All included in a compact format
The miVac DNA is an ideal small vacuum concentrator for the molecular biology laboratory.
System description
The miVac DNA is capable of removing low volumes of water and organic solvents from a variety of sample formats including tubes, microplates, vials and round bottom flasks. Making it an ideal concentrator for the busy molecular biology laboratory.
Key Features:
Built in high performance vacuum pump, Concentration chamber with electro-magnetic drive for quiet, maintenance free operation, Fixed angle aluminium rotor for 1.5 ml or 2 ml micro-centrifuge tubes, High displacement vacuum pump, Clear, acrylic lid to monitor progress
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Simply position the system on the bench, connect the power lead and exhaust tube and look forward to faster, trouble-free concentration!
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● Concentration time and temperature are readily monitored on the large clear display
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● Parameter scan be easily set and selected using the friendly dial
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● Optimise concentration time
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● Faster than any other system in its class.
Product Specialist
Mikael Alfredsson
"Our expert in Digestion, Extraction, Syntesis and Evaporation with more than 20 years experience in the field of sales and service. Contact me for if you have questions or need a quotation"
031-709 81 86
Clinical and Diagnostic Testing
Evaporative sample preparation for forensic and diagnostic clinical tests must be performed scrupulously. Genevac systems are used by clinical biochemists and forensic scientists for a number of testing methodologies, such as vitamin D or K analysis, neonatal screening and forensic toxicology.
Mass Spectrometry (MS) is replacing radio-immunoassay (RIA) in Clinical biochemistry analysis, removing the need to use radioactive reagents. One of the Steroid assays performed by hospital clinical labs is for Vitamin D analysis where there is a need to identify the relative abundance of vitamin D2 and D3. Samples are typically extracted into Hexane, concentrated (e.g. using a miVac) and analysed by MS (avoiding ion suppression problems often seen with RIA).
Clinical and forensic toxicology investigations also utilise MS methodology, typically with solid phase extraction and evaporation as part of the sample preparation process. Blood and urine analysis can be utilised as part of a medico-legal investigation into drug-related deaths and drug-facilitated crimes and in the clinical assessment of alcohol/drug consumption. Hair analysis can also provide evidence over time of drug or alcohol abuse, as part of programme compliance for those participating in drug or alcohol dependency treatment or for workplace or health insurance screening. The EZ-2 has been used to streamline the sample preparation process whilst maintaining sample integrity and improving sensitivity.
Tandem MS is also used to identify metabolic disorders which include aminoacidemias, urea cycle disorders, organic acidurias, and fatty acid oxidation disorders. Samples can be presented as plasma, urine, and blood spots or urine on filter paper. Sample preparation techniques can include solvent extraction, acid derivitisation and evaporation prior to reconstitution in a suitable medium for injection to MS. Evaporation of butanolic HCl used for derivatisation using blowdown techniques results in corrosion of the system especially pins/needles/jets which can lead to contamination of samples and erroneous results. The EZ-2 with HCI resistance commonly used for these sample preparation stages. One example would be the test for CAT (carnitine acyl carnitine translocase deficiency) in neonates, an inborn error of metabolism. Lack of this enzyme prevents the body from converting fats into energy. Labs do the initial test on Guthrie cards (dried blood spots). The cards are punched and extracted with 200ul of Methanol. The supernatant is placed into microtitre plates and dried. Samples are then derivatised using approx 100ul 3N HCl in anhydrous Butanol and dried again. Finally, samples are re-suspended in Water & acetonitrile for analysis by MS.
miVac concentrators have been used by the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory to improve the testing for synthetic insulin analogues in athletes' blood samples. Using the miVac's ability to control conditions during the concentration step the analyst has more confidence that they are seeing the true blood concentration of potential drugs of abuse in the athlete's sample.
Mass Spectrometry (MS) is replacing radio-immunoassay (RIA) in Clinical biochemistry analysis, removing the need to use radioactive reagents. One of the Steroid assays performed by hospital clinical labs is for Vitamin D analysis where there is a need to identify the relative abundance of vitamin D2 and D3. Samples are typically extracted into Hexane, concentrated (e.g. using a miVac) and analysed by MS (avoiding ion suppression problems often seen with RIA).
Clinical and forensic toxicology investigations also utilise MS methodology, typically with solid phase extraction and evaporation as part of the sample preparation process. Blood and urine analysis can be utilised as part of a medico-legal investigation into drug-related deaths and drug-facilitated crimes and in the clinical assessment of alcohol/drug consumption. Hair analysis can also provide evidence over time of drug or alcohol abuse, as part of programme compliance for those participating in drug or alcohol dependency treatment or for workplace or health insurance screening. The EZ-2 has been used to streamline the sample preparation process whilst maintaining sample integrity and improving sensitivity.
Tandem MS is also used to identify metabolic disorders which include aminoacidemias, urea cycle disorders, organic acidurias, and fatty acid oxidation disorders. Samples can be presented as plasma, urine, and blood spots or urine on filter paper. Sample preparation techniques can include solvent extraction, acid derivitisation and evaporation prior to reconstitution in a suitable medium for injection to MS. Evaporation of butanolic HCl used for derivatisation using blowdown techniques results in corrosion of the system especially pins/needles/jets which can lead to contamination of samples and erroneous results. The EZ-2 with HCI resistance commonly used for these sample preparation stages. One example would be the test for CAT (carnitine acyl carnitine translocase deficiency) in neonates, an inborn error of metabolism. Lack of this enzyme prevents the body from converting fats into energy. Labs do the initial test on Guthrie cards (dried blood spots). The cards are punched and extracted with 200ul of Methanol. The supernatant is placed into microtitre plates and dried. Samples are then derivatised using approx 100ul 3N HCl in anhydrous Butanol and dried again. Finally, samples are re-suspended in Water & acetonitrile for analysis by MS.
miVac concentrators have been used by the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory to improve the testing for synthetic insulin analogues in athletes' blood samples. Using the miVac's ability to control conditions during the concentration step the analyst has more confidence that they are seeing the true blood concentration of potential drugs of abuse in the athlete's sample.
Useful Papers:
- Evaluation of the EZ-2 for Forensic Toxicology - Dr Eleanor Miller & Dr Simon Elliott, ROAR Forensics, UK. Evaluated the EZ-2 for use concentrating extracts from hair samples to detect alcohol and drugs of abuse metabolites entrained in the samples
- Evaluation of Evaporative Sample Preparation Techniques for the Extraction of Drugs of Abuse from Urine. Describes the development of a new method for the pre- analytical extraction of drugs of abuse from urine samples pertaining to drug facilitated sexual assault cases. By Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).
- Better Detection of Insulin Analogues - Great care is required when preparing the samples for analysis, this paper evaluates two possible methods (nitrogen blow down & vacuum concentration) and highlights the pitfalls. Study by Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory.
Contact us if you are interested in any of the above papers
DNA & Oligonucleotides
Genevac systems facilitate a wide range of DNA sample preparation and processing activities, ranging from straightforward small volume concentration of DNA pellets prior to PCR, through to high throughput processing of many purified DNA or oligonucleotide samples. Where a dry sample of DNA is required, concentration to dryness in a centrifugal evaporator is the ideal method, presenting the DNA as a dry film in the tube of plate well. Freeze drying of DNA samples is not recommended because the resultant DNA powder is easily blown about or moved by electrostatic charges.
DNA Concentration
Concentration of DNA from samples containing water or a mixture of water and alcohols is a simple process, which for most researchers requires the miVac DNA concentrator. Concentration to remove a few hundred microlitres of alcohol from a DNA pellet takes approximately 10 minutes, or less. This is one of the simplest applications of a Genevac system – in a miVac DNA concentrator, set the temperature, select the method for alcohols or water, and press start.
Oligonucleotides & DNA Purification
The manufacture of oligonucleotides commonly has two steps where evaporation is required, evaporation of ammonia solutions following synthesis, and then subsequent evaporation of purified samples. Protection of oligonucleotides from damage during drying is critical, especially where a tag or label has been attached to the DNA. Two studies by Genevac users show that this can safely be achieved in a Genevac evaporator:
Where samples have been purified by reverse phase HPLC samples are presented in a mixture of water and methanol or acetonitrile. The methods laid out in the Post Purification Sample Handling section should be followed. The imbalance tolerance built into Genevac systems gives researchers confidence that eluates at different ends of the gradient will still dry down, and if there is too much imbalance the system will automatically shut down and tell the user.
Preparation of DNA Microarrays
For certain microarraying techniques concentrated samples of DNA are required. To maintain such a concentration is difficult due to the volatile nature of the buffers holding the DNA, therefore samples should be made up to the required volume immediately prior to analysis. A study by the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford has shown that when an EZ-2 is used in this process the data quality returned by the system is significantly better, reducing the no call rate by 80% or more.
DNA Concentration
Concentration of DNA from samples containing water or a mixture of water and alcohols is a simple process, which for most researchers requires the miVac DNA concentrator. Concentration to remove a few hundred microlitres of alcohol from a DNA pellet takes approximately 10 minutes, or less. This is one of the simplest applications of a Genevac system – in a miVac DNA concentrator, set the temperature, select the method for alcohols or water, and press start.
Oligonucleotides & DNA Purification
The manufacture of oligonucleotides commonly has two steps where evaporation is required, evaporation of ammonia solutions following synthesis, and then subsequent evaporation of purified samples. Protection of oligonucleotides from damage during drying is critical, especially where a tag or label has been attached to the DNA. Two studies by Genevac users show that this can safely be achieved in a Genevac evaporator:
- Comparing Evaporators for Drying Oligonucleotides - Catherine McKeen, Eurogentec SA A Rapid,
- Safe Technique for Drying Oligonucleotides - Dr Tim Watts, Wellcome Trust Human Genome Centre
Where samples have been purified by reverse phase HPLC samples are presented in a mixture of water and methanol or acetonitrile. The methods laid out in the Post Purification Sample Handling section should be followed. The imbalance tolerance built into Genevac systems gives researchers confidence that eluates at different ends of the gradient will still dry down, and if there is too much imbalance the system will automatically shut down and tell the user.
Preparation of DNA Microarrays
For certain microarraying techniques concentrated samples of DNA are required. To maintain such a concentration is difficult due to the volatile nature of the buffers holding the DNA, therefore samples should be made up to the required volume immediately prior to analysis. A study by the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford has shown that when an EZ-2 is used in this process the data quality returned by the system is significantly better, reducing the no call rate by 80% or more.
