GC was once commonly called “GLC,” where the “L” stands for liquid. Inside GC columns are particles of a ceramic...

Chromatographers who learned their craft twenty years ago may not have been familiar with autosamplers then, but today nearly every high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) instrument includes an autosampler as standard equipment.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns are considered the “heart” of the instrument because that is where the separations occur. Columns consist of stainless steel tubes with inlet and outlet openings. Plastic or glass may

Mills and grinders are used to prepare samples (of minerals, plants, food, drugs, pigments, and forensic materials, for example) through particle size reduction (comminution). Afterward, samples are analyzed for their components or to demonstrate spe

Automated systems employing microplates in biological and chemical assays may consist of liquid dispensers, plate washers, mixers, readers, sealers, labelers, shakers, incubators and storage. Tying these components together are microplate handlers, w

Flexibility (available detection modes), performance (sensitivity, throughput), and cost are prime considerations in microplate reader selection, although the order of preference may differ for each market. Detection modes define the instrument&rsquo

RNA interference (RNAi) uses short strands of synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNA) to silence or “knock down” genes implicated in certain phenotypes—most commonly (but not limited to) diseases. The “interference” occurs when

Analytical balances use enclosed weigh pans and come in two basic varieties: microbalances (accurate to 1 μg) and semi-microbalances (10 μg). Modern balances come equipped with built-in applications for piece counting, density calculations,

BSCs are distinct from other safety enclosures. Fume hoods pull air over the work item and into the environment through a vent, whereas controlled atmosphere glove boxes are completely enclosed, protecting both users and samples through an airtight b

Biological shakers are used to Cool Thermal Mixer agitate a collection of biological samples simultaneously. Shakers consist of a motor attached to a flat surface, with fasteners for securing labware whose contents require mixing. All points on the s

Centrifuges are among a select group of laboratory instruments that are as scalable as they are configurable. Individuals who have used benchtop centrifuges that handle sub-milliliter volumes may be surprised to learn that centrifuges— some as

Lab chillers remove heat from one object and transfer it to another, usually by means of a liquid. Thermo Fisher Scientific defines chillers as “refrigerated recirculating liquid cooling system[s] consisting of a compressor, condenser, evaporat

What to look for when choosing cleanroom casework

It would be difficult to imagine a chemistry laboratory without at least one fume hood. Despite their ubiquity and the notion that they are not “sexy” lab products, a great deal of innovation has occurred in fume hoods during the last dec

Glove boxes are completely closed compartments ranging in size from a few cubic feet to several hundred cubic feet. They differ from other safety enclosures in two ways: users can introduce articles into glove boxes and manipulate them inside through

Laboratory incubators are used to grow and maintain cell cultures and are available in a variety of sizes and types. They are divided into two main categories: gassed incubators (CO2 incubators) and non gassed or microbiological incubators. CO2 incub

LIMS products vary from software for small laboratories to systems for enterprise-class distribution, where large implementations can cost millions of dollars and encompass licensing, training, validation and other required services. As with other so

Low-temperature laboratory freezers can achieve temperatures of about -40° C or lower. Kitchen freezers, by contrast, operate to about -20° C. The temperature “sweet spot” for lab freezers is about -85° C. “Mechanical&rd

Most basic lab uses employ oven temperatures from just above ambient to several hundred degrees Fahrenheit, although ovens used for materials processing reach temperatures in excess of 1000ºF. Kilns, specialty ovens used to process ceramics, may

The high-throughput demands of modern laboratories have led to a rise in pipette-related repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). In a worstcase scenario, RSIs can lead to surgery and lost productivity costing tens of thousands of dollars. Improved ergonom

Lab refrigerators and freezers are similar in construction to household units, and come in a variety of temperature ranges, shapes and sizes. Freezer and refrigeration options fall into four general temperature categories: +4ºC refrigerators

Defining the term “specialty gas” seems simple at first. But after considering the numerous ways specialty gases might differ from their commodity counterparts, it becomes tempting to apply the aphorism “I can’t define it, but

Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis measures the carbon content of dissolved and particulate organic materials in water. It’s nonspecific, meaning it tells how much organic carbon is present without identifying the contaminant. The carbon measu

Costs associated with generating a vacuum, such as process costs, user costs and cost to the environment, have never really been considered seriously. Although technology has advanced to provide smaller, cleaner and quieter options, not many people a

Many labs today rely on glassware washers, as they ensure consistent cleaning of critical labware, free up technician time for more value-added work, and provide assurance and validation in regulated industries. “Generally, the more critical th

As instruments have become more sensitive and applications increasingly complex, the demand for high-purity water has also increased. Parts-per-million (ppm) is no longer the smallest level of contamination, as users are testing for parts-per-billion