4 Tips for Better Pipetting

A pipette is often used in the laboratory to remove small or trace amounts of liquid. The specifications are different. The pipettes of different specifications use different sizes of the tip, and the shapes produced by different manufacturers are slightly different. However the working principle and operation method are basically the same. The pipette is a precision instrument. Be careful when using and storing it to prevent damage and avoid affecting its range.

The pipette first appeared in 1956 and was invented by Schnitger, a scientist at the German Institute of Physiology and Chemistry. After that, in 1958, the German company began to produce push-button micro-samplers, becoming the first company in the world to produce micro-samplers. These micropipettes have a liquid absorption range of 1-1000 μl and are suitable for clinical routine chemistry laboratory use. The micro-sampler has been developed to this day. Not only is the sample addition more accurate, but also a variety of varieties, such as micro-dispensers, multi-channel micro-samplers, etc., the physical principles of sample addition are as follows:

① Using air pad (also known as piston stroke) for sample loading;

② Using a piston without an air pad is moving sample loading. The two different principles of the micro-sampler have different specific applications.

The pipette is a device used in the laboratory for the removal of a small/trace amount of liquid. The pipette is a precision instrument, which should be taken care of during use and storage to avoid damage. According to the operating method, the pipette falls into types: mechanical and electronic. However, mechanical pipettes are more commonly used than electronic pipettes.

Auxiliary Consumable of Pipette

The pipette is usually used with a pipette rack and pipette head.
Pipette rack: The pipette can be hung on it, and there are only two types of pipette tacks: linear and round, both of which can be mounted with 6 pipettes.

Pipette head: Different ranges of the nozzle head have different colors. Some of the nozzle heads have a filter cartridge that aims to avoid the pipette contaminated by the sample. There are three categories of pipette heads: advanced pipette tips(imported), standard pipette tips(domestic), and advanced filter pipette tips(come with filter cartridge). All of them are made of PP.

Purchase of Pipette

1. Product performance: accuracy and repeatability of the pipette. It is mainly based on the technical data provided by the manufacturer.
2. Reliable and durable products. This depends largely on the material used in the pipette. In this case, it should have high impact resistance, corrosion resistance, and low thermal conductivity.
3. The ergonomic design of products. This refers to the degree of comfort and handleability during use.

Tips for Better Pipetting

The scientists use the pipette as a precision instrument that removes a small amount of liquid. The following tips may help you to have a big impact on your results.

First, accuracy can be improved by up to 5%, when the tip immersion depth is correct. Depending on the tip size, the tip should be immersed between 1-2 mm for micro-volume pipettes and up to 3-6 mm for normal pipettes. If the tip is immersed too far, the gas in the tip will be compressed, followed by too much liquid aspirated.

Second, the immersion angle of your pipette tip in the sample should be as near to vertical as possible. It’s proved that a more horizontal angle leads to more liquid drawing into the tip, which can make aspiration inaccurate.

Third, we can get better accuracy if we make sure that the last remaining droplet dispenses completely without adhering to the tip end. We recommend you dispense the pipette with the end of the tip resting against the vessel wall to reduce or eliminate the amount of sample remaining in the tip.

Last, always rinse a new tip at least two times with the liquid that is going to be used before you use the pipette. And try to keep a consistent rhythm of pipetting from sample to sample.