Pipetting errors are a common hazard of lab work that contribute to variation within and between experiments.
Most handheld pipettors are air displacement pipettors. They work by focusing air pressure through your pipette tip so that no mechanical part of the pipette touches your sample. Air displacement can be a highly precise method of liquid handling that protects samples from contamination. However, factors that impact air pressure or pipette tip function can lead to volume errors, particularly when working with small volumes.
The microPro 300 offers numerous features that prevent common pipetting errors and maintain high levels of consistency in your experiments.
| Common error | microPro advantage |
|---|---|
| Poor Tip Seal: A pipette tip that is not properly set on its pipette leads to a poor seal that can dramatically impact volumes. This can become especially problematic on handheld multichannel pipettes when it is more difficult to feel if a tip is correctly seated. | Tip Cartridge System: microPro tips are factory installed to the correct position and pressure every time. Seating tips on the instrument is easy and reliable, even with a distracted user. |
| Variation in Pipetting Speed: When using a manual pipettor, variation in pipetting speed can result in uneven liquid volumes on aspirate or dispense. Aspirating too quickly can cause inaccuracies with viscous liquids, lead to air bubbles, or liquid contact with the pipette filter, increasing the chance of contamination. Dispensing a liquid too quickly can lead to splatter or disrupt cells on the bottom of a microplate. Alternatively, slow speeds may not be necessary for some liquids and can take up precious lab time. | Programmable Pipetting Speed: The microPro offers a wide range of speeds, customizable to work quickly for productivity or take it slow with thick or sticky liquids. With consistent pipetting speed across all 96 channels, speed related variation is a thing of the past. |
| Tip Contact: Touching tips to the bottom of a well during pipetting can result in incorrect liquid volumes due to blockage of the tip opening. When working with cell lines, accidental contact with a tip can impair cell health. Contact with tips can puncture the filter membranes or damage optical surfaces on plates, impacting imaging and reader performance. | Pipetting Depth Recall: Once again, microPro’s pipetting depth recall saves users from a common error. Programmed depths avoid touching the bottom of the plate every time you pipette, ensuring protected plates and consistent volumes. |
| Heat Transfer: As you work, your hands begin to warm up your pipettor. Most pipettors rely on air pressure to move liquids, and air pressure is impacted by changes in temperature. Thus, heat transfer from your hand to your pipette during extended use affects the air between the piston and liquid, making liquid transfers less accurate the longer the pipette is used. | Insulated Channels with Temperature Monitoring System: The pipetting channels of the microPro are isolated and insulated from the user’s body heat. If temperatures rise, a built-in monitoring system detects the change and an internal fan kicks in to circulate air and keep the unit consistent. Even during hours of use, the microPro maintains steady pressure for accurate volumes start to finish. |