March 16, 2016

Does weather affect pipetting? YES!

This study uses a two factor design (temperature and humidity) to investigate volumetric performance (precision and trueness) at environmental conditions from 15 °C to 30 °C and 30% to 80% relative humidity. Nine environmental conditions were tested, the mid point, four corner cases and four edge cases. Replicate testing was performed at the mid point and corner cases.
February 4, 2015

Environmental Studies Using the Tecan QC Kit and an Automated Liquid Handling System

Liquid handler performance can be optimized by adjusting system operating parameters, but the effect of environmental conditions on liquid handling quality is often underappreciated.
October 20, 2013

Artel Extreme Pipetting Expedition: Measuring the Impact of Common Environmental Conditions on Laboratory Data Integrity

A team of scientists journey to extreme locations to demonstrate how even the most typical laboratory conditions can wreak havoc on pipette accuracy.
October 20, 2013

Extreme Pipetting IV: It’s Not the Heat, It’s the…

Understanding how pipettes perform in high humidity is critical for laboratory data integrity. According to regulatory standards, pipette calibration laboratories must control their relative humidity at greater than 50%, while working laboratories are often significantly drier.
September 30, 2013

Errors Associated with Pipetting of Warm and Cold Liquids

Many common laboratory procedures require the handling and quantitative dispensing of reagents at various temperatures. Mechanical action micropipettes are most often used for this routine task. The construction of these pipettes, however, makes their performance susceptible to variations in temperatures of the samples dispensed.
September 23, 2013

Errors in Liquid Delivery

Many common laboratory procedures require quantitative pipettes and mechanical action air-displacement micropipettes are frequently used for this purpose. The design of these pipettes, however, makes their performance susceptible to sample temperature, as well as to environmental relative humidity and barometric pressure.
September 23, 2013

Climb Every Mountain: Extreme Pipetting I

The Effect of Barometric Pressure on Data Integrity One cold day in early winter, a group of scientists prepare to trek to the top of Mount […]
September 23, 2013

Extreme Pipetting II: Thermal Exploration

The effect of fluid temperature on data integrity After studying the effects of barometric pressure on pipette volumes atop New Hampshire’s Mount Washington—home of the world’s […]
September 20, 2013

Extreme Pipetting III: Death Valley Data

The effect of dry heat on laboratory data As the Artel extreme pipetting expedition team set out for Mission 3, only one thing was certain: it was […]
September 20, 2013

Minimizing Liquid Delivery Risk: Laboratory Environmental Conditions as Sources of Error

In light of the multitude of error sources, it is easy to overlook the environmental conditions in the laboratory, and the effects they can exert on the quantitative dispensing of liquid with handheld pipettes.