COMPILED NOTES IN CLINICAL CHEMISTRY Roderick D.

Balce, RMT 1

PIPETTING
1. Types of Pipette According to Calibration
a. TC (To contain) Pipette
▪ holds a particular volume but does not dispense that exact volume
▪ calibrated by introducing the exact weight of mercury required to give the desired volume at a specific
temperature
b. TD (To deliver) Pipette
▪ dispenses the indicated volume
▪ calibrated by weighing the volume of water that will flow from the pipette by gravity
▪ rate of delivery must never be hastened by blowing
▪ when an etched ring is seen near the mouthpiece, remaining drop at the tip after delivery is blown out to
receiving vessel
2. Types of Pipette According to Use
a. Graduated or Measuring Pipettes
▪ deliver an amount of liquid contained between two calibration marks
▪ with larger tolerances than volumetric pipettes
▪ used when great accuracy is not required or when speed is more important than precision
o Serologic
• has calibration marks to the tip
• the rate of fall of liquid is much faster because of a larger orifice
• generally a blow-out pipette (has an etched band on the suction piece)
o Mohr
• calibrated between two marks; no graduation marks to the tip
• self-draining but the tip should not be allowed to touch the vessel wall while draining
o Bacteriologic
o Ball, Kolmer, and Kahn
o Micropipettes
• TC pipettes designed as either Mohr or serologic
• used when small amount of blood or specimen is needed (<1 ml)

b. Volumetric Pipette
▪ has the greatest degree of accuracy and precision and should be used when diluting standards, calibrators
or quality control materials
▪ TD and self-draining pipette designed to dispense one volume without further subdivisions
▪ has a cylindrical bulb midway between the mouthpiece and the tip that decreases surface area/unit volume
and diminishes error from adherent water film
c. Ostwald-Folin Pipette
▪ used with biologic fluids having a viscosity greater than that of water
▪ measures smaller volume (2.0 mL or less)
▪ has a large oval bulb near the tip and an etched mark or ring near the mouthpiece (blow out)
d. Pasteur Pipettes
▪ no calibration marks; used to transfer biologic fluids without consideration of a specific volume

3. Important considerations in manual pipetting

a. Mouth pipetting is not allowed. Use an aspirator bulb or a pipetting pump.
b. Use the top of the meniscus when measuring viscous and colored solutions.
 COMPILED NOTES IN CLINICAL CHEMISTRY Roderick D. Balce, RMT 2

c. The tip of the pipette should not be in contact with the accumulating fluid in the receiving vessel during
drainage.
d. Immediately after use, glass pipettes are placed in a cylinder containing water and detergent or a commercial
cleaning solution (sodium hypochlorite), soaked for 30 min, rinsed with tap water 3 times, followed by 1 rinse
with deionized or distilled, and dried in a hot oven (<140 °C).
e. If there is not enough fluid to draw all the way to the final graduation mark, the fluid may be drawn to the
graduation mark of the volume to be transferred.
f. An alternative to wiping the side of the pipette after drawing liquid is allowing the outside of the pipette to
gently touch the inner lip of the original vessel to remove any adherent liquid being careful though to avoid
touching the tip of the pipette and introducing an air bubble.