Centrifugal filtration: fast and efficient sample preparation in the lab

Efficiency, reproducibility and reliability are essential pillars of any laboratory. Yet in practice, sample preparation often remains a bottleneck. Traditional techniques such as precipitation or column chromatography can be time-consuming, multi-step processes that frequently result in the loss of valuable analytes.

Why traditional methods often fall short

• Precipitation requires the addition of salts or alcohols, which can lead to denaturation or loss—especially for fragile proteins or when pH adjustments are imprecise.
• Column chromatography is labour-intensive, difficult to automate and often leaves behind residual components.
• Dialysis and gradient centrifugation are time-consuming, less reproducible and increase the risk of contamination.
• These methods also tend to alter the ionic strength or pH conditions of your sample.

This is particularly problematic when working with sensitive or limited materials such as proteins, DNA or viruses. The recovery is often low, the buffer conditions suboptimal, or the analyte nearly undetectable.

Centrifugal filtration as an efficient alternative

Centrifugal filtration offers an efficient and reproducible solution for processing sensitive or difficult-to-purify samples. These filters are specifically designed to concentrate or purify biomolecules quickly and gently, with minimal sample loss. No time-consuming workflows—just a straightforward, consistent process.

The key to a successful filtration process? A proper match between sample type, membrane and pore size (MWCO). In this blog, you'll learn how centrifugal filtration works, what to consider when choosing the right membrane and MWCO, and which filters best suit your application.

Ultrafiltration: the working principle

Ultrafiltration uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate biomolecules based on molecular size. Large molecules (such as proteins or viruses) are retained and concentrated, while smaller components (su

Novolab turns 40: join us for the celebration!

This year, we’re celebrating a special milestone: Novolab turns 40! For four decades, we’ve been committed to innovation, quality and outstanding service to our valued customers. And that calls for a celebration! We’d love to celebrate with you, which is why we’re coming to three locations in Belgium. You’re warmly invited to join us!

Where and when?

We’re bringing the party to you, so find us at the location that suits you best:

Zwijnaarde

• Date: Thursday, November 28
• Time: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
• Location: Campus Ardoyen, near Magnel Square, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 60, 9052 Gent

Gosselies

• Date: Tuesday, December 3
• Time: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
• Location: Parking lot of IBMM-ULB Charleroi, Rue Prof. Jeener et Brachet 12, 6041 Gosselies

Wilrijk

• Date: Thursday, December 5
• Time: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
• Location: Building Q, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk

What's in store?

• Delicious local treats: It’s on us, so enjoy!
• Win a festive Christmas box: Fill out a coupon and stand a chance to win an exclusive Christmas box full of surprises - perfect for sharing with your colleagues!
• A gift for everyone: Every visitor receives 5% off their next Novolab order on December 10, 2024. Our little thank-you for stopping by!

See you there!

We can’t wait to celebrate this special occasion with you. Mark your calendar, bring your colleagues and let’s toast to 40 years of Novolab! For more details, feel free to contact us.

Ensuring food safety in ready-to-use food products is crucial, especially in combating pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. One of the essential tools in this process is the Novasina Aw-meter, which measures the water activity (Aw) of products.

Water activity is a determining factor for the growth of microorganisms. Products with a low Aw value (≤ 0.92) provide a less favorable environment for the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Using a Novasina Aw-meter helps food producers accurately determine if their products fall within safe limits.

According to FAVV guidelines, ready-to-eat foods are automatically subject to less stricter control measures if the Aw is ≤ 0.92 ( among other criteria). This means that products with these properties need less frequent testing for Listeria monocytogenes, as the low water activity inhibits the growth of this bacteria​​​​.

Regularly measuring and monitoring the aw value with a Novasina Aw-meter offers multiple benefits:

• Preventing Listeria outbreaks: Ensuring that water activity remains within safe limits effectively limits the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.
• Regulatory compliance: Food producers can demonstrate that their products meet the microbiological criteria set out in Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, which is essential for compliance and obtaining market approval​​.
• Extending shelf life: Products with controlled Aw values generally have a longer shelf life without quality degradation, providing economic benefits for producers.

Using a Novasina Aw-meter is not only a scientific and regulatory necessity but also a practical approach to ensuring food safety and maximizing economic benefits in the food industry.

2023 marks Cytiva’s 7th year of supporting breast cancer breakthroughs with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). In October, with the purchase of specific Cytiva consumables, $1 is contributed to breast cancer research.

The new year always brings new good intentions. Nevertheless, most of us do not keep them up for long, if we are really honest. Therefore, let 2022 be different and protect yourself, your loved ones and your colleagues! With a few small adjustments, we can already make a big difference in terms of safety. Reinforce your good intentions with the face masks, CO₂ meters, air recirculators, self-tests and hand sanitizers from Novolab.

In order to take not only preventive, but also repressive action against airborne diseases, Biosan has been producing devices that use UV light for disinfection since 2004. UV radiation kills bacteria, fungi and viruses without using harmful chemicals. Moreover, the user enjoys full protection against direct ultraviolet radiation. The air-decontaminating effect of ultraviolet light was discovered as early as the 19th century, as was the susceptibility of many airborne pathogens to it, such as tuberculosis and influenza viruses (Peisahovičs et al., 2021; McDevitt et al., 2012). A new windfall that came to light during recent research is the effectiveness of UV against the cause of the current pandemic, SARS-CoV-2.

The Heavy Duty shakers from Ohaus are powerful orbital shakers which maximize your sample processing and increase efficiency in your lab through their consistent shaking and mixing action. The devices can be used for a large number of applications. As such, they are particularly suitable for cell cultures, solubility studies, extractions, bacteria and yeast cultures and suspensions, protein studies and staining or destaining. So that you know which Heavy Duty shaker is most suitable for your purposes, we will guide you through the range of eight models from Ohaus, each with different functionalities, speeds and capacities.

The face mask reference for medical professionals is the ADF2-202NR of Medimundi, thanks to the double focus on safety and user comfort. Moreover, the FFP2 filtering folding mask is also particularly suitable for individuals with chronic conditions, because it offers the best guarantee for protection.

Ever since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the awareness about hygiene, disinfection and the containment of biological risks has increased sharply in large parts of the world population. Through the mandatory use of face masks and hand sanitizers, we have all together started thinking about the use of protective equipment to help limit contaminations.

AW-METERS (WATER ACTIVITY) - QUALITY FROM SWITZERLAND

The Swiss company Novasina specializes in the development and manufacture of accurate measuring systems for the measurement of humidity and material moisture, temperature and differential pressure.