Zephyr® SPE Workstation

The Zephyr SPE Workstation is a simple and efficient, yet powerful tool for automating the condition, load rinse and elute steps required in Solid Phase Extraction (SPE). The workstation is designed to specifically meet the needs of clinical, forensic, and pharmaceutical/biotech laboratories doing high-throughput SPE in a 96 well plate. The Zephyr SPE system is an automated solution for sample preparation, cleanup, and extraction with the ability to process 96 samples simultaneously in 20-40 minutes, depending on the method.

Additionally, the Zephyr SPE is equipped with a truly unique 'Clog Detection' * feature called “PING!”.  By using a state of the art ultrasonic sensor, the Zephyr SPE Workstation can quickly examine all wells on a plate to determine if the wells have emptied before moving on to the next step of the SPE method. If a clog well is detected, the workstation can apply vacuum for additional time or notify the operator by e-mail (if the computer is on the network) and put up an error screen showing what well(s) are clogged.  Once the clog is resolved, the workstation can complete the SPE method.  This feature provides the operator true walk away time, and the knowledge that there is no risk of contaminating the SPE plate if a well is clogged and additional reagents are added to that well.  The “PING!” Clog Detection feature makes the Zephyr SPE Workstation a powerful sample preparation tool.

The Zephyr SPE workstation in addition to providing the “PING!” sensor to assure no wells are clogged, and allowing for “unattended” walk away time has a software interface tailored specifically to SPE and other sample clean-up techniques.  There is no need to be a “programmer” or “expert liquid handler”, because our software lets you set-up a method with only 3 simple screens, and uses steps of condition, load, rinse and elute, and not load tips, aspirate, dispense.

* Patent Pending