Core indicator: "Range matching degree" with the volume of the pipette

The measurement range of the pipette tip must strictly correspond to the actual volume of liquid to be moved. This is the key to ensuring accuracy and avoiding the situation of "overused material for underuse" or "underused material for overuse".

The optimal adaptation range: The volume of liquid to be transferred should fall within 35% to 100% of the pipette tip's capacity range (for example, for a 10-100μL pipette tip, it is recommended to transfer 35-100μL of liquid; for a 100-1000μL pipette tip, it is recommended to transfer 350-1000μL of liquid).

The impact of wrong choices

When using a small-range pipette tip (such as 10μL) to transfer excess liquid (such as 20μL) : The pipette tip cannot fully hold the liquid, which is prone to leakage, and the excess part cannot be precisely controlled.

When using large-capacity pipettes (such as 1000μL) to transfer trace amounts of liquid (such as 10μL), the internal space of the pipette tip is too large, resulting in a high liquid residue rate. Moreover, the accuracy of the pipette drops significantly in small volume ranges, with errors reaching over 10%.

Basic guarantee: "Material and Craftsmanship of Pipette Tips"

The material of the pipette tip directly determines the chemical stability, biocompatibility and pipetting repeatability.

Mainstream material: Polypropylene (PP

The vast majority of conventional pipette tips are made of high-purity polypropylene (PP), and its advantages are:

Strong chemical stability: Resistant to most conventional reagents (such as ethanol, methanol, buffer solutions), and does not react with the sample.

Good biocompatibility: Free of DNA enzymes, RNA enzymes, and pyrogens (endotoxins), suitable for molecular biology (such as PCR) and cell experiments;

High transparency: It is convenient to observe whether the liquid is fully absorbed and if there are any bubbles.

Note: Avoid choosing low-purity PP pipette tips, as they may contain impurities (such as plasticizers) that can adsorb samples or release contaminants.

"Craftsmanship details"

Inner wall smoothness: The inner wall is free of scratches and burrs, which can reduce liquid adsorption (especially for samples such as proteins and nucleic acids).

Suction port flatness: The edge of the suction port should be free of deformation and notches to prevent air leakage or liquid adhesion during suction.

Scale clarity: If the pipette tip has a scale (such as 10μL, 100μL), the scale should be clear and precise to facilitate quick volume confirmation.

Hidden risk: Whether there is "pollution and interference"

For highly sensitive experiments (such as PCR and immunoassay), the "cleanliness" of the pipette tip directly determines the success or failure of the experiment. Attention should be paid to:

Enzyme-free/pyrogen-free: The pipette tips must undergo strict cleaning and verification to ensure they are free of DNA enzymes, RNA enzymes, and proteases (to prevent degradation of nucleic acid/protein samples), and are pyrogen-free (endotoxins to avoid affecting cell activity or animal experiments).

No residue of additives: Some inferior pipette tips are added with mold release agents during production. If not cleaned thoroughly, they may react with the sample or inhibit the experiment (such as affecting the activity of PCR enzymes).

Sterility: For cell culture and microbiological experiments, "sterile pipette tips" should be selected. The packaging must indicate the sterilization method (such as gamma-ray sterilization) and the sterility validity period. After opening, they should be used in a sterile environment (such as a laminar flow hood) to avoid secondary contamination.