Keeping Syringes Clean for Testing

[William Morris]

So I am leaning toward getting a Micropipette with disposable tips.
In the meantime, I normally rinse the syringes that come with the various test kits with R/O water after I use them.
Is that a best practice or should I perhaps be doing something else?

 

[Tcook]

That is fine. If you really wanted to be anal (analytical chem) you could rinse them 3 times with RO.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree that's a fine plan.

 

[William Morris]

I agree that's a fine plan.

Randy - do you mean to use the Micropipette with disposable tips?

 

[snulma1]

Why not buy a bag of disposable plastic pipettes?
100 , Three ML pipettes is 5 dollars.
When they are dirty....Toss it!

 

[Reef.]

Why not buy a bag of disposable plastic pipettes?
100 , Three ML pipettes is 5 dollars.
When they are dirty....Toss it!

I think the OP is referring to the measuring syringe not a pipette.

But those are a good idea for getting salt water onto a refractometer, as they need to be clean to get a correct reading.

 

[snulma1]

I think the OP is referring to the measuring syringe not a pipette.

But those are a good idea for getting salt water onto a refractometer, as they need to be clean to get a correct reading.

Maybe, but these have measurements and come in 1, 3, 5, 7(I think), and 10 ml sizes.

 

[Reef.]

Maybe, but these have measurements and come in 1, 3, 5, 7(I think), and 10 ml sizes.

Didn’t realise that...not sure how accurate they would be though, I would expect quite hard to fill to the correct level, with air getting trapped etc

 

[Reef.]

So I am leaning toward getting a Micropipette with disposable tips.
In the meantime, I normally rinse the syringes that come with the various test kits with R/O water after I use them.
Is that a best practice or should I perhaps be doing something else?

doesn’t the Micropipette have the same issue with cleaning? The inside will still need cleaning every time it’s used, same as a syringe as the disposable tips don’t extend inside?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy - do you mean to use the Micropipette with disposable tips?

Meant this whole plan:

So I am leaning toward getting a Micropipette with disposable tips.
In the meantime, I normally rinse the syringes that come with the various test kits with R/O water after I use them.



Most labs like mine use adjustable pipettors with disposable yips.

 

[elysics]

Isn't that complete overkill? Not to mention yet another thing that you need to regularly calibrate

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

doesn’t the Micropipette have the same issue with cleaning? The inside will still need cleaning every time it’s used, same as a syringe as the disposable tips don’t extend inside?

Liquid never gets inside a typical pipettor with disposable tips. The tips are sized to hold the full volume.

 

[Reef.]

So I am leaning toward getting a Micropipette with disposable tips.
In the meantime, I normally rinse the syringes that come with the various test kits with R/O water after I use them.
Is that a best practice or should I perhaps be doing something else?

Have you sourced a place to buy the tips?

I’ve done a quick search for the disposable tips and they seem very expensive?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I got one for christmas and its the best thing since sliced bread. I typically rinse it once with RO going between my SW tanks and twice when I am done. I plan on replacing the tip monthly. Love that thing.

 

[Reef.]

I got one for christmas and its the best thing since sliced bread. I typically rinse it once with RO going between my SW tanks and twice when I am done. I plan on replacing the tip monthly. Love that thing.

Oh I was thinking you changed the tip after every use, guess it’s not so expensive then.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Oh I was thinking you changed the tip after every use, guess it’s not so expensive then.

In most lab settings, you do.

This pipettor:

Cole-Parmer EX+ Adjustable Volume Pipettor, 1-5 mL; Each from Cole-Parmer

Buy Cole-Parmer EX+ Adjustable Volume Pipettor, 1-5 mL; Each and more from our comprehensive selection of Cole-Parmer EX-Plus Adjustable-Volume Pipettor

www.coleparmer.com

uses disposable tips that cost about 25 cents each:

Always in Stock - Cole-Parmer Macropipettor Pipette Tips, 1-5 mL, 200/Bag from Cole-Parmer

Shop Cole-Parmer Macropipettor Pipette Tips, 1-5 mL, 200/Bag at Cole-Parmer. Get customer service with technical expertise from scientists, for scientists.

www.coleparmer.com

 

[Malcontent]

Rinsing with RO water should be fine if each test has a dedicated syringe.

It's really quick to rinse a pipette tip with a beaker of RO water. Just stick the tip in and depress the plunger three times and you're done.

I found that larger volume micropipettes weren't linear at higher elevations. The ones calibrated at sea level had to be recalibrated. This was more or less fine if they were fixed volume but if they were variable volume they would only be accurate close to the calibration volume. I ended up having to switch to a positive displacement pipette.