liquid handling
A glossary of liquid-handling terms
Separate the liquid-handling terms people mix up, from blow-out and pre-wetting to systematic error, tip fit, and the Z-factor.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
Topic cluster
Liquid handling
Pipetting technique, tip choice, calibration checks and where manual and automated handling each fail.
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26 articles
Pillar · liquid handling
Accurate micropipetting technique
How an air-displacement micropipette delivers a volume, how forward pipetting uses the two stops, and why temperature belongs in the result.
8 October 2026 · 9 min read
liquid handling
Air displacement versus positive displacement
Trace under-delivery and dripping to the air cushion or the piston, and choose the pipette class that matches the liquid.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
Checking a pipette between calibrations
A gravimetric water check shows whether a piston pipette is still fit for quantitative work between scheduled calibrations, and when to stop using it.
8 October 2026 · 10 min read
liquid handling
Comparing manual and automated handling
See which variances a liquid handler removes and which tip, clot, dead-volume, and deck errors it adds, then plan the check.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
Decontamination of a pipette
Choose a pipette decontamination from the manufacturer insert, including disinfectant, UV limits, autoclave permission, and the tip ejector.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
Ergonomics and repetitive pipetting
Plan posture, thumb force, and breaks for a long pipetting session, and report pain as an occupational issue for the institution.
8 October 2026 · 8 min read
liquid handling
Filter tips and aerosol risk
Decide when a filter tip reduces aerosol in the shaft, and keep the biosafety cabinet and the risk assessment in the workflow.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
Forward and reverse pipetting
Choose forward pipetting for aqueous liquids and reverse pipetting when the liquid foams, clings, or evaporates, and do not mix the strokes in one check.
8 October 2026 · 8 min read
liquid handling
Gravimetric checks with a balance
Turn a balance reading into a delivered volume with the water temperature you measured, and see what a water check can support.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
ISO 8655 as a calibration framework
Use ISO 8655 as terminology and a user framework, and compare your own gravimetric check with the specification you claim.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read
liquid handling
Monsoon humidity and weighing a check
Read monsoon humidity as a weighing problem: static, drift, condensation, and slower evaporation, before you blame the pipette.
8 October 2026 · 7 min read