Why do the instruments deionize the plates and reservoirs?
Plastic plates pick up static electricity. While the charge is not enough to cause a shock when you touch the plates, it can be enough to deflect the flight of nanoliter volume droplets as they fly from the source to the destination. To eliminate this problem and ensure that the droplets fly true, Echo systems move both source and destination plates past deionizing bars that remove any residual charge. In addition, all Echo® qualified plates from Labcyte are manufactured and packaged to reduce their inherent static charge. Plates from other vendors will not be pre-treated. Deionization during loading may not be sufficient to ensure proper transfer and placement of droplets during ejection. In the Portrait system, the MALDI matrix liquid is deionized as it is moved into the system past the deionizing bars. The customer has the option of deionizing the tissue sample as it enters the system. Back to main list.
