pipettes

A positive displacement pipette is a type of pipette that uses a piston to directly dispense the liquid, instead of relying on air displacement. This means that there is no contact between the liquid and the pipette barrel, eliminating the possibility of contamination from aerosols or carryover. A positive displacement pipette is ideal for handling viscous, volatile, or corrosive liquids, as well as liquids that have a high vapor pressure or density. A positive displacement pipette usually requires a disposable tip with an integrated piston, which can be more expensive than regular tips.

4 Use electronic pipettes

An electronic pipette is a pipette that is controlled by a motor and a microprocessor, instead of by manual force. An electronic pipette can offer several advantages over a manual pipette, such as improved accuracy, precision, speed, and ergonomics. An electronic pipette can also reduce pipette contamination by allowing you to program different modes and settings, such as tip ejection, reverse pipetting, and multi-dispensing. An electronic pipette can also alert you to potential errors, such as tip leakage, low battery, or calibration issues.

5 Use good pipetting techniques

Finally, one of the most important ways to reduce pipette contamination is to use good pipetting techniques. This means choosing the right pipette and tip for your application and volume range, pre-wetting the tip before aspirating the liquid, holding the pipette vertically and keeping the tip immersed while aspirating and dispensing, avoiding touching the tip to the walls or bottom of the container, changing the tip after each sample or solution, cleaning and sterilizing the pipette regularly, storing it in a proper place and position, and calibrating it periodically. By using these innovative ways to reduce pipette contamination in the laboratory, you can improve the quality and efficiency of your work, as well as protect your health and the environment. So what other practices do you use to prevent pipette contamination? Share your tips and experiences with us!

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?