Evaporation to dryness made easy

Evaporation to dryness under a gentle stream of nitrogen is a common step in sample preparation, meant to separate a solute from a solution. Typically, a solution is evaporated to dryness before being reconstituted in a different solvent for analysis. This process is often referred to as solvent exchange or solvent swap.

Organomation is a nitrogen evaporator manufacturer and has been a leading industry expert for over 60 years. Organomation’s blowdown evaporators are designed to make the sample dry down process simple, while minimizing some of the common risks. Nearly 75% of their customers report evaporating their samples to dryness, the majority of whom utilize the 12 Position N-EVAP.

The 12 Position N-EVAP (Model 11155) is referenced in EPA methods 533 and 537.1, two popular PFAS testing methods which require evaporation to dryness before sample analysis. So what features make this versatile nitrogen dryer fit for these applications?

Sample Tube Visibility

The N-EVAP product line includes a unique spring sample holder which allows the samples to remain visible throughout the evaporation process. At any point during the evaporation process, the sample holder can be raised out of the water bath to check on the remaining solvent.

Gentle Heat and Nitrogen Blowdown

This instrument utilizes very gentle heat and nitrogen flow in order to initiate the evaporation process. Both features can be manually adjusted, which helps to protect the integrity of samples, especially towards the end of evaporation.

Individual Control of Samples

The 12 Position N-EVAP includes individual needle valves which allow the gas flow to be adjusted per sample position. Gas flow can be shut off to samples that may have dried faster than others, preventing damage due to over-drying.

The needle valves are also able to be lowered and raised. As the solvent level goes down, the needle valves can be lowered to maintain efficient blowdown on the samples’ surface. This is especially helpful when working with tall tubes.

Evaporating to dryness can be tricky, but the N-EVAP Nitrogen Evaporator makes it simple. Learn more about how the N-EVAP is used for PFAS analysis in EPA methods 533 and 537.1.

Since 1959, Organomation has been a leading expert in benchtop evaporation. The company specializes in parallel evaporation of small samples of up to 50 mL each. Organomation’s sample concentrators are used in laboratories worldwide.