Filtered Pipette Tips

What Are Filtered Pipette Tips?

Filtered pipette tips contain a hydrophobic aerosol-barrier plug — polyethylene (PE) frit or cellulose — embedded inside the tip body, positioned to intercept aerosol and liquid that would otherwise travel up through the tip collar into the pipette barrel during dispensing or when handling volatile or splashing samples. The filter protects the pipette barrel from internal contamination (which requires costly professional decontamination) and protects samples from cross-contamination by previously deposited nucleic acids, proteins, or biohazardous material in the barrel. Filtered tips are the standard consumables for PCR and qPCR setup, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, working with radioactive or biohazardous agents, and any workflow where a single contaminated barrel could compromise a run or an experiment. Non-filtered tips remain appropriate for routine buffer, media, and reagent dispensing where cross-contamination through the barrel is not a concern. Use filtered tips for all nucleic acid work, PCR, and biohazardous samples; use standard tips for routine buffer and reagent dispensing.

What you will find:

• Universal Fit Filter Tips: – Designed to fit a wide range of standard pipettes, with options including wide-bore, low-retention, sterile, RNase/DNase-free, and aerosol barrier formats to support diverse liquid handling applications while maintaining sample integrity.
• LTS Compatible Filter Tips:– Optimized for high-performance pipetting systems, featuring extended-length and rack-packed configurations for deep-vessel access, with bulk-pack options available to support reliable, high-throughput laboratory workflows.

How to Choose Filtered Pipette Tips

Filter Material: Polyethylene Frit vs Cellulose
Hydrophobic PE frits are the most common and most studied aerosol-barrier material; they block liquid ingress reliably without absorbing sample material or releasing fibres. Cellulose filters are used in some barrier tips (including the original Thermo Barrier tips); they are effective aerosol barriers but can absorb a small volume of aqueous sample, relevant at ≤10 µL, where the absorbed volume is proportionally significant.

Universal Fit vs LTS-Compatible Filtered Tips
Universal filtered tips use standard collar geometry (3.8 mm for ≤10 µL, 6.1 mm for ≤200 µL) and fit Eppendorf, Rainin Classic (non-LTS), Thermo pipettes. LTS-compatible filtered tips use Rainin's cylindrical LTS mounting geometry and are required for Rainin LTS pipettes. 
Low-Retention Filtered Tips
Low-retention filtered tips combine an aerosol barrier with a hydrophobic inner tip wall, reducing liquid adhesion during dispensing. They are recommended for small-volume (≤10 µL) nucleic acid work, RNA, protein, and enzyme dispensing, where both contamination protection and volume accuracy are critical.

Volume Range
Filtered tips are available across 10 µL (P2–P10), 20 µL (P20), 100 µL (P100), 200 µL (P200), 300 µL, 1,000 µL (P1000), and 1,250 µL extended formats. Extended-length filtered tips reach deep into 15 mL and 50 mL conical tubes for nucleic acid elution and sample transfer steps.

Packaging
Filtered tips are typically sterile-racked (96/rack, 10 racks/box); reload/refill formats are available for high-volume filter tip users.

Compare Filtered Pipette Tip Types

• Universal Filter, Standard – PE frit filter, standard PP surface, 10–1,250 µL volume range; suitable for PCR setup, RNA, and biohazardous samples.
• Universal Filter, Low-Retention – PE frit filter, hydrophobic PP surface, 10–1,000 µL volume range; suitable for RNA, proteins, and small-volume accuracy.
• Universal Filter, Extended-Length – PE frit filter, standard PP surface, 200–1,000 µL volume range; suitable for deep tube access during elution and transfer.
• LTS Filter, Standard – PE frit filter, standard PP surface, 20–1,200 µL volume range; suitable for PCR and RNA applications with Rainin LTS pipettes.
• LTS Filter, Low-Retention – PE frit filter, hydrophobic PP surface, 20–1,000 µL volume range; suitable for small-volume nucleic acid applications with LTS pipettes.

Specifications Context

Globe Scientific filter tips are certified free of human DNA, RNase, DNase, pyrogens, and PCR inhibitors; sterile, in flip-top or hinged racks. Sorenson Bioscience universal filter tips span 10–1,250 µL in standard rack, and EcoRack reload formats, pre-sterilised, DNase/RNase-free. Invitrogen Barrier Tips (Thermo Fisher) are the original reference for nucleic acid work with cellulose filter elements; compatible with Eppendorf pipettes. Globe Scientific, Nest Scientific, and Sorenson Bioscience filtered tips are stocked by MBP Inc. 

Don’t let cross-contamination stall your progress. Reach out to the MBP team today for a quote or to find the perfect fit for your specific pipette brand.