Everything You Wanted To Know About Pipette Tips And More! (2024)

It is hard to believe that simple, plastic molded disposable tips are the bread and butter of molecular biology, chemistry and the world of medicine. That’s right, we are talking about pipette tips. These tips create a dependable and accurate pipetting system. Pipette tips come in three different types including non-sterile, pre-sterilized and filtered tips.

The most commonly used type of pipette tip is non-sterile tips. They are often used in laboratory applications where sterility is not important to the experiment or test being performed. On the other hand, pre-sterilized pipette tips are designed to prevent contamination. They are certified free of DNA, RNase, ATP and pyrogens. Because these pipette tips are certified free of DNA, RNase, ATP and pyrogens, they are ideal for applications that require sterility such as cell cultures.

Filtered pipette tips are designed to prevent aerosols from forming. Aerosols are small liquid or solid particles that are airborne. These particles can actually remain airborne for long periods of time and can be inhaled. Even worse, 65% of all laboratory infections are caused by aerosols, usually by inhaling them. Filtered pipette tips help to reduce the risk of aerosols forming in the laboratory. They also protect the pipette shafts from contamination and reduce the risk of cross contamination. These pipette tips are often used in contamination sensitive applications such as forensics and clinical diagnostics.

With the possibility of infection from aerosols, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to enforce safe work practices in the laboratory. This includes properly disinfecting pipettes after use and disposing of pipette tips.