How to Improve Your Pipetting Performance with Dense and Hazardous Liquids

Is there a simple pipetting solution for scientists working with viscous liquids such as oil and blood?

16 Nov 2017

Emily Adam

Publishing / Media

Ever wondered why your standard air displacement pipette struggles when pipetting ‘tricky’ liquids? Read on to discover how to improve your pipetting by using positive displacement pipettes, when working with liquids such as oils and blood.

In most circumstances air displacement pipettes offer a highly-accurate solution for dispensing liquids, however they can be adversely affected by the volatility, surface tension and temperature of the solution you’re working with. To combat this, Gilson has developed the MICROMAN^® E, a positive displacement pipette.

In this Q&A with Gilson, we explore how positive displacement improves results with these liquids.

How do positive displacement pipettes work?

Positive displacement pipettes are used with a piston integrated in a disposable tip. The piston has direct contact with the sample, and ensures positive displacement of the liquid to be dispensed without the presence of an unprotected airspace.

Why is this system better?

The benefits are twofold. Firstly, the absence of an unprotected airspace minimizes the chance of vapor or aerosol contamination. Secondly, the liquid’s properties cannot influence the volume of the liquid aspirated or dispensed, making the pipetting process more accurate.

What makes the MICROMAN^® E so special?

The MICROMAN^® E has been designed by highly-skilled engineers in partnership with scientists at the bench. We have over 60 years’ experience developing pipettes. In the case of the MICROMAN^® E, this pipette has been designed in collaboration with researchers and delivers contamination free results.

We are particularly proud of the improved comfort and ease-of-use this pipette offers, including:

A newly shaped handle, with an added finger hook
Fully-visible volumeter, with volume securing button
Large push button which allows you to aspirate and dispense with ease

The MICROMAN® E uses disposable capillaries and piston, are these easy to use?

Yes, we have a patented QuickSnap capillary piston fitting system that allows you to fit a capillary piston on to MICROMAN^® E as simply as fitting a standard tip to a standard pipette. They are designed to fit the MICROMAN^® E perfectly, and using them ensures the optimal performance of the pipette.

For more information on the results obtained with the MICROMAN^® E, check out this informative white paper.

What applications do you see the MICROMAN^® E being used for?

The MICROMAN^® E is suitable to use with all liquids which are typically considered to be harder to work with. This includes viscous, dense, hot, volatile and hazardous liquids.

We have produced a range of application notes on the following topics, which highlight the diversity of the pipette: