Microcentrifuge tubes spin small samples at high speeds, enabling pelleting, phase separation, and cellular centrifugation. Made from premium PP and produced under cleanroom conditions, they are autoclavable at 121 deg C (2 bar) and RNase, DNase, DNA, and endotoxin-free.
To prevent unbalanced spinning, balance each sample with a blank tube with the same mass as the sample. This reduces metal stress on the rotor during spins. Contact Stellar Scientific now!
Centrifuge tubes are an essential part of the laboratory workflow when working with samples. The right type of tubes can help ensure that your samples are properly separated during the centrifugation process and that they remain intact during transportation, storage, or analysis. Choosing the correct tubes can also help reduce wasted reagents and ensure that your results are accurate.
Microcentrifuge tube options vary by capacity, shape and closure, allowing you to choose the best one for your application. The tube material is also an important factor, as it must be able to withstand the centrifugal force and temperature conditions used in your research. Other features to consider include the tube’s graduation markings, which should be accurate and easy to read. Lastly, you should consider the sealant used on the cap, which should provide an airtight seal to prevent leakage and contamination during centrifugation or transport.
Whether you’re working in a lab that requires microcentrifuge tubes for DNA and RNA isolation, PCR, nucleic acid extraction or other molecular biology applications, it’s important to choose the right ones to meet your needs. You can find high-quality plastic microcentrifuge tubes in various shapes, sizes and capacities, as well as with different lid types. Additionally, many of these tubes are available in multicolor options that make it easier to identify your samples.
It’s important to note that some of these tubes are only sterile when purchased as a sterile pack, while others may be sterilized by ethylene oxide. You should only use a sterile microcentrifuge tube if it is labeled with a sterile marker, and be sure to store any unused tubes in resealable medical-grade bags. Ideally, all centrifuge tubes should be washed and dried thoroughly before use and stored in a cool, dry area away from chemical fumes and ultraviolet light. In addition, it’s best to keep your tubes in their original packaging until you are ready to work with them, as this will protect them from bacterial contamination. Using clean gloves and shaking the tubes into a clean gloved hand can also help to minimise the risk of contamination.
Clear Tubes
Choosing the right tubes for your lab’s needs can directly impact the results of microorganism analysis. If the tube isn’t the appropriate size, material, or design, it may contaminate samples or interfere with analytical techniques, leading to inaccurate data and unreliable outcomes. To avoid these issues, opt for tubes that fit your rotor and are compatible with standard protocols.
Centrifuge tubes are available in a wide variety of sizes and materials to suit a range of applications. Some tubes are designed for low temperatures and high-speed centrifugation, while others can withstand harsh chemicals and extreme conditions. Some have writable surfaces and designated areas for labels, making it easy to identify the contents of each sample and prevent accidental mishandling.
Plastic tubes are the most popular option for centrifuge tubes, and they’re especially convenient for smaller labs or those with a limited budget. They’re durable, easy to clean, and come in a wide array of colors for labeling purposes. You can also find tubes that feature a snap cap or screw seal, which helps ensure a tight fit and prevents leakage during centrifugation.
Another thing to consider when buying microcentrifuge tubes is their capacity and volume. Some tubes have visible graduations, which help to accurately measure the volume of each sample or reagent. This helps to ensure consistency and reproducibility in experimental procedures.
Some tubes also have a special ribbed design to help you grip the tube more easily, which can be helpful when working with large volumes of liquids. Lastly, many tubes are free-standing, which can save space in the centrifuge and prevent accidental spills.
When it comes to the best tubes for your lab, it really depends on what kind of work you do. If you work with corrosive materials, you’ll want to choose glass tubes. However, if you’re only working with small quantities of fluids, then plastic is the better choice. They’re cheaper than glass and easier to clean, which makes them a smart investment for any lab. Plus, they’re disposable, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning up after each use.
Thumb Cap Tubes
These tubes feature a snap-in cap that securely holds the lid in place and reduces leakage and evaporation. Made from premium polypropylene plastic, they are clear to provide easy identification of contents. They can withstand boiling temperatures up to 121°C and freezing down to -80°C. They’re RNase, DNase, and pyrogen free and are fully autoclavable.
While it’s a common practice to open microcentrifuge tubes with one’s thumb, many studies have shown that repeated opening of this type can cause repetitive stress injury (RSI).1-5 Additionally, the peak force required for some types of laboratory pipettes may also result in RSI due to excessive button resistance.2-6 Therefore, it’s important that the design of laboratory equipment consider ergonomic issues to minimize risk and impose a minimum of unnecessary strain on users.
To address these concerns, a recent study compared the frequency of splashes and aerosols generated by four different methods for opening snap-cap microcentrifuge tubes. The authors found that opening the tubes with the thumb alone was associated with the highest rate of splashes, even when a plastic opener was used to open the tube. Moreover, the authors suggest that alternative methods for opening these tubes could significantly reduce splashes.
Unlike snap-cap microcentrifuge tubes, screw-cap tubes can withstand high centrifugal forces without leakage or breakage. These tubes have an internal sealing ring that sandwiches the top of the tube to create a positive seal, with no liquid bypass. The nitrile o-ring provides chemical resistance and increases the integrity of the seal. The caps are also molded in place, making them compatible with other brands of screw-cap tubes including Sarstedt and Porex.
Like other microcentrifuge tubes, these sterile screw-cap tubes are manufactured from polypropylene and are RNase, DNase, and pyrogen-free. They’re also autoclavable and have a flat top surface for labelling. Their angled cap design makes them easier to open and helps prevent thumb fatigue. Suitable for use with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures, these tubes can also be used to store liquids and reagents in molecular biology laboratories. They’re clear to enable easy identification of contents and can be stacked together with other PCR tubes to keep them organized.
Screw Cap Tubes
For many applications, you will need to be able to easily and quickly open and close your microcentrifuge tubes. For this reason, a number of different types are available with push-open lids that can be opened by hand and closed securely. These type of tubes are usually smaller, more compact and less expensive than a similar size glass tube with a snap-cap closure.
Regardless of the type of cap or lid, all of these test tubes are made with high-quality, medical grade PP plastic that is resistant to most organic solvents and autoclavable up to 121 °C. They also feature printed graduations and a white writing area for easy labelling with a permanent marker. They are also RNase, DNase and Pyrogen free.
Some of the most popular types of microcentrifuge tubes are those that have flat tops with plug-seal leak resistant screw caps and a wide white writing area. These tubes are easy to grip with gloved hands and can be fitted into a standard centrifuge rotor. They are sterile, and the caps include an EPDM o-ring that ensures a secure seal.
These microcentrifuge tubes are also available with skirted bases that can be fitted into a special conical rotor for extra stability when spinning. They are a great choice for cell culturing, blood banking and many other applications. All of these tubes are made with a special low protein/low DNA polypropylene that can withstand centrifugation up to 22,000 x g without deforming or breaking. They are rNase, DNase and pyrogen free and come sterile with assembled caps.
Choosing the right type of microcentrifuge tube for your application will depend on the kind of samples that you need to store and handle. Both glass and plastic can be used to hold a variety of liquids, but each has its own advantages depending on the specific requirements for the sample. Glass tubes are more durable and can be sterilized like other glassware, while plastic ones are easier to clean thoroughly.
Another consideration is whether you need the tube for cryogenic storage or not. Cryotubes are typically designed with an inner and outer screw cap that is adapted to expand as the material shifts from gas to liquid phase when stored in liquid nitrogen. Regular centrifuge tubes are not designed for this, and may be damaged by the sudden expansion.