Glass vials vs. plastic well plates: Are you gaining the advantages of both?
For decades, glass vials have been the preferred solution for liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) autosamplers. Yet moving from vials to well plates enables busy chromatography labs to run more samples with the same autosampler configuration, which delivers time- and labor-saving advantages. How can you get the best of both worlds? By exploring the latest innovations in glass-coated polypropylene (PP) well plates.
10 Frequently asked questions
What are the advantages of glass-coated plastic (PP) plates?
Glass-coated plastic (PP) well plates are a great solution for chromatography labs that can’t use pure plastic plates due to either solvent compatibility issues or a loss of product due to adsorption on a pure plastic wall. They increase organic solvent stability and also reproducibility.
How do glass coated plastic plates improve reproducibility?
Adsorption on cavity walls is the number one reason for poor reproducibility in bioanalysis. As the wall polarity in glass-coated plates is inverted from a non-polar to a polar surface, the risk of adsorption is significantly reduced. Less risk of sample loss means higher reproducibility.
What products are available?
The second-generation Thermo Scientific WebSeal™ Plate+ glass-coated plastic plates are available as part of the new SureSTART collection, released in February 2022. The WebSeal Plate+ products are glass-coated using state-of-the-art technology for higher density coating (thickness of 200 nm), improved solvent stability and better reproducibility, especially for biomolecules with high adsorption on plastic walls.
What about contamination of samples by plastic leachables?
Second-generation WebSeal Plate+ glass-coated plates solve that, too. The second generation Plate+ coating significantly reduces or eliminates sample contamination by plastic leachables.
Why should I consider switching to WebSeal Plate+ glass coated plastic well plates?
The new second-generation plate+ products provide all the usage benefits of plastic well plates (e.g., automation, robotic handling, multi-pipette usage) with features of a glass surface—all at a more attractive price than a pure glass plate. The well plates also reduce lab space requirements, provide more efficient long-term storage and expand your autosampler capacity. Normal SBS/ANSI format autosampler racks can only handle 54 glass vials and can now be replaced by 96- or even 384-cavity plates.
Are WebSeal Plate+ products unique in the market?
Yes, and they offer users of LC and GC autosamplers an option for high-throughput applications, where it’s not convenient to use single vials.
Why are WebSeal Plate+ products a smart choice for chromatography labs?
Today’s chromatography labs need to optimize limited space and maximize analysis time. That means being as efficient as possible with sample handling, sample preparation and sample transport.
What if I’m running more than 500 samples per day?
You can save time and money by replacing vials with well plates designed for UHPLC analysis. Well plates can help increase throughput and are compatible as part of a SPE/SLE workflow to support automation. WebSeal Plate+ products all confirm to ANSI SLAS 4-2004 standards.
What well plate product options do I have?
Within the SureSTART collection of vials and well plates, you can choose from three different quality and price levels to meet all your needs. They are also available as either 96-well plates or 364-well plates options depending on your throughput requirements.
Where can I learn more?
Learn more about WebSeal Plate+ glass coated plastic well plates here. Or explore the full SureSTART collection. Need help selecting the right well plate? Use this handy online selection guide.
More Resources
- Read the Technical Note (21970) - Can a plastic well plate replace chromatography autosampler glass vials? The simple answer is: yes!
- Download: WebSeal well plates and mats – Frequently asked Questions” (Document 20986)
Thermo Fisher Scientific
United States
