Disinfection and daily maintenance of pipettes

Many microbial testing laboratories use pipettes for liquid dilution, and microbial testing requires aseptic operations. The tip of the pipette can be sterilized by autoclaving to ensure sterility. What about the pipette body? How to ensure the sterile operation of the pipette?

1. Disinfection of pipette guns (1) Some pipette guns can be sterilized by high pressure. Such pipette guns can be directly placed into a pressure sterilizer for sterilization. If you are not sure whether your pipette can be autoclaved, you can call the supplier or manufacturer. (2) The outer surface of the pipette gun can be wiped and disinfected with 75% alcohol. Some laboratories will use ultraviolet irradiation. In fact, we do not recommend this method because the gun body is made of organic polymers. materials, ultraviolet radiation may cause the gun body to age and reduce the service life of the pipette gun. (3) The pipette gun can be disassembled. The disassembly methods of different brands and models of pipette guns are inconsistent. You can disassemble it according to the situation of the pipette gun you are using. Wipe the disassembled piston, sleeve and sealing ring with 75% alcohol cotton balls. Wait for the alcohol to evaporate before reassembling the parts. Lubricant is required during the assembly process. (4) The assembled pipette needs to be recalibrated and corrected.

2. Routine maintenance of the pipette gun (1) If it is not used for a long time, adjust the range of the pipette gun to the maximum scale to keep the spring in a relaxed state to protect the spring; (2) Clean the outer wall of the pipette regularly. , you can use 95% alcohol or 60% isopropyl alcohol, wipe it with distilled water, and let it dry naturally; (3) Check whether there is any leakage when using it. The method is to absorb the liquid and place it vertically for a few seconds to see if the liquid level drops. If there is liquid leakage, check whether the suction nozzle matches and whether the spring piston is normal; (4) When there is liquid in the pipette nozzle, it is strictly forbidden to place the pipette horizontally or upside down to prevent liquid from flowing into the piston chamber and corroding the pipetting (5) Use the correct method to install the suction head, remember not to use excessive force, and do not install it by chopping the suction head. In addition, the storage environment of the pipette is also an important factor affecting its performance and life. The pipette should be stored in a dry, dust-free, corrosive gas-free environment, away from direct sunlight and high temperatures. When storing, the pipette should be placed upright to avoid compression or collision to ensure the integrity of its internal structure and parts.

Although the disinfection and daily maintenance of pipettes may seem cumbersome, they are crucial to ensuring the accuracy of experimental data and the safety of experimenters. Only when we pay full attention to and carefully implement these steps can we ensure that the pipette is always in optimal condition and provide strong support for our scientific research work. In the future of scientific research, let us work hand in hand with the pipette, a close partner, to explore the mysteries of science.