Pipette tips are manufactured with a wide range of specifications like filter tips, low retention tips, and there is just so much to choose from that one might get confused. It is vital to have an understanding of all these different types and know what kind of tips are the best for your pipette and situation. If you’re not familiar with all this and you have no idea about choosing a suitable pipette tip, we’re here with this guide to help you understand the basics. By keeping these six things in mind, you will be able to choose the right pipette tip and save yourself from a lot of hassle and costly experimental errors.
Make Sure That The Material Is Of High Quality:
This is the most primary thing to ensure when purchasing a pipette tip. Make sure that the pipette tip you’re purchasing has been manufactured using high-quality virgin polypropylene. If the quality is not good, the efficiency of your pipetting will be compromised due to bad retention and less precision. Remember that it’s never wise to compromise in quality.
Beware Of Additives:
The next thing to be careful about is metal and plastic and additives that are usually found in blue and yellow tips. These additives can add another hassle to your already demanding job by contaminating your sample. Especially when working with expensive reagents, it’s not wise to take any risk as the contamination can cost you considerably. Also, when you’re purchasing 20ul filter tips, make sure that the filter is made of polyethylene and is free from additives such as cellulose.
Make Sure The Mold Quality Is Premium:
An injection molding machine is used to manufacture pipette tips. The design of the mold and the quality of the polypropylene being injected into the mold decide the ultimate shape and quality of the tip. Low mold quality can result in oddly sized, un-accurate tips. It’s crucial to ensure when purchasing that the mold quality is premium.
Make Sure There Are No Contaminants:
If your experiment is sensitive to contamination, eg., microbiological testing, its handling is critical and there is no room for any kind of risks. Even minor contamination of the sample would ruin it which will not only increase your work but will also waste your sample. Therefore, it’s better to make sure that you only buy tips that are free of RNase, DNase, DNA, Pyrogen, PCR Inhibitors, and ATP. Make sure that the tips you’re purchasing have been certified to be manufactured according to the quality standards and are well suited for pipetting of nucleic amplification, radioactive samples, or other applications requiring critical sample handling. Filter tips for Rainin LTS are an excellent example of this.
Make Sure That They’re Compatible:
Compatibility is a crucial factor since not all pipette tips are compatible with every pipettor. Keeping this in mind, you should always make sure that the tip you’re purchasing fits your pipettors without having to apply extra force. In easy words, It should fit easily and stay firm in its place without loosening. Most pipette tip manufacturers provide a compatibility chart to help you choose an appropriately fitting tip without getting confused. However, most of the tips are compatible to work with almost every famous pipettor brand globally.
You Can Try Low Retention:
If your experiments involve handling precious samples or expensive reagents, or it requires highly accurate handling, you must opt for low retention tubes. Just as the name suggests, these tips prevent sticky or viscous samples from retaining onto the inner surface of the tip. The exponentially increasing popularity of these tips is remarkable. However, you should keep in mind that these tips are generally regarded as premium tips and can cost you a bit more than the normal ones. They’re indeed well worth the money. The only thing to ensure while purchasing low retention tips is that the tips must not have a secondary process during manufacturing. Secondary processing such as silicone coating can cause compounds leaching from the tip during use. (Westlab)
To wrap up:
With your pipette and tip working together, you will be able to achieve precise and accurate results. Choosing a suitable tip will become a lot easier if you keep these tips in mind. If you’re looking for filter tips or other equipment related to microbiology, visit microbiology products now.
Works Cited
Biotix. “How to Choose the Right Pipette Tips for your Experiment.” Biotix, 27 September
2016, https://biotix.com/how-to-choose-the-right-pipette-tips-for-your-experiment/.
Accessed 4 January 2022.
Westlab. “A Guide to Choosing a Pipette Tip Westlab.” Westlab, 13 November 2019,
https://www.westlab.com/blog/2019/11/13/a-guide-to-choosing-a-pipette-tip. Accessed 4
January 2022.
