Improving Lab Operations with Better Science and Less Waste
Reuse of microplates and pipette tips provides opportunities to gain scientific insights and improve operational efficiencies.
What do we mean by better science?
Better science due to plasma cleaning delivers benefits that are not immediately obvious. With the capability to reuse a microplate, a lab can identify repeating variability from random variability.
IonField supported the publication of this article that explains how knowing the source of variability helps in selecting what microplate is going to deliver the best results.
AI analysis of the repeating variability can be used to identify and adjust results on a well-by-good basis – a process that can eliminate most of the repeating variability.
Plasma cleaning can remove chemicals from the manufacturing process, like mold release agents, from the surface of a microplate with pre-cleaning before first use.
Is reuse technology a smart investment?
The reduction of plastic waste is a goal of most labs.
IonField products reduce the use of “single-use plastics”. Upcycling is one of the most effective and immediate actions any lab can take and the math justifying the investment in our products is very straightforward.
Customers easily estimate potential cost savings by applying collected outcomes to their operations model such as:
Seconds to Clean Tips on Average
% Tip Costs Go Down if reused 9 times
# of Plates Cleaned / Hour
Lowest Reuse # for solid polymer plates
IonField products save both time and money, making for a compelling business case with economic and environmental benefits.
Time factors such as:
- Time spent getting work organized early in the day setting up labware and instrumentation.
- Time spent reversing that process to shutdown end-of-day.
- A decline in assay time and consumable usage.
- Time spent unpacking and trashing/recycling materials.
- Improved reliability of testing results.
Money factors such as:
- Reduced inventory purchases. Reuse life expectancy varies by microplate or pipette tip type and material.
- Decrease in storage costs.
- Costs associated with shipping and packaging.
- Substantial reduction in the weight and cubic volume going to hazardous waste.
Assessment Guidance
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Most labs are already recycling tip racks and the shipping materials for all the consumables you use and measure waste in pounds or kilos. Unfortunately, pipette tips don’t weigh much, so waste reduction savings are less compelling depending on your throughput.
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However, most labs dispose of microplates with the assay contents in the wells; a good approximation is four microplates per pound or nine per kilo.
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Check what disposal costs are for your lab. Labs charged for disposal will find that cost categorized facility cost.