Sample concentrators and evaporators, such as Organomation’s nitrogen dyers, are helpful research tools in a wide range of laboratories with technical area of focus such as chemistry, biology and environmental sciences. In under a minute, answer a couple questions to determine which sample concentrator is best for your needs.
While there are numerous unique ways to utilize tools in this category, such as purging oxygen in proteomics, the four most popular applications are sample preparation, solvent removal, sample preservation, and experimental encapsulation.
Sample Preparation: Concentrators are particularly important when dealing with very dilute solutions where the analyte needs to be detected at very low concentrations. Blow down evaporators are frequently used to prepare samples for analysis by concentrating them, commonly ahead of tandem chromatography mass spectrometry.
Solvent Removal: These devices are adept at removing solvents from a mixture, which is crucial for processes where the solvent could interfere with further analysis or where the concentration of solutes is necessary.
In academic labs, student researchers typically remove excess solvent by hand which involves holding a single test tube under a stream of nitrogen air to dry the solution and evaporate solvent. Sample concentrators, especially those which apply heat, can dramatically speed up this process by drying down dozens of samples at a time. In under a minute, find out how much time an evaporator can save you.
Which solvents are typically removed by sample concentrators? An excellent question! Here are some common solvents Organomation’s customers evaporate from their samples:
1. Water: Often removed from biological or aqueous samples to concentrate the solutes.
2. Methanol: Used in many applications for its solvent properties and is commonly removed to concentrate samples in chemical analysis and organic synthesis.
3. Ethanol: Similar to methanol, ethanol is frequently used and removed in processes involving pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and food science.
4. Acetonitrile: Widely used in chromatography and other analytical techniques, its removal is crucial for concentrating analytes for further analysis.
5. Chloroform & Dichloromethane: Commonly used in the extraction of lipids and other organic compounds, these solvents are often evaporated post-extraction.
6. Hexane: Typically used to extract oils and other non-polar substances, hexane is evaporated to obtain purified extracts in food science and material science.
7. Diethyl Ether: Used for its properties as an excellent extractor of organic compounds, it is often removed after extraction processes.
8. Toluene & Xylene: Often used in paints, lacquers, and adhesives, and their removal is essential in sample preparation for analysis.
9. Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol): Commonly used in the purification of proteins and other biological molecules, isopropanol is evaporated to concentrate samples in biochemical applications.
These solvents are selected for their ability to dissolve various substances and their ease of removal under reduced pressure and heat provided by concentrators and evaporators. The removal of these solvents is crucial for concentrating the sample for further analysis, reducing the potential for solvent interference in analytical results, and preparing samples for applications like spectroscopy, chromatography, and mass spectrometry.
Sample Preservation: Freeze dryers, commonly referred to as lyophilizers, are especially useful in preserving samples that are sensitive to heat or require long-term storage without degradation. This approach offers an effective way to maintain the sample’s viability and functionality.
→ Discover: Nitrogen Blowdown vs Lyophilization
In summary, these units remove the water from solutions through the process of freezing, sublimination and desorption. This approach to sample preservation preserves the structure and composition of the sample while reducing the weight and volume which is perfect for long term storage. It is worth noting that these samples can also be reconstituted by adding water. Reconstitution is vital in pharmaceuticals, where drugs preserved via freeze drying can be quickly rehydrated and administered while maintaining their efficacy and sterility.
Experimental Encapsulation: Sample concentrators are crucial in the encapsulation processes used in research and development (R&D) for consumer products, particularly in industries like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food technology. Encapsulation involves enclosing active ingredients or compounds within another material to protect them from environmental factors, control their release, or mask their taste or odor.
Before encapsulation, it's often necessary to concentrate the active ingredients to achieve the desired potency and efficacy in the final product. Sample concentrators efficiently reduce the volume of solvent or carrier liquid in which these ingredients are dissolved, concentrating the substances without affecting their stability or activity.
To ask specific questions about how a sample evaporator can benefit your laboratory, please contact us using live chat during business hours or send an email to sales@organomation.com.