Blowdown evaporation is a common sample preparation step used by analytical laboratories to dry down or concentrate their test samples. Dry gas is continuously blown onto the sample's surface, sometimes in conjunction with heat, to speed up the evaporation of excess solvent and further concentrate the sample prior to analytical techniques such as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/preparing-samples-for-gc-ms/ms-analysis">GC-MS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/preparing-samples-for-hplc-ms/ms-analysis">HPLC</a>. Nitrogen gas is most commonly used during <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9dbWmoWwSw">blowdown evaporation</a> as it provides the fastest evaporation rates, and is a proven safe drying media that poses minimal risk to the analysis.Dry nitrogen is considered an inert gas, which means that it is chemically inactive. Unlike compressed air that contains oxygen and water vapor that could react with the compounds in the test sample, pure, dry nitrogen will not deteriorate the sample in any way.High purity nitrogen is able to delay or prevent oxidation that could occur throughout the drying process. Depending on the solvents and solutes contained in the test sample, a chemical reaction could occur with a relatively small exposure to oxygen. Drying that sample down with compressed air which contains a fair amount of oxygen, will not only speed up the oxidation process, but also make your final analysis unreliable.What's even more important than keeping the samples safe, is keeping the lab technicians safe during the entire evaporation process. Since nitrogen is a non-reactive gas, it's also non-flammable and will not increase the risk of an chemical combustion. This is especially important when working with any flammable or otherwise reactive solvents such as carbon disulfide and diethyl ether.Not only is nitrogen gas the most reliable drying media, but it is also proven to have the fastest evaporation rate. Studies have shown that evaporation rate is dependent on the humidity of the atmosphere in which the samples are in. The more steps that can be taken to reduce the humidity, the faster the concentration rate will be. These same studies have shown that the most effective way to reduce the humidity is by purging the atmosphere with nitrogen, aka nitrogen blowdown evaporation.Faster concentration rates lead to a reduction in contamination and degradation risks by minimizing the amount of time the samples spend in the atmosphere. The use of nitrogen gas in blowdown evaporation provides labs with the most dependable samples to analyze in the quickest amount of time. It's a win-win.Another win is that nitrogen gas is a far more affordable alternative to other inert gasses such helium or argon. This is especially true with the use of a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1902">nitrogen generator</a>, which can provide an endless supply of high-purity nitrogen for your laboratory. With minimal maintenance and virtually no waste, you can feel good knowing you're utilizing an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/are-nitrogen-generators-actually-more-environmentally-friendly">eco-friendly nitrogen generation solution</a>.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Organomation_NITRO_GEN_Nitrogen_Generator_1cce90a981.webp" alt="Organomation: Why Nitrogen is Ideal for Drying Samples: Organomation NITRO-GEN Nitrogen Generator." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Organomation_NITRO_GEN_Nitrogen_Generator_1cce90a981.webp 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1400" height="1400">Learn the most <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/nitrogen-generation-options-for-laboratory-use">common nitrogen generation options for laboratory use</a>, and discover the solution that best fits your needs. For more information on nitrogen generators, check out this comprehensive guide: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/nitrogen-generators-everything-you-need-to-know">Nitrogen Generators: Everything You Need to Know</a>.

Why Nitrogen is Ideal for Drying Samples

Many industries rely on a nitrogen blowdown evaporator as a key step in processing their samples. These industries include environmental testing, agriculture, food and beverage, medicine, quality assurance, forensics, oil and grease, and many more. So, what exactly is it?A nitrogen blowdown evaporator is a key piece of lab equipment that is used to prepare samples for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/chromatography-sample-preparation-guide">chromatography</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/mass-spectrometry-sample-preparation-guide">mass spectrometry</a> or other analysis by removing excess solvent. The process works by lowering the vapor pressure above the sample, allowing excess solvent to evaporate more quickly. This method of concentration is especially effective for small volume samples in volatile or semi-volatile organic solvents. The precision of nitrogen blowdown makes it a great choice for those who are looking to evaporate to complete dryness or stop at a specific endpoint.Compared to a heated sample, solvent molecules in a sample under ambient conditions are very low energy and therefore slow-moving. Due to this lack of speed, only some molecules can be vaporized and separated from the sample. Combined with the vapor pressure above the sample this causes many molecules to return, slowing down evaporation. This is where nitrogen blowdown evaporation is a useful tool. The evaporator works by applying a steady stream of nitrogen gas just above the surface of the sample, which gently pushes the vapor-saturated air out, preventing it from returning to the remaining liquid.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Organomation_What_is_Nitrogen_Blowdown_Evaporation_2_64a8e42723.jpg" alt="Organomation: What is Nitrogen Blowdown Evaporation?" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Organomation_What_is_Nitrogen_Blowdown_Evaporation_2_64a8e42723.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="827" height="398">The nitrogen gas cools the sample slightly, which decreases the energy of the molecules and slows them down, diminishing their ability to vaporize. To speed the molecules back up, heat can be applied in the form of a water bath or dry block in order to reenergize the sample. The combination of nitrogen blowdown and heat quickly vaporizes the molecules, leaving a perfectly evaporated sample behind. If you are using a water bath, it should be set to a few degrees lower than the boiling point of your sample in order to achieve maximum concentration. On average, it takes only twenty-five minutes to safely concentrate a 10mL sample of methylene chloride using a nitrogen blowdown evaporator. This is compared to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/how-much-time-is-wasted-preparing-individual-sample-vials-infographic">evaporating samples by hand</a>, which can be a time-consuming process. For a few samples this can be justifiable, but for regular use, evaporation by hand is an inefficient process.Nitrogen blowdown is gentle on the sample and does not require any consumables, making it an affordable and safe choice. We offer three product lines of nitrogen blowdown evaporators – the most-popular N-EVAP and its counterparts, MULTIVAP, and MICROVAP. You can <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/the-differences-between-organomations-blowdown-evaporators">learn more</a> about the differences between these products, and use our quick <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/support/contact-help-support/sample-evaporator-product-finder">product finder</a> to figure out which one is the best fit for your needs.Nitrogen can be expensive to purchase and inconvenient to store. We are proud to make a lightweight and portable <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.organomation.com/blog/enhance-your-sample-preparation-with-a-nitrogen-gas-generator">nitrogen gas generator</a>, called the NITRO-GEN. It is the perfect solution for any laboratory looking for a low-cost solution to integrate with an existing clean air line. It also boasts a reduction in your carbon footprint, removing the emissions of transporting nitrogen cylinders to and from your lab.<blockquote>For more information on nitrogen blowdown evaporation or on any of our products, reach out to our team at <a href="mailto:sales@organomation.com">sales@organomation.com</a> or use our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.organomation.com/#hs-chat-open">live chat</a> during normal business hours.</blockquote>

What is Nitrogen Blowdown Evaporation?

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Organomation, founded in 1959, designs and manufactures high-quality nitrogen evaporators and extraction systems. Known for innovation and durability, their lab instruments are used globally for efficient sample preparation with strong customer support.

What is Nitrogen Blowdown Evaporation?

Why Nitrogen is Ideal for Drying Samples

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