Why Use 96-Well Plates with Glass Inserts for LCMS and Chromatography

96-well plates with glass inserts are used in LCMS and chromatography workflows when laboratories need better chemical compatibility, lower analyte adsorption, and improved protection against solvent evaporation. They combine the automation advantages of a 96-well plate format with the inert sample contact surface of glass.

Glass inserts are especially useful for hydrophobic peptides, lipid and FAME analysis, aggressive solvents, and heat-based workflows where polypropylene may contribute to sample loss or variability. For sensitive assays, glass insert plates can improve recovery, reproducibility, and overall analytical precision.

Why Use 96-Well Plates with Glass Inserts Hero

96-well plates are essential consumables in high-throughput analytical laboratories, especially those running mass spectrometry workflows. The most common plate formats—such as polypropylene 96 deep-well plates in 1 mL round or 2 mL square configurations—offer strong capacity and compatibility with automated systems. However, polypropylene may not be ideal for every application. For laboratories needing improved chemical compatibility, reduced evaporation, or better sample recovery, 96-well plates with glass inserts provide an effective alternative.

Improved Precision with Glass Inserts

Standard polypropylene plates can create challenges in assays involving hydrophobic peptides or other sensitive analytes because these compounds may adsorb to plastic surfaces. Using glass inserts within a 96-well plate format allows laboratories to maintain the convenience of a plate-based workflow while giving the sample contact with an inert glass surface.

In one study presented at an MSACL conference, researchers observed that insulin detemir—a hydrophobic peptide with a C14 myristic acid fatty chain—showed declining concentration over time when eluted into plastic collection plates. Switching to glass inserts reduced peptide loss and improved reproducibility, lowering coefficient of variation values by more than fivefold to below 10%. (Girtman, et al., MSACL 2019)

Using Glass Inserts for FAME Analysis

Glass inserts are also useful for Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) analysis by GC-MS. When paired with a molded PTFE/silicone sealing liner, glass inserts help prevent solvent evaporation during extraction and sample concentration steps.

In a published protocol, Williams et al. described using glass inserts within an aluminum 96-well block fitted with a PTFE-lined silicone mat and a precision-drilled aluminum cover plate secured by screws. This setup applies even downward pressure across all wells, creating a consistent airtight seal that minimizes evaporation and supports reproducible, automation-friendly quantitative FAME and lipid analysis.

Ease of Use and Automation

Chrom Tech’s glass inserts are packaged in 96-piece plate loaders for simple, low-contamination handling. To load the system, the user places the multi-tier base plate over the loader, inverts the assembly, and transfers all 96 inserts into the plate in a single motion.

This design supports automated and robotic workflows by ensuring consistent insert alignment and efficient setup for high-throughput laboratories.

Why Choose Chrom Tech 96-Well Glass Insert Plates?

  • Improved precision for hydrophobic peptides and low-volume assays
  • Reduced sample loss and adsorption compared with polypropylene
  • Compatible with automation and robotic handling systems
  • Sealable with PTFE/silicone mats to help prevent evaporation
  • Designed for reproducibility and long-term durability

When Glass Inserts Are Better Than Polypropylene Plates

Glass insert systems are often the better choice when a method is sensitive to sample contact with plastic, when solvent evaporation must be tightly controlled, or when the workflow includes heat-based reactions, extraction steps, or adsorption-prone analytes.

For laboratories automating analytical assays in LCMS or chromatography, Chrom Tech’s 96-well plates with glass inserts provide a practical balance of chemical inertness, precision, and automation compatibility. These systems are especially useful for peptide assays, lipid workflows, FAME analysis, and other methods where minimizing sample loss and variability is critical.

References

  • Girtman, A., Grebe, S., Singh, R. “The Challenges Associated with the Development of a Clinically Viable Quantitative Insulin Analog Assay.” MSACL 2019 US.
  • Williams, K.J., Bensinger, S.J. (2020) “Cellular Fatty Acid Analysis in Macrophage Using Stable Isotope Labeling.” Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2184.
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Key Definitions ▶
Glass Insert 96-Well Plate
A plate-based system that combines a standard 96-well format with individual glass inserts to provide inert sample contact in automated workflows.
Analyte Adsorption
The unwanted interaction of a sample compound with a container surface, which can reduce recovery and affect analytical precision.
Hydrophobic Peptide
A peptide containing nonpolar regions that may adsorb to plastic surfaces, making inert glass contact beneficial in analytical workflows.
PTFE / Silicone Sealing Mat
A sealing component used with plate systems to help create an airtight barrier that minimizes solvent evaporation during extraction or analysis.
FAME Analysis
Fatty Acid Methyl Ester analysis, often performed by GC-MS to evaluate lipid composition in biological or analytical samples.
Frequently Asked Questions ▶
Why use glass inserts instead of polypropylene plates?
Glass inserts reduce peptide or analyte adsorption to plastic surfaces and can improve recovery, reproducibility, and assay precision. They are especially useful for sensitive assays and hydrophobic molecules that may adhere to polypropylene.
Are glass inserts compatible with automation systems?
Yes. Chrom Tech glass inserts are packaged in 96-piece plate loaders and are designed to be transferred efficiently into multi-tier plate systems for automated and robotic liquid handling workflows.
Can glass inserts help prevent solvent evaporation?
Yes. When used with PTFE/silicone mats and secured under an aluminum cover, glass insert systems can maintain airtight conditions that reduce evaporation and help preserve sample integrity.
What sample types benefit most from glass inserts?
Glass inserts are especially useful for peptide assays, lipid and FAME analysis, and other methods where solvent compatibility, low adsorption, and reproducible recovery are important in LCMS or GC-MS workflows.