Abstract
Unpleasant specimens, sensitive analytes and a lengthy chromatographic procedure were the main reasons to implement the analysis of fecal porphyrin using a laboratory robot. It was considered as a pilot project for the clinical laboratory to examine if manual methods for such unpleasant, low-volume work can be replaced by flexible automation. The system consists of a Zymate II core system with a number of peripherals required for liquid-liquid extraction, a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic system with fluorescence detection and a personal computer as system controller. Programming was performed in EASYLAB language for robot control and in HP Basic version 5.1 for data reduction. The reproducibility (C.V. = 10%) is better than for the manual technique and the system has been used routinely for two years. 250 samples have been analysed. The flexibility of the robot enabled other methods to be implemented on the same system. Thus, determination of urosynthase activity (150 samples per year) and porphyrines in urine (650 samples in two years) are run partially automated. These three analyses save US$ 50 000 per year, compared to an investment of US$ 55 000. As the number of analyses is rapidly increasing, the robot will soon be a profitable investment.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
