In German, there is a well-known saying: “Der April macht, was er will!” — loosely translated as “April does whatever it wants.” While this usually refers to unpredictable weather, it can sometimes describe other situations just as well.As an analytical application specialist at KNAUER, I was genuinely excited when, at the end of 2023, my colleague and product manager Mareike Myrach and I were assigned the project of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1454">Liquid Handler LH 8.1</a>. At that time, we had no prior hands-on experience with the system, but we quickly got up to speed — largely because learning by doing turned out to be surprisingly intuitive.Following an intensive phase of testing, method development, and optimization, the Liquid Handler LH 8.1 was officially introduced by KNAUER in April 2025. Returning to the April proverb — this time, April behaved quite differently. Rather than being unpredictable, everything came together smoothly (even if not weather-wise!). All documentation was finalized, product configurations defined, and specifications locked in. It was a very satisfying milestone.&nbsp;<h3>What makes the Liquid Handler LH 8.1 stand out?</h3>Let’s take a closer look at some of its key features.<h4>Flexible configuration tailored to your workflow</h4>The KNAUER LH 8.1 is a highly customizable XYZ autosampler designed to adapt to a wide range of laboratory requirements. It supports numerous modules and accessories, allowing users to build a system that fits their specific applications.Core components include the injection valve, the Robotic Cooler, and the fast wash station — all essential for efficient operation. Beyond these, we are continuously exploring additional enhancements.&nbsp;For example, how about seasonal upgrade kits?<ul><li>LH 8.1 Easter edition</li><li>LH 8.1 Christmas edition</li></ul><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KNAUER_Fig_1_Left_LH_8_1_Upgrade_Kit_7b9a711bab.jpg" alt="KNAUER: Fig. 1: Left: LH 8.1 Upgrade Kit “Easter”, right: LH 8.1 Upgrade Kit “Christmas” (limited availability — only 1 in stock!)" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KNAUER_Fig_1_Left_LH_8_1_Upgrade_Kit_7b9a711bab.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1263" height="843"><h4>Flexible sample storage and high-throughput capability</h4>For laboratories focused on high-throughput analysis, the Robotic Cooler module is indispensable. Each unit can accommodate up to three sample racks, with 130 vials per rack — totaling 390 vials per module.Depending on the rail length, multiple Robotic Coolers can be installed and operated independently. On the longest rail configuration, up to three modules can be used simultaneously, increasing the total capacity of a single LH 8.1 system to as many as 1,170 vials (1.5 mL each).Naturally, the system is not limited to standard vials. It can store a variety of sample types within a temperature range of 4–40 °C.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KNAUER_Fig_2_Left_Tray_with_common_samples_middle_tray_with_special_samples_right_very_very_special_samples_b1d2e3daea.jpg" alt="KNAUER: Fig. 2: Left: tray with standard samples, middle: tray with specialized samples, right: very special samples" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KNAUER_Fig_2_Left_Tray_with_common_samples_middle_tray_with_special_samples_right_very_very_special_samples_b1d2e3daea.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1176" height="402"><h4>True zero sample loss</h4>Have you ever encountered the concept of “sandwich injections” in liquid chromatography? It may sound unusual at first. Replace the bread with standard HPLC solvents and the filling with your sample, separated by small air gaps — and you have a liquid “sandwich.”The LH 8.1 takes this concept even further. It allows sampling from virtually any container type. Whether it’s a standard vial or something more unconventional — like a filled chocolate egg — the system can handle it. The result? A rather creative “egg sandwich.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KNAUER_Fig_3_Left_Exemplary_sandwich_build_up_right_aspiration_from_double_coated_chocolate_sample_container_8e9f9fa243.jpg" alt="KNAUER: Fig. 3: Left: example of sandwich configuration, right: aspiration from a chocolate-based sample container" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KNAUER_Fig_3_Left_Exemplary_sandwich_build_up_right_aspiration_from_double_coated_chocolate_sample_container_8e9f9fa243.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1218" height="751"><blockquote>Please note: using such unconventional containers may significantly increase both carryover and... enjoyment.</blockquote><h4>Carryover and injection precision</h4>When evaluating HPLC injectors, injection precision is one of the most critical parameters. After optimizing the injection conditions, we achieved excellent performance.To ensure ease of use, all optimized parameters have been integrated into the software drivers. This allows users to benefit from high precision without complex programming.<h5>Injection precision (RSD):</h5><ul><li>Full loop injection: ≤ 0.10%</li><li>Sandwich injection (&gt;5 µL): ≤ 0.15%</li></ul>Another key parameter is sample carryover, evaluated using recommended washing protocols. During testing, we measured carryover using chlorhexidine as a standard compound to allow comparison with other autosamplers. Additionally, caffeine was tested due to its widespread use and accessibility in laboratories.Taking advantage of the LH 8.1’s flexibility, we also explored sampling from unconventional containers.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KNAUER_Fig_4_Exemplary_sample_take_up_for_the_determination_of_carry_over_47706172c7.jpg" alt="KNAUER: Fig. 4: Left: injection of diluted caffeine sample for quantification, right: injection of concentrated sample for carryover assessment" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KNAUER_Fig_4_Exemplary_sample_take_up_for_the_determination_of_carry_over_47706172c7.jpg 224w," sizes="100vw" width="1248" height="870"><h5>Measured carryover values:</h5><ul><li>Chlorhexidine: &lt; 0.005%</li><li>Caffeine: &lt; 0.002%</li></ul>Returning to the beginning of this article — you may have noticed that not only “April does whatever it wants,” but sometimes KNAUER blog authors do as well.Despite the seasonal theme, we hope you discovered a few hidden “Easter eggs” throughout the text — and didn’t take everything too seriously.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/KNAUER_Fig_5_KNAUER_blog_authors_72de1a0c72.jpg" alt="KNAUER: Fig. 5: KNAUER blog authors" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_KNAUER_Fig_5_KNAUER_blog_authors_72de1a0c72.jpg 237w," sizes="100vw" width="1150" height="757"><blockquote><ul><li>More reputable information: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1454">KNAUER Liquid Handler LH 8.1</a></li><li>For further information on this topic, please contact our author: kramer@knauer.net, m.myrach@knauer.net</li></ul></blockquote>

Seasonal update on liquid handling

🎤 Presenter: Chris Topper (Clemson University)💾 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/O_13_Topper_db3de8f032.pdf">PDF presentation</a><h3>Abstract</h3>Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-bound particles that are naturally released by cells into the extracellular environment. Exosomes constitute a subset of EVs with a characteristic size range of 30 – 150 nm. Exosomes are produced by nearly every cell type in the body and can be found in virtually all biological fluids. They share the same integral membrane proteins as their originating cell and thus can be used as biomarkers to identify and monitor disease.Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) such as IgG are primarily produced by culturing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and then passing the culture media through a Protein A (ProA) affinity chromatography column to isolate the antibodies. The waste effluent from this process, however, contains valuable EVs that are ultimately discarded. Therefore, the isolation of exosomes from CHO cell waste streams presents an opportunity for by-product valorization.We describe a two-dimensional liquid chromatography platform employing columns packed with capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers to isolate both IgG and exosomes from CHO cell supernatant. The first dimension utilizes ProA to isolate and quantify IgG, while hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is used in the second dimension to isolate and quantify exosomes from the 1D effluent. Thus, we demonstrate a convenient framework for characterizing any CHO cell culture into both its IgG and exosome production traits, providing practical insights into the co-production of these two, disparate biotherapeutics, as well as a means for extracting valuable EVs during the production of mAbs, converting waste into dollars.

Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography Isolation and Quantitation of IgG and Exosomes from Cell Culture Media (Chris Topper, MDCW 2026)

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News from LabRulezLCMS Library - Week 16, 2026

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Seasonal update on liquid handling