How safe are your samples? Part 2: Working Volume

June 15, 2018

To protect the sample with the tube, you need to protect the tube from the sample.

Overfilling a sample tube with an aqueous sample creates a challenge when storing and freezing. This is because the volume of the sample increases as it freezes, which can lead to either cracked sample storage tubes and septum caps or O-rings 'popping' off if working volume is exceeded. The result is loss of sample integrity.

Understanding the true working volume of a tube is necessary to ensure sample integrity is maintained. The closer you get to maximum safe working volume – the more pressure builds inside the sample storage tube. Determining the fill volume of a sample tube requires knowledge of both the accuracy and precision of the liquid handling system being used.

FluidX® Sample Tubes offer a range of benefits to protect sample integrity from sample expansion, including co-molded gaskets on internal thread tubes opposed to traditional O-rings and external threaded caps for an increase in burst pressure resistance.

Download our latest whitepaper for more specifics on:

  • The impact of aqueous sample expansion on sample tubes
  • Calculating safe working volume and what to consider
  • Controlled rate freezing and tools to aid this