Performance Testing of Designed to Degrade Labware

1. Sterilization:
All of our Designed to Degrade labware designated as pre-sterilized are gamma irradiated for sterilization.


2. Biodegradation:
For anaerobic biodegradation: The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has established a number of scientific and technological tests to measure true biodegradation in plastic products.


ASTMD5511, equivalent to ISO DIS15985 (International Standards), measures biodegradation % in biologically active landfills.


3. RNAse Testing:
Poly-A tailed RNA is diluted in distilled, RNAse free water.  Products from each lot are tested by exposure to the diluted RNA followed by incubation of the diluted RNA at 37°C for one hour.  The absence of degradation after electrophoresis indicates the products are free from RNAse contamination.


4. DNAse Testing:
A DNA ladder is diluted in distilled, DNAse free water.  Products from each lot are tested by exposure to the diluted DNA followed by incubation of the diluted DNA at 37°C for one hour.  The absence of degradation after electrophoresis indicates the products are free from DNAse contamination.


5. Centrifugation:
Tubes are batch tested and rated by centrifuging tubes containing water, TAE, TBE at the highest force they can endure without damage for 30 minutes.

Recommendations:
15ml Conical Tubes: up to 15,000 x g
50ml Conical Tubes: up to 15,000 x g
1.5ml Microcentrifuge Tubes: up to 25,000 x g
2ml Microcentrifuge Tubes: up to 25,000 x g

6. Boiling:
Tubes containing water and solvents are batch tested and determined boil-proof by incubating at 95°C for one hour without loss of structural integrity or evaporation.

Recommendations:
15ml Conical Tubes
50ml Conical Tubes
1.5ml Microcentrifuge Tubes
2ml Microcentrifuge Tubes

7. Freezing:  
Tubes containing water, TAE & TBE are batch tested and determined freeze-proof by storage at -20°C, -80°C, or -130°C for six months without loss of structural integrity.

Recommendations:
15ml Conical Tubes: up to -80°C
50ml Conical Tubes: up to - 80°C
1.5ml Microcentrifuge Tubes: up to -121°C
2ml Microcentrifuge Tubes: up to -121°C

8. Leachates:
Using the method of Lewis et al. (2010), tubes are batch tested for leachates by spectrophotometric absorbance measurements taken before and after boiling, freezing, autoclaving, and incubating with common buffers and solvents. Additional testing is being performed using mass spec analysis and HPLC.


Lewis LK, Robson MH, Vecherkina Y, Ji C, Beall GW. 2010. Interference with spectrophotometric analysis of nucleic acis and proteins by leaching of chemicals from plastic tubes. BioTechniques 48: 297-302.