NEWS RELEASE
ARTEL Extreme Pipetting Expedition to Visit Death Valley to
Test Impact of Dry Heat on Laboratory Data
Westbrook, ME (September 4, 2007) – ARTEL announces that Death Valley National Park will be the site of Mission #3
of the Extreme Pipetting Expedition. At Death Valley, located in the desert
spanning Nevada and California, ARTEL will test how dry and hot environmental
conditions alter pipetted volumes. Dry heat was chosen as the scientific focus
of Mission #3 because many laboratory technicians commonly encounter this
condition in their work environments. For example, laboratories using
analytical instruments, ovens, incubators, freezers and other devices using
high power or open flames are prone to heat and low humidity. Dry heat can also be contributed by heating and air-conditioning systems not
equipped with humidifiers. To ensure pipetting accuracy and precision and
strengthen data integrity, it is essential that laboratory scientists
understand and compensate for this source of error.
ARTEL will release the results from Mission #3 at the Association for Molecular
Pathology (AMP) 2007 Annual Meeting and Exhibits (booth #54), November 7-10,
2007, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.
A 3.3 million acre desert, Death Valley was selected as the site for Mission #3
because it is iconic for its hot and dry climate. Surrounded by mountains, the
valley captures and retains extreme amounts of heat to create one of the
hottest environments on earth, commonly exceeding 49oC (120oF). Death Valley is also the driest locale in the United States, receiving fewer
than two inches of rain annually.
The Extreme Pipetting Expedition is a multi-phase, year-long scientific study to
illustrate the impact of laboratory environmental conditions on pipetting
performance and data integrity. Previous missions explored how barometric pressure and how pipetting warm and
cold liquids affect data integrity.
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ARTEL is the worldwide leader in liquid handling quality assurance. Based on its
proprietary Ratiometric Photometry technology, ARTEL manufactures the most
accurate, precise, and easy-to-use systems available for ensuring data
integrity in liquid volume measurement. ARTEL systems utilize an ISO-conforming
method (ISO 8655-7) to provide NIST-traceable results. In addition, ARTEL
provides liquid handling quality assurance support and consultation services
including on site pipetting technique training and certifications for pipette
users and laboratory managers, as well as Liquid Handler Performance
Verification services for automated laboratories. Since 1982, ARTEL technology
has been proven in daily use in thousands of laboratories including
pharmaceutical, clinical, forensics, public health and drug discovery. Leading
institutions such as Amgen, ARUP, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Center for
Disease Control, DuPont, Eli Lilly, Genomic Health, IDT Technologies, Mayo
Clinic, Merck, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble, Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center and U.S. FDA depend on ARTEL
technology to help them meet their objectives for quality and productivity.
