Disposable Pipette Tips for Contamination-Free Thin-Film Chromatography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for thin-layer chromatography are hindered by contamination issues and the need for extensive cleaning processes, which slow down the automation of multiple chromatography processes and prevent contamination-free evaluations.
Innovation Solution
The use of an automatic pipetting machine with disposable pipette tips for each sample and flow agent application, ensuring new tips are used for each process to prevent contamination, and a capillary-active contact device for efficient flow agent distribution on the separating layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a reusable applicator or printhead is used for automated sample and mobile phase application, then automation is achieved, but contamination from previous applications occurs requiring extensive cleaning processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable capillaries for sample application and disposable pins for mobile phase application. These single-use components eliminate contamination risks entirely, as each new application uses a fresh, uncontaminated tool. The capillaries are discarded after one use, and the pins are replaced between mobile phase applications, ensuring no carryover contamination occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The application device is segmented into separate functional components: a reusable applicator body and disposable exchangeable elements (capillaries and pins). This segmentation allows the disposable parts to be easily replaced without discarding the entire application device, combining automation with contamination prevention through modular design.
2Reliability
If cleaning processes are implemented between automated application steps, then contamination is reduced, but execution speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By using disposable capillaries and pins instead of cleaning reusable components, the patent eliminates the time-consuming cleaning steps entirely. The disposable elements are simply discarded and replaced with new ones, maintaining high execution speed while ensuring complete contamination prevention.
3Device complexity
If reusable components are used for mobile phase application, then device complexity is reduced, but contamination of samples with mobile phase residues occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable pins for mobile phase application to prevent contamination of samples with mobile phase residues from previous applications. Each pin is used once and then discarded, ensuring that no mobile phase carryover occurs between different mobile phase applications or between sample and mobile phase steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for rapid, largely automated thin-layer chromatography with minimized contamination risks, enabling quick and precise sample analysis without the need for extensive cleaning, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the process.
Implementation Method 1
A mobile phase migrates along a solid, finely porous support material of a separation layer due to capillary forces
Implementation Method 2
a capillary-active contact device (22) for applying the mobile phase onto the separating layer (14)
Data Source
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AI summary
In a method for carrying out thin-film chromatography, wherein a liquid sample is applied to a separating layer (14), wherein, subsequently, a solvent is applied onto the separating layer (14) and brought into contact with the sample, and wherein a thin-film chromatogram is generated after a development phase, the liquid sample is taken from a sample storage container (11, 12, 13) with the aid of an automatic pipette (4) with a new pipette tip (8, 9) for each sample application process and applied to the separating layer (14). A device (5) suitable for carrying out the method, comprising a support plate (15) for holding a separating layer (14), comprising a first storage container (10, 11, 12, 13) for holding a sample and comprising a second storage container (16) for holding a solvent, has an automatic pipetting apparatus (4), which can be displaced over a surface of the support plate (15) and over the first storage container (10, 11, 12, 13) and the second storage container (16), and a store of pipette tips (8, 9), which can successively be taken by the pipetting apparatus (4), be used and subsequently be detached and removed from the pipetting apparatus (4) again.