Overview of Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) Products and Protein Precipitation Solutions

This document provides a detailed description of Porvair Sciences' range of solid phase extraction (SPE) products and protein precipitation plates designed for sample preparation in life sciences, particularly for applications such as LC-MS analysis.

1. MicroLute™ Solid Phase Extraction Plates

• Format and Design: Original 96-well polypropylene plates loaded with various sorbents, featuring 20µm polyethylene frits to prevent channelling and ensure consistent flow.
• Key Features: Working volume up to 2ml per well, up to four times faster than traditional cartridge systems, virgin polypropylene material tested for no extractables, ANSI/SBS standard compliant for automation.
• Customization: Small batch manufacturing available (minimum 50 plates) with specialty resins or sorbents on request.

2. Combinatorial MicroLute™ Plates

• Based on the MicroLute™ format but designed to be packed with any material for chemical synthesis.
• Available with bottom frit pore sizes of 10µm or 30µm (30µm recommended for optimal flow).
• Offers a wide range of sorbents and packed bed volumes from 10mg to 100mg per well, including C18, C8, C2, PH, CN-E, SCX, SAX, and others.
• Empty plates and frits are also available for custom packing.

3. MaxiLute™ 48-Well SPE Plates

• Designed as an intermediate format between SPE cartridges and 96-well plates.
• Features larger packed bed volumes (250mg to 1500mg) and sample capacity up to 200ml per plate.
• Individual drain spouts per well ensure 100% sample transfer with zero cross-contamination.
• Manufactured from virgin polypropylene with 20µm frit pore size and ANSI/SBS standard compliance for automation.

4. P3 Protein Precipitation Plates

• Designed for protein removal from biological samples using the CRASH method with acetonitrile-induced protein precipitation.
• Dual frit design: a 100µm pre-filter traps large flocculant particles, and a secondary <10µm frit traps fine protein particles.
• Hydrophobic/oleophobic frits prevent premature leakage and ensure retention of sample until vacuum application.
• Inert filter materials prevent adsorption of analytes, optimizing sample purity.
• Available in single or bulk packs; a High Efficiency variant exists with untreated frits for pre-mixed samples.

5. Accessories for MicroLute™ Plates

• Disposable reservoir trays for waste collection during vacuum processing.
• Sealing caps to retain samples and prevent contamination during transit.
• Drain cap mats to seal the bottom of plates and prevent leakage.

6. MicroLute™ Starter and Development Packs

• Starter packs include a selection of sorbents (C18, C8, C2, SAX, SCX, Certify series, CBA), acrylic manifold, spacer inserts, microplates, and reservoir trays for initial SPE setup.
• Development packs allow researchers to specify sorbents and packed bed volumes per well, facilitating method development and optimization.

7. MicroLute™ BioVyon™ Co-Sintered Products

• Utilize proprietary BioVyon™ technology to co-sinter ultra-pure polymeric matrices with high-purity silica resins, reducing extractables and leachables.
• Provide high surface area and resistance to channelling even at high flow rates.
• Available as 96-well plates loaded with 10mg per well of C8 or C18 sorbents, suitable for low volume bioassay sample preparation and cleanup.

Critical Specifications and Best Practices

• All plates are manufactured from virgin polypropylene tested for low extractables to ensure sample integrity.
• Frit pore sizes are optimized per application: 20µm for MicroLute™, 10µm or 30µm for Combinatorial MicroLute™, and dual frits for protein precipitation plates.
• Designs comply with ANSI/SBS standards to facilitate automation and integration into robotic workflows.
• Unique features such as individual drain spouts and proprietary sorbent loading techniques minimize cross-contamination and improve throughput.
• Protein precipitation plates use hydrophobic frits to prevent premature leakage and ensure efficient protein removal.

Summary

Porvair Sciences offers a comprehensive portfolio of SPE and protein precipitation products tailored for high-throughput sample preparation in pharmaceutical, environmental, and food laboratories. Their products emphasize automation compatibility, sample purity, and operational efficiency, with customizable options to meet specific research and development needs.