The Cary Sipper—Pump and Measure Multiple Samples Simultaneously

Importance of the Topic

UV-Vis spectrophotometry is a cornerstone technique in analytical chemistry, applied in fields from pharmaceuticals to environmental monitoring. Automating cuvette handling addresses common bottlenecks in throughput, reproducibility and contamination control, making it highly valuable for research and quality assurance laboratories.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note presents the Agilent Cary Sipper, an automated sampling accessory for the Cary 3500 UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The primary objectives are to describe its design, operational modes and software integration, and to quantify the time savings and performance improvements over traditional manual cuvette workflows.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The Cary Sipper features a three-channel peristaltic pump that delivers sample and rinse solutions through flow cells into the Cary 3500, available in Compact (two-cuvette) or Multicell (eight-cuvette) configurations. Users can choose pump tubing compatible with aqueous or organic solvents (PVC, PVC Solva, Marprene). Quartz flow cells (10 mm pathlength, 390 µL or 80 µL volume) replace standard cuvettes, eliminating manual filling. The Cary UV Workstation software controls fill time, hold time and rinse time, and regulates cell block temperature for isothermal or temperature-ramp measurements.

Key Results and Discussion

Thirty samples were measured under identical spectral settings (200–350 nm range, 0.1 s averaging, 1 nm interval, 1 nm bandwidth). Manual single-cuvette operation required 21 min 30 s; manual three-cuvette multicell reduced this to 16 min 26 s (24% gain). With the Sipper on a Compact module (one flow cell), time dropped to 19 min 32 s (9% gain). Deploying three flow cells in the Multicell configuration achieved a 65% reduction, completing 30 measurements in 7 min 30 s. The automated rinse cycle minimized carry-over and ensured consistent sample handling.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The Cary Sipper enhances laboratory productivity by streamlining sample throughput, reducing operator error and standardizing rinse protocols. It is ideal for routine concentration assays, kinetic studies, high-throughput screening and temperature-dependent analyses in industrial, academic and regulatory environments.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Emerging developments may include robotic plate integration, expanded solvent compatibility, novel microflow cell designs and fully automated workflows with real-time data analysis. Integration with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and IoT platforms could further optimize sample tracking and data integrity.

Conclusion

The Agilent Cary Sipper accessory provides a versatile, reliable solution for automated UV-Vis sampling, delivering significant time savings and improved data quality. Its modular instrument compatibility and software-driven control support a wide range of analytical applications.

References

Agilent Technologies, Cary Sipper Technical Overview, publication number 5994-1922EN, 2020.