Everything That You Must Know About The Pipette

Pipettes are used in a wide range of laboratories worldwide, spanning from high schools and universities to cutting-edge research facilities and hospitals. A wide range of dimensions, designs, and volumes is available for these tiny yet highly useful devices, with different pipettes being employed depending on the application.

Best-practice approaches for using a pipette in the laboratory are discussed in greater detail below. Furthermore, we will go over many significant pipette facts, such as their working mechanism and pipette uses.

Brief History of Pipettes

Although the technology of pipettes has already been known for more than a century, it was not until 1957 that the first micropipette was trademarked. This instrument was designed by Dr. Heinrich Schnitger, a German scientist and the creator of Eppendorf. The instruments that he created in his laboratory equipment manufacturing firm soon gained a lot of popularity worldwide.

How Do Pipettes Work?

A laboratory pipette functions by sucking up and releasing liquid through an air vacuum created above the liquid-holding chamber. In this air displacement design, which is used in both hand-operated and electronic pipettes, the tip is put just below the surface of a liquid, resulting in a more accurate measurement. When the pressure on the plunger is released, fluid is drawn up into the tip of the plunger. The plunger is compressed to drive the liquid back down the chamber and out of the tip, refilling it.

Tips To Pick The Right Pipette

Whenever using a laboratory pipette, it's indeed important to select the most appropriate equipment for the task at hand. The performance and functionality of pipettes, as previously discussed, might differ greatly between different models. Before picking a pipette, it is generally advisable to consider the following factors:

•         Type of Liquid

Make sure to assess which type of liquid will be transported through the pipette. Is it abrasive, and is there a possibility that it will destroy a pipette that is not suitable? What pipette lab equipment is utilized will depend on the viscosity of the sample as well.

•         Function of Pipette

Pipette function in the lab is directly related to the sort of work that is being done. Is it more vital to do the assignment quickly or with accuracy and precision? The answer to the mentioned questions will determine the type of pipette to be used.

•         Task Recurrence

What if the task is repetitive? As a result, ergonomically constructed pipettes can be helpful since they relieve tension and the possibility of errors that can compromise precision.

•         Budget

The sort of pipettes that are used in laboratories is frequently determined by the budget available. Electrical pipettes are pricier than their manual counterparts because they are more frequent in less technically advanced laboratory settings.

Steps To Use Pipette Properly for Success

Do you wish to know the right procedure for how to use a pipette for the precise result? If yes, then here it is!

To maximize the possibility of reliably and repeatedly measuring a precise amount using an air-displacement pipette, follow these steps:

1. Adjust the pipette's volume.
2. Push the plunger.
3. Dip the tip to the proper depth and easily release the plunger.
4. To get the liquid to flow into the tip, give it about one second.
5. Place the pipette at 10–45 degrees against the receiving chamber's wall and smoothly depress the plunger.
6. Wait for a second, and then press the plunger again.
7. Remove the pipette by sliding the tip up the vessel wall.
8. Allow the plunger to return to its resting position.

Reading the instructions is critical to proper pipette use in the laboratory. Pipettes must be used properly by all lab employees to get the desired results.