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Good Pipetting Practice (GPP)

Implementing standardized pipetting practices aligns your lab with global regulatory expectations and provides the technical control necessary to optimize assay sensitivity.

GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES

Ashutosh Mohan (Certified Six Sigma Black Belt) & Dr. Jigyasa Aggarwal (PhD Biotechnology)

1/23/20261 min read

The critical pillars of Good Pipetting Practice (GPP):
📍 Master the Technique

💡 Verticality is Key: Aspiration at a 20° angle can cause a 1.5% volume error. Keep it at 90°.
💡The 1-Second Rule: Pause after aspiration. This allows pressure to equalize and ensures full volume recovery.
💡Controlled Immersion: Submerge tips only 2–3mm (micro) or 3–6mm (macro). Too deep forces extra liquid in; too shallow draws air.
💡Pre-Wetting: Always aspirate/expel 3 times for volumes >10 µL to humidify the air cushion and prevent evaporation loss.

⚖️ Regulatory & Compliance Realities

🔎 System Integrity: Regulators view the pipette + tip as a single system. Using non-validated tips can void your calibration status during an audit.
🔎Traceability: Calibration must be performed every 6 months using NIST-traceable standards.
🔎Competency Records: Under CLIA 42 CFR § 493.1252, documented proof of staff training and periodic assessment is mandatory.

🚫 Common "Silent" Failures

⚠️ Hand-Warming: Holding the barrel too long expands the internal air cushion, causing under-delivery.
⚠️The "Liquid Hammer": Snapping the plunger pulls aerosols into the shaft, leading to corrosion and cross-contamination.
⚠️Improper Storage: Never lay a pipette flat. Use a vertical stand to prevent fluid vapors from entering the piston.
⚠️Pro-Tip: Dealing with glycerol or ethanol? Switch to Reverse Pipetting to bypass the physical limitations of air-displacement systems.

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