The Automation Technique Lab-In-Syringe: A Practical Guide

Abstract

About eight years ago, a new automation approach and flow technique called “Lab-In-Syringe” was proposed. It was derived from previous flow techniques, all based on handling reagent and sample solutions in a flow manifold. To date Lab-In-Syringe has evidently gained the interest of researchers in many countries, with new modifications, operation modes, and technical improvements still popping up. It has proven to be a versatile tool for the automation of sample preparation, particularly, liquid-phase microextraction approaches. This article aims to assist newcomers to this technique in system planning and setup by overviewing the different options for configurations, limitations, and feasible operations. This includes syringe orientation, in-syringe stirring modes, in-syringe detection, additional inlets, and addable features. The authors give also a chronological overview of technical milestones and a critical explanation on the potentials and shortcomings of this technique, calculations of characteristics, and tips and tricks on method development. Moreover, a comprehensive overview of the different operation modes of Lab-In-Syringe automated sample pretreatment is given focusing on the technical aspects and challenges of the related operations. We further deal with possibilities on how to fabricate required or useful system components, in particular by 3D printing technology, with over 20 different elements exemplarily shown. Finally, a short discussion on shortcomings and required improvements is given.

Chemical Derivatization in Flow Analysis

“…It is inherent to the flow-batch analyzer [ 68 ], which combines the advantages of flow and batchwise systems, being then worthy for increasing sample residence time in derivatizations relying on relatively slow chemical reactions. These features are also efficiently accomplished in the lab-in-syringe flow analyzers, in which chemical processes are carried out inside the plunger of a syringe pump [ 69 ].…”

Data-Centric Architecture for Self-Driving Laboratories with Autonomous Discovery of New Nanomaterials

“…Materials Acceleration Platforms (MAP) [ 19 ] are an emerging paradigm to accelerate the discovery of materials and especially functional nanomaterials. The reduced timeline of accelerated nanomaterial development is facilitated by the convergence of High-Throughput Computational (HTC) screening [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ] with improved computations using ab initio codes for simulations [ 57 , 58 ] of electronic structure, materials properties predictions [ 59 , 60 , 61 ], automation [ 62 ], and robotic [ 63 , 64 , 65 ] systems for chemistry laboratories, using scientific AI in materials science [ 66 ] and the diversity of machine learning methods adapted to material science and areas of physics and chemistry.…”

Lab-In-Syringe with Bead Injection Coupled Online to High-Performance Liquid Chromatography as Versatile Tool for Determination of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Surface Waters

“…In this work, we explore the combination of LOV-BI with the flow-batch technique Lab-In-Syringe (LIS) [ 42 , 43 ] as a proof-of-concept. LIS, similar to LOV originating from sequential injection analysis, is an ideal tool to automate and miniaturize liquid-phase microextraction approaches or downscale chromogenic assays [ 43 , 44 ].…”

“…In this work, we explore the combination of LOV-BI with the flow-batch technique Lab-In-Syringe (LIS) [ 42 , 43 ] as a proof-of-concept. LIS, similar to LOV originating from sequential injection analysis, is an ideal tool to automate and miniaturize liquid-phase microextraction approaches or downscale chromogenic assays [ 43 , 44 ]. The typical flow manifold is replaced by the syringe void itself, into which all solutions can be aspirated step-by-step as required and mixed homogenously by magnetic stirring [ 45 ].…”