The aspirator with 1L trap flask is designed for the aspiration or removal of any remaining alcohol or buffer from microtest tube walls during DNA/RNA purification and other macromolecule re-precipitation techniques. An ideal personal tool for independent operation away from an inline lab vacuum supply.

Compact, efficient, easy to use. Flexible for the user by offering a choice of either a single tip operation or a multi-tip option with 8 tips for use on standard PCR type plates. The integrated micro-biological filter is hydrophobic and designed to trap any bacteria, viruses or infected particles which may have been present in the aspirated solutions. The unit can stand directly inside a workstation, supplied with a slim 12V power cord.

The unit can also be used for routine operations of cells washing from culture medium and resuspension in a buffer.

The operation principle is based on creating negative pressure in the trapping flask using an built-in micro-compressor. The collecting tip is connected with polyethylene tube to the trapping flask. Liquid is removed from the microtest tube when the collecting tip touches the solution surface.

A tube holder-organiser is conveniently located on the right hand side of the FTA-1. This can accommodate two tubes e.g. one for a hydrochloric acid solution and one for a distillate which is necessary for tip washing and storing, such that a tip can be re-used.

A suction microbiological filter eliminates risk of contamination from the trap flask with bacteria, viruses and infected particles. The suction microbiological filter is hydrophobic: with efficiency up to 99.9% it holds particles bigger than 0.027 micron, which are smaller than agents of Hepatitis A, B and C.

The use of an aspirator is preferential to using a generic laboratory vacuum line as it restricts the possibility of contamination and can be used exactly where the operator is located i.e. no need for a dedicated position in the laboratory to perform the aspirator.