Laboratory research is an initial stage in the process of scientific advancement, driving discoveries across a multitude of disciplines. Reproducible data relies on precision and accuracy, but studies are often threatened with contamination risks. From microbiology to chemistry, contamination can compromise experimental outcomes. Understanding the diverse sources and implications of contamination is essential for researchers to implement effective strategies for mitigating its risks.

Laboratory contamination risks can originate from various sources, both internal and external. Common sources include:

Airborne Contaminants: Particles suspended in the air, such as dust, pollen, and microorganisms, can infiltrate laboratory spaces. These contaminants use air as a vehicle to settle and grow on surfaces, equipment, and samples, introducing foreign material into experiments. 

Cross-Contamination: Transfer of material or organisms between samples, equipment, or personnel during handling and processing can lead to cross-contamination. Direct cross-contamination can occur when a pipette tip touches a sample solution and then comes into contact with another sample during aliquoting, transferring material between the two samples. Failure to change gloves between sample handling can lead to indirect cross-contamination. 

Microbial Contamination: Microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, pose a significant threat to laboratory research. People can be the greatest source of microbial laboratory contamination risks. Our skin, hair, breath, and clothing can all house microbes. Protective gear like gloves and masks can help prevent contamination, but minimal human interaction with laboratory samples is best. Contamination with microbial agents can also occur through contact with contaminated surfaces, improper aseptic techniques, or the introduction of non-sterile reagents. 

Chemical Contaminants: Improper storage, handling, or disposal of chemicals can contaminate laboratory samples and equipment, compromising data integrity. Chemical residues left behind from cleaning agents or reagents can interfere with experimental results.

Human Error: Inadvertent mistakes by researchers can contribute to laboratory contamination risks in experiments in a variety of ways. When dealing with large sample sets or high-throughput workflows, it’s easy to make a mistake during repetitive manual tasks like aliquoting. Over-pipetting, under-pipetting, improper technique, or mislabeling happens commonly but results in inaccurate data. 

Contamination can have far-reaching consequences by impacting the quality of data and the interpretation of results of laboratory research. Some of the implications include:

Data Integrity: Contamination can lead to inaccurate measurements, false positives or negatives, or inconsistent findings. These skewed results compromise the integrity of the data and undermine the validity of research conclusions.

Reproducibility: Inconsistent or unreliable results due to contamination make it challenging to replicate experiments. Reproducibility in laboratory research is essential for progressing research findings into real-world applications like medical treatments. 

Waste of Resources: Due to causing inaccurate data, contamination events often necessitate experiment re-dos. Valuable time, materials, and resources that could include precious or limited samples are wasted. These losses delay research progress and incur additional costs.

Risk to Personnel: Hazardous chemicals and infectious agents can also be laboratory contamination risks. These contaminants pose risks to the health and safety of laboratory personnel. Proper risk assessment and safety protocols are necessary to mitigate these threats.

How does a laboratory mitigate laboratory contamination risks?

Implementing laboratory automation equipment like automated aliquoting systems is an effective way to lessen laboratory contamination risks. Aliquoting, the process of dividing a sample source into smaller sub-samples, is a common practice in laboratory research. It helps preserve the original sample while minimizing degradation. Automating this practice ensures precision and consistency with little risk of contamination. 

The Scinomix AQ Aliquoting System is designed with an integrated pipetting tool for precise control over aliquot volumes. Identical divided sample portions bypass inadvertent mistakes that lead to inaccurate data. The minimized need for human intervention significantly reduces the risk of contaminants like microbes. Automated aliquoting systems provide a controlled environment that shields samples from cross-contamination.  

Automated aliquoting systems streamline sample management in a variety of ways in addition to decreasing contamination risk. Laboratories also implement this type of equipment for time savings and efficiency. Personnel can rely on laboratory automation for proper data management, flexibility of tube accommodation, barcode reader validation, and more. By automating repetitive tasks, laboratory personnel can focus on more critical work within scientific studies. 

At Scinomix, we strive to simplify lab processes while ensuring top-quality results. Our innovative solutions in laboratory automation continue to eliminate repetitive and tedious tasks. By automating lab processes using efficient benchtop solutions, we help to free valuable time and resources, allowing researchers to focus on groundbreaking discoveries. We understand that data accuracy and quality are essential for scientific progress, and that is why we are dedicated to providing automation solutions that guarantee reliable and accurate results. With Scinomix, you can expect lab automation that simplifies processes and ensures quality results every time.

Watch this video to learn more about the Scinomix AQ Aliquoting System.