Pipette tips may be a small part of the laboratory workflow, but their performance can influence sample recovery, accuracy, contamination control and the everyday experience of laboratory teams.
At the same time, laboratories are paying closer attention to the materials used in the consumables they rely on. This includes growing consideration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and opportunities to select consumables made with no intentionally added PFAS.
Biotix uTIP™ pipette tips provide laboratories with a liquid-handling solution designed to balance these considerations with the performance required for everyday pipetting. Alongside no intentionally added PFAS, the range incorporates technologies designed to support sample recovery, accurate liquid transfer and more comfortable pipetting.
Why Consider No Intentionally Added PFAS in Laboratory Consumables?
PFAS are a broad group of synthetic chemicals that have been used across many industries due to properties such as their resistance to heat, water and chemicals.
Their persistence in the environment has resulted in increased attention being placed on where PFAS are used and where their intentional use can be reduced.
For laboratories reviewing their consumables, material composition can therefore become another consideration alongside performance, quality and suitability for the application.
Choosing pipette tips made with no intentionally added PFAS provides laboratories with an option to reduce their reliance on the intentional use of these substances while continuing to meet the performance requirements of everyday liquid handling.
Supporting Sample Recovery with X-Resin™
When working with small volumes, sensitive applications or valuable samples, liquid remaining inside a pipette tip can make a difference.
Biotix uTIP tips incorporate X-Resin™, an ultra-low retention technology designed to reduce sample adhesion to the internal surface of the tip.
By helping more of the aspirated liquid reach its intended destination, low-retention tips can support more efficient sample use and consistent liquid transfer. Biotix identifies X-Resin as supporting maximum recovery of proteins, DNA and nanoparticles.
For laboratories working with valuable or limited samples, this can mean less sample left behind during routine pipetting.
Helping Improve Accuracy and Precision
Hanging droplets at the end of a pipette tip can introduce another variable into liquid-handling workflows and may require users to touch the tip against the receiving vessel to complete the transfer.
Biotix Blade™ technology is designed to reduce the surface area at the distal end of the pipette tip, helping minimise hanging droplets.
Reducing the need for tip touch-off can help support more efficient liquid transfer while contributing to the accuracy and precision required across repetitive laboratory workflows.
A Secure Seal with Less Force
Pipetting performance is not only influenced by what happens inside the tip. How the tip connects with the pipette can also affect both sealing and the user experience.
Biotix FlexFit™ technology uses a flexible proximal end designed to conform to the pipette barrel and create a secure seal.
This design requires less force when loading tips compared with conventional rigid designs, helping reduce the physical effort associated with repetitive tip attachment and ejection.
For laboratory teams completing frequent pipetting tasks throughout the day, considering ergonomics alongside technical performance can contribute to a more comfortable workflow.
Greater Flexibility Across Laboratory Pipettes
Laboratories may use different pipette brands, models and volume ranges across teams and applications. Managing multiple tip formats to accommodate these instruments can add complexity to consumable selection and inventory.
The uTIP range is designed for universal compatibility across a broad selection of pipettors.
For laboratories operating multiple pipette platforms, broader compatibility may help simplify consumable selection and make it easier to standardise tip use across workflows.
Supporting Quality and Contamination Control
The quality of a pipette tip is particularly important for applications where unwanted contaminants have the potential to interfere with results.
Biotix offers sterile BioReady™ uTIP options that undergo testing for contaminants including PCR inhibitors, endotoxins and pyrogens, nucleic acids, RNase, DNase and trace metals.
Filtered options are also available to provide an additional barrier between the sample and pipette where contamination control is an important consideration.
Together, these features provide laboratories with options that can be matched to the requirements of different applications rather than relying on a single tip format for every workflow.
Looking at the Complete Liquid-Handling Workflow
Selecting a pipette tip involves more than finding a consumable that fits a pipette.
Laboratories may need to consider material composition, sample recovery, accuracy and precision, contamination control, compatibility and the experience of the people completing repetitive pipetting tasks.
With no intentionally added PFAS, alongside technologies designed to address common liquid-handling challenges, the Biotix uTIP range brings these considerations together in one solution.
For laboratories reviewing their consumables, this provides an opportunity to consider how pipette tip selection can support evolving material considerations without compromising the performance required for reliable day-to-day liquid handling.
