The ep T.I.P.S. Dualfilter have shown a much better efficiency for particle penetration / protecting against aerosols than other filter tips in the market. Has this changed with the ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax?

No. The Dualfilter of ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax is based on the existing Dualfilter technology. Thus, there is no decrease in filter efficiency.

If I accidentally over-pipette, the sample touches the filter and the filter blocks the liquid. Do I have to discard the sample together with the tip?

No, provided that you work with Eppendorf single-channel pipettes and your sample is an aqueous solution. In this case, you can recover nearly 100% of your aqueous sample. Simply press down the operating button of your pipette slowly and dispense the liquid. The recovery rate of water has been shown in Application Note 273.

Has the position of the filter changed compared to ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. ?

No. The filter of ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax is in the same position as in the ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S.

Is there any difference of aerosol penetration rate in comparison to ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S?

No. The Dualfilter of ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax is the same HEPA class E12 according to EN 1822 (99.5 % of aerosols are retained)

Does the self-sealing mechanism of the filter work with all kinds of liquids?

No. The self-sealing mechanism works best with aquaeous solutions, most acids, and bases. We recommend our ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. LoRetention, when working with solutions containing detergents.

May I use the ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax for several pipetting processes, even after the filter came into contact with the liquid?

No. Filter tips in general are meant to be used only once as they are used to avoid contaminations. Therefore, we recommend to always use a new filter tip when starting the next pipetting process.

Is there a time limit for the recovery of sample liquid when over pipetting accidentally?

Generally, there are several seconds between the absorption of the sample and its dispensing. The Dualfilter of the ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax allows immediate sample recovery when working with aquaeous solutions and a single-channel pipette.

Must the lid on epT.I.P.S. Boxes / epT.I.P.S. Boxes 2.0 be opened for autoclaving?

No, the boxes can be autoclaved with the lid closed.

Can the epT.I.P.S. Box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 be autoclaved at 133 °C?

No, the epT.I.P.S. Box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 cannot be autoclaved at 133 °C. We recommend 121 °C.

Are the epT.I.P.S. Box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 and the epT.I.P.S. Racks UV-resistant?

The UV stability of epT.I.P.S. box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 (made of polycarbonate) as well as of the epT.I.P.S. racks (made of polypropylene) were tested intensively during development. Boxes and racks were exposed to 254 nm UV light (1 J/cm2) for 16.7 hours. After 10 cycles (167 hours), no signs of adverse effects were detectable. Because the energy of the lamp used is considerably higher than that of a lamp used in a sterile bench, it can be assumed that both boxes can be exposed to UV radiation for at least 300 to 600 hours in a sterile bench without problems. Polypropylene used for epTIPS Racks is three times more resistant against UV radiation than polycarbonate allowing even longer exposure to UV light. If a disinfectant is applied prior to UV irradiation make sure to take off the reagent by wiping off using a cloth soaked in water.

Is the epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 compatible with the Reloads for the forerunner epT.I.P.S. Box?

Yes, the epT.I.P.S. ® Box 2.0 is compatible with all epT.I.P.S. Reloads and all epT.I.P.S. BioBased Reloads.

What is the difference between epT.I.P.S. Box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 and epT.I.P.S. Rack?

The epT.I.P.S. ® Box 2.0 in the new design, equipped with additional benefits, is the successor product of the epT.I.P.S. ® Box used in the market since 2002. Like its predecessor, the epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 can be autoclaved up to 100 times and can be filled with all epT.I.P.S. Reload variants for pipette tips in Eppendorf Quality, PCR clean, Biopur ® and PCR clean/Sterile. Please note: the reload variants for tips in Biopur ® and PCR clean/Sterile can only be used in the epT.I.P.S. ® Box 2.0. They do not fit into the predecessor epT.I.P.S. Box. The epT.I.P.S. ® Racks are disposable and destined only for single use and are available in the purity grades Biopur ® and PCR clean/Sterile. For detailed information visit: www.eppendorf.com/discover/the-magician-eptipsr-boxes-20

How often can the epT.I.P.S. Box / epT.I.P.S. Box 2.0 be autoclaved?

Both boxes can be autoclaved up to 100 times. Stacking of many boxes should be avoided during this process. Please note that if Reloads are inserted, the tray and tips can only be autoclaved once and that filtered tips cannot be autoclaved.

Do ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. and/or ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax prevent vapour from hazardous liquids to enter the pipette cone? (e.g. fuming acids)

No. The principle of the Dualfilter (in ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. and ep Dualfilter T.I.P.S. SealMax) is to protect from aerosols, meaning small liquid droplets in the air. Vapour/fume from liquid samples is gaseous and thus not retained by any filter. To protect the lower part of a pipette, it is best to use a lower part made of PTFE (higher chemical resistance, to withstand highly aggressive chemicals (e.g. TFA)). Please note that Eppendorf offers a PTFE lower part for some single-channel Research plus and Reference 2 (Please refer to FAQ 586 for availability). Important to bear in mind when using it: A lower pipette part made of PTFE is not autoclavable as PTFE is not dimensionally stable under heat. Pipette calibration is recommended after replacing the lower part.