Various types of laboratory pipettes

The kinds of pipettes are determined based on the purpose of their use with a different level of accuracy. Pipettes are used to move liquids with a certain volume when doing research in the laboratory. Unlike the pipettes in general, laboratory pipettes have a certain degree of accuracy in carrying out their functions to move fluids into the test tube.

Based on the material and how to use it, the pipette is divided into 2 types, namely glass pipette and pipette pipette. Glass pipette is a type of pipette made of glass which in its use requires suction aids to suck and remove fluids. The intended suction tool is a rubber ball (filter) with an average suction ability above 1 ml. While the piston pipette is a pipette that is equipped with a piston and is made of non-glass material. The piston is used to suck and remove fluids with suction ability below 1 ml.

Here are the kinds of pipettes that you need to know based on the volume measure and function.

Types – Types of Pipettes and Their Functions
Measuring pipettes
The measuring pipette is a laboratory glass instrument with a long and pointed cylindrical shape at the lower end. This type of pipette has the main function to move chemicals from one container to another. A tool is needed in the form of a filler pipette or ball pipette to take the solution. The measuring pipette has a measuring scale per milli and does not have bloating in the middle. Measuring pipettes are divided into several types of sizes with certain color codes. Yellow color used a 1 ml volume measuring pipette with a scale of 0.01 ml.

Black for a 2 ml volume pipette with a scale of 0.02 ml. For red pipette volume 5 ml with a scale of 0.05. While the orange color of the 10 ml volume pipette with a scale of 0.1 ml. White color for pipette volume of 25 ml with a scale of 0.1 ml. The scale intended is the smallest scale.

Drop pipette
Drop pipettes made of plastic or glass with a pointed bottom tip and covered with rubber on the top. And this pipette serves to move liquids with very little amount. The researcher will move the liquid drop by drop using this pipette. How to use it is quite easy, the rubber ball at the top is pressed and held then put in a container that has liquid.

When the pipette has entered into a container filled with liquid, remove the rubber that is being held then move the pipette to the other container. To move fluid again, only need to do the same steps repeatedly until the number of liquid droplets is fulfilled.

Volume pipette
Unlike the previous two types of pipettes, the volume pipette has bubbles in the middle. This type of pipette has a better level of accuracy than a measuring pipette. Volume pipettes are usually used to take solutions or liquids with quantitative measurements. Same with measuring pipettes, volume pipettes consist of various sizes that are distinguished using color codes.

Dark blue is used for pipette volume which has a volume of 1 ml and 25 ml. While Orange is used for pipettes that have a volume of 2 ml and 10 ml. And white for pipettes that have a volume of 5 ml and red are used for pipettes with a volume of 50 ml.

Burette Pipette
Burette pipettes are used to measure the volume of liquid produced by tirasi. In the shape of a cylinder, the burette pipette has a measuring line and a tap plug at the bottom. The main function of this pipette is to drip a certain amount of liquid reagent in an experimental activity that requires precision. Burette measurement results are very accurate. Based on its size, the burette pipette is divided into several sizes, namely macro burette, semimacro burette and 10 ml macro burette.

While based on the designation, burette is divided into 4 types. Acidic burette is used for acidic chemical solutions. Base burette is used for alkaline solutions, burette amberglas is used for types of solutions that are easily oxidized to sunlight and universal burettes are used for liquids both acidic and basic.

Micropipette
This type of pipette is usually used to move a solution whose volume is below 1 ml accurately. Other types of pipettes such as measuring pipettes and glass pipettes do not have enough accuracy to move liquids below 1 ml. Therefore, to move liquids with volumes below 1 ml, people will tend to use micropipets or often called automatic pipettes.

Micropipets can be set to any size as long as they are in the pipette range. Even though the micropipette has been designed accurately and also precisely by the factory, this tool still needs to be calibrated if it is used for an accredited laboratory.

Micropipette consists of two parts in the form of a pippete tip and automatic pippetor. Automatic pippetor has a function to pump the solution.

In the laboratory, pipettes are widely used for testing molecular biology, medicine and analytical chemistry. Pipettes are deliberately made with various functions and a certain level of accuracy. Pipette calibration is an important thing to do to maintain the quality standards of the equipment used by the laboratory. By doing calibration, pipettes and other laboratory equipment can work correctly in accordance with the rules of the rules that apply and according to expectations. You who are often in the laboratory need to know the kinds of pipettes.

Also Read: Knowing How to Use a Centrifuge and its Types