In many laboratory processes, precision and accuracy is crucial. This is especially true when handling items with a high risk for contamination. Good thing technology is constantly evolving, and many machineries in laboratory use, including a liquid handler, have been improved and upgraded accordingly. This article will tackle automated liquid handling systems and how they work.
What is liquid handling?
Liquid handling is the transfer of liquid from one location to another for a variety of purposes. A common practice is to use a pipette for manual transfer. While this may seem a simple task, it can be strenuous and time-consuming, especially when handling very low volumes. Reaching a high accuracy is also difficult when there’s a human factor involved. This is where automated liquid handling can help eliminate all risk factors and ensure higher accuracy. At an age where even businesses are embracing AI call centers, automating liquid handling is highly advantageous.
What are basic techniques in handling liquids?
Pipetting
As previously mentioned, pipetting is a common technique for handling liquids. Pipettes are used to measure and transfer liquids in specific volumes. Depending on the volume and application, there are electronic, manual, and multi-channel pipettes that can be used.
Dispensing
This is a process where liquid is released into a container or a different surface. Transfer is usually done using burettes, pipettes, or automated liquid handlers.
Mixing
Liquids are mixed homogeneously as part of a sample preparation, reactions, or assays. Some of the techniques used include vortexing and automated and manual stirring.
Who can benefit from automated liquid handling?
Automated handling systems are often used in laboratories with high throughput. But as the need for accuracy and precision grows, the system’s adoption has also grown significantly. Nearly any laboratory that aims for accurate results uses the automated systems. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering that an automatic handler reduces labor, human error, and contamination. The increased efficiency and accuracy is especially beneficial for smaller to mid-sized labs.
What are the benefits of automated liquid handling?
Improved efficiency and accuracy
With human errors reduced if not eliminated, experimental results are more reliable. Automatic systems are more than capable of ensuring sample volumes are consistent all throughout.
Reduced risk of contamination
An automated liquid handler is often designed in enclosed environments with every step handled work utmost care. It’s built with safe laboratory practices in mind. Due to non-contact transfer and dispensing, cross-contamination is avoided.
Increased productivity
Between manual and automated pipetting, the latter can speed up the process without sacrificing accuracy. An automated system can process hundreds or thousands of samples faster than any human could.
Cost efficiency
An automated liquid handler is anything but cheap. If you take into account the reduced cost of labor, wastage and reagents, however, you’ll appreciate the long-term savings the system provides.
What are the applications of liquid handlers?
Liquid handling is often used in pharmaceutical research, proteomics, clinical diagnostics, genomics and molecular biology, and food safety and environmental testing. Some of the processes handled are PCR setup, nucleic acid preparation, liquid biopsy, liquid-liquid extraction, and solid phase extraction.
Because accurate results matter in liquid handling for laboratory applications, automation is the best way to go. Reducing the risks involved in manual processing, means high returns on investment. If you’re looking for an automated liquid handling system that ensures efficient and accurate processing, the Myra Liquid Handling System from Bio Molecular Systems is an excellent choice.
