New Positive Pressure-96 Processor Eases Sample Preparation Bottleneck During Drug Discovery and Development

Waters new device helps drug discovery and development scientists improve the efficiency of their sample extractions. The Waters Positive Pressure-96 Processor is specifically designed to perform solid-phase extraction (SPE) for analytes in biological samples using Waters 96-well Oasis µElution Plate or the Waters Oasis 96-well macro plate. Using positive pressure for liquid displacement, the product produces consistent, uniform flow from well-to-well that improves the overall reproducibility of analyte recoveries, even in viscous samples.

SPE sample preparation using traditional vacuum manifold is carried out by applying a vacuum to the sample plate. A negative pressure in the space below the plate is created and the samples are pulled through each individual well. Problems arise when wells plug or when vacuum pressure across the plate drops as the result of uneven sample flow from one or more of the wells due to variable sample viscosity. As less viscous, fast-flowing samples evacuate their wells, vacuum pressure drops decelerating altogether the displacement of the more viscous samples on the plate. The result is variable analyte SPE recoveries that may negatively impact assay validation, and cause lost productivity, time and money.

Waters Positive Pressure-96 Processor features a manifold gasket with 96 independent ports – one port for every well of the mElution plate’s 96 wells. Using inert gas, it applies a “motive” force of up to 80 psi into every port forcing the analytes in the sample through the well into a collection plate for later analysis. Regardless of the sample viscosity in the individual wells, Waters Positive Pressure-96 Processor applies just enough force through every port to pass the most challenging sample, resulting in more uniform SPE extracts and improved reproducibility of analyte SPE recoveries. Highly viscous or lipimic biological samples extracted by a 96-well plate will pass with ease and uniformity when using the Waters Positive Pressure-96 Processor.

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