Advantages of Using a 96-Well Plate with Glass Inserts for Chromatography

What Are the Advantages of Using a 96-Well Plate with Glass Inserts for Chromatography?

In today’s analytical laboratories, precision and efficiency are paramount. Whether performing HPLC, LC-MS, or other separation techniques, choosing the right consumables directly affects data accuracy and productivity. One innovation improving high-throughput sample preparation is the 96-well plate with glass inserts. At Chrom Tech, we understand the importance of consistency and reproducibility—here’s why glass-insert 96-well plates are an essential addition to any chromatography workflow.

1. Superior Chemical Resistance

Glass inserts offer exceptional resistance to strong acids, bases, and organic solvents. Unlike plastic plates that may leach or absorb solvents, glass maintains chemical integrity to prevent contamination. This ensures consistent, uncontaminated results when working with aggressive reagents or sensitive analytes.

2. Enhanced Sample Recovery

The non-porous, ultra-smooth surface of glass minimizes sample adhesion, ensuring maximum recovery from each well. This is especially beneficial in small-volume analyses, where every microliter counts. The improved recovery translates directly into better reproducibility and precision across multiple samples.

3. Compatibility with Automation and High-Throughput Workflows

The 96-well format is standard across automated systems, making glass-insert plates fully compatible with robotic liquid handlers, fraction collectors, and autosamplers. By combining high-throughput capacity with enhanced durability, labs can streamline workflow efficiency without sacrificing chemical stability or data reliability.

4. Temperature and Solvent Stability

Glass-insert plates perform reliably under a wide range of temperatures and solvent conditions. They can withstand repeated heating and cooling cycles without deformation or chemical degradation, making them ideal for demanding analytical workflows and extended storage applications.

5. Improved Analytical Accuracy

Minimized contamination, reduced solvent absorption, and higher sample recovery contribute to improved precision in chromatographic data. These factors make glass-insert 96-well plates particularly valuable for quantitative analysis, method development, and high-throughput screening—where accuracy and reproducibility are essential.

6. Long-Term Cost Efficiency

While glass-insert plates may cost more initially than standard plastic plates, their durability and resistance to chemical degradation reduce the frequency of repeat experiments and wasted samples. Over time, this results in lower overall operational costs for laboratories performing frequent chromatography runs.

Conclusion

For laboratories focused on precision, reliability, and efficiency, 96-well plates with glass inserts deliver a perfect balance of durability and analytical performance. They maintain the automation compatibility of traditional well plates while offering the superior chemical resistance and analytical accuracy of glass. At Chrom Tech, our goal is to equip labs with the highest-quality tools to ensure reproducible, high-confidence chromatography results—every time.