Speed and Efficiency Drive Sample Prep
Improvements in sample preparation methodologies and technologies are allowing researchers to accelerate their workflows and lower costs. by Tim Studt
Agilent and BIOCIUS are combining the accurate mass capabilities of mass spectroscopy and fast sample processing to eliminate the method development bottleneck in drug discovery. | Sample preparation has become a key procedure in the modern analytical research lab, which in some labs can account for more than 75% of the work and operating costs. Following collection, samples must be prepared for introduction into an analytical device or instrument. As the operating parameters for analytical instruments improves, so do the requirements for the purity, consistency, and quality of the samples introduced into these expensive, sophisticated instruments.
Most sample prep operations focus on three primary functions—concentrating, purifying (or eliminating contaminants), and preparing the sample for subsequent analyses. Even with current analytical instruments, the concentration of compounds to be analyzed is often too low to be reliably detected. Lab techniques are often created to concentrate these components to adequate
levels for measurement.
Millipore’s Amicon Ultra-0.5-mL filter provides 90% recovery rates in as little as 10 minutes of centrifugation of protein samples. | Contaminants, on the other hand, can mask or interfere with the analysis of the compound of interest. Again, lab techniques or methodologies are often created to remove these contaminants to provide clean, informative results.
Finally, samples for many analytical techniques, such as HPLC, spectrophotometry, and radioimmunoassays (RIA), must be prepared (often in solution) to be properly analyzed in the selected instrument.
The most common methods for sample prep include liquid-liquid extractions (e.g. chromatographic separations), centrifugation, and solid phase extractions (SPE) and filtration. SPE is one of the simplest, most effective and versatile methods for sample prep. Some techniques involve more advanced technologies, such as electroseparations, like capillary electrophoresis. Chemical modifications are often required on the sample either for fractionation purposes or to improve a specific property of the analyte. The tools used by researchers to accomplish these tasks are shown in the attached charts, which were created through an online survey of Laboratory Equipment's readers in early-May 2010.
From a researcher standpoint, factors involving ease-of-use, reliability and cost savings were the dominant issues in their sample prep operations. For the suppliers of sample prep equipment, these issues were also dominant, along with the addition of sample size, reflecting the current emphasis of smaller samples and the technological need to accommodate ever smaller sample sizes, while still retaining the resolution requirements of the equipment and methodologies.
Researcher survey respondents agreed with the prevailing consensus as to why they do sample prep—to concentrate and purify samples and eliminate contaminants, but they also focus on the ultimate requirement for their lab, which is to increase the quality of their experimental results (56% of respondents). While important, the need to separate difficult compounds and reduce the overall number of laboratory procedures performed are not as important.
Supplier comments
The following comments were provided by suppliers of sample prep equipment as to what they thought would be the most significant changes in these technologies and what their specific companies plan to implement as improvements to their sample prep product lines over the next three years. While some comments are similar and some are substantially different, it’s interesting to note that all look to see faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective sample prep procedures by 2013.
“The most significant change in sample prep over the next several years will be combining sample prep and analysis,” says Bob Sullivan, president of AutoGen Inc., Holliston, Mass.
“Rather than significant changes in chemistry, improvements in workflow will dominate the sample prep market,” says Jennifer Rossi, director of marketing at BIOCIUS Life Sciences, Inc., Woburn, Mass. “Faster solutions and improved automation will help researchers streamline their workflows, enhancing efficiency.
“Over the next several years, we plan to focus on expanding the types of samples that we process with our RapidFire high-throughput mass spectrometry (RFMS) system, by developing techniques for more complex sample matrices, such as plant and animal tissues. This will enable us to address new application areas,” she continues.
BIOCIUS recently announced a collaboration with Agilent Technologies for developing a RapidFire-based system for the high-throughput screening of in vitro ADME assay analyses. This collaboration will combine the accurate mass capabilities of Agilent's time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers with the speed of BIOCIUS's sample processing technology. The resulting instrumentation is expected to enhance in vitro ADME analysis by eliminating the method development bottleneck in pharmaceutical drug discovery operations.
“I believe there will be more emphasis on automated, high-throughput methods of sample prep over the next three years,” says Shannon Krueger, a product manager for Epicentre Biotechnologies, Madison, Wis. “We’re focusing on development of sample prep products for next-generation genomic sequencing.”
“Further hyphenation of sample prep techniques will be addressed by the sample prep community, along with automatic coupling to analytical instrumentation for the final analysis,” says Tom Hall, VP of Sales and Marketing at FMS, Inc., Watertown, Mass. “We're working on a one-step sample prep process—the automation, hyphenation, and combining of multiple sample processes, such as sample extraction, cleanup, and concentration, all in one process.”
“The most significant change in sample prep over the next several years will be reducing the number of sample prep steps to achieve accurate and consistent results,” says Martha Johnson, co-founder of Horizon Technology, Inc., Salem, NH. “The most significant technical change in our sample prep products over this time period will be development of an automated online SPE (solid phase extraction) system.”
“The research industry should be aiming toward seamless integration of sample preparation with its corresponding downstream analytical application in a single, dedicated instrument,” says Greg Hoff, media relations manager for the Bioscience Div. of Millipore, Billerica, Mass.
“The future promises continuation of current trends toward cleaner samples, smaller samples, higher throughput, and more efficient preparation of complex samples (such as biological solutions) containing multiple analytes,” says Hoff. “Specific technologies that will improve the signal-to-noise ratios in analysis of complex mixtures that we’re working on will include advancements in enriching specific analytes of interest, either by affinity purification or by depletion of molecules other than the desired analyte.”
“Over the next three years, researchers will keep looking for increased automation and productivity increases, as well as sample traceability,” says Giulia Orsanigo, marketing communications manager for PerkinElmer, Shelton, Conn. “PerkinElmer instrument developers will be extending the application range of headspace analysis to higher volatility compounds.”
“The most significant change in sample preparation technologies will be a larger focus on selectivity and specificity of extraction products, as well as new developments and applications involving automation,” says Erica Pike, sample preparation brand manager for Phenomenex, Torrance, Calif. “Phenomenex strives to continuously improve the specificity of its surface chemistries and plans to focus on the development of more specific surface chemistries on a variety of base materials.”
“In the life sciences field, as analytical instrumentation and techniques become increasingly sophisticated, smaller sample sizes will be required,” says Stuart Ray, technical director of Seward Ltd., Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
“Our primary area of development over the next three years will be in our consumable product range, ensuring that the flexibility of our products accommodates a wide range of applications.”
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