Eppendorf
Quality
Sterile* PCR clean
PCR clean
and Sterile*
Forensic
DNA Grade*
Biopur
®
*
Continuous quality control for the following relevant criteria
Function, tightness, precision
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Low wetting
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
High chemical resistance
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
High thermal resistance
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
High centrifugation stability**
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
High transparency
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Precisely shaped
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Lot-specific certified for the following purity criteria
Human DNA-free
■ ■ ■ ■
DNA-free (human + bacterial DNA)
■
DNase-free
■ ■ ■ ■
RNase-free
■ ■ ■ ■
PCR inhibitor-free
■ ■ ■ ■
ATP-free
■
Pyrogen-free (endotoxin-free)
■ ■ ■
Sterile (Ph.Eur./USP)
■ ■ ■
Methods (Examples)
Applications requiring high general
quality, but no checked special purities
■
Bacteria and yeast cultures
■ ■ ■
Cell and tissue culture
■ ■ ■ ■
Isolation and storage of DNA
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Isolation and storage of RNA
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
DNA analysis (PCR, restriction analysis,
hybridization, sequencing , NGS)
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Mitochondrial DNA analysis
■ ■ ■ ■
Bacterial DNA analysis
■ ■
RNA analysis
■ ■ ■
Application Areas (Examples)
Routine application
■
Molecular biology
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Microbiology
■ ■ ■
Cell technology
> Stem cell research
> Transgenic animals / plants
■ ■ ■ ■
Research
> Medical research
> Agriculture & aquaculture research
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Quality control
> Food and beverage
> Water supply
> Environmental monitoring
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Forensic ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Eppendorf Purity Grades Selection Guide
■ Recommended ■ ■ Highly recommended
* Increased safety due to availability of individually packaged / single-blistered products.
** For accurate details regarding resistance to centrifugation, please refer to the product individual instruction for use.
Sterility Importance
Per definition, a sterile product does not harbor any living organisms
on its surface. The degree of sterilization is described by a residual
probability of contamination. This probability is expressed as SAL
(Sterility Assurance Level). Thus, an SAL value of 10
–6
indicates
the probability of occurrence of one non-sterile item among 10
6
(1,000,000) sterilized items.
Sterile products are required whenever the presence of germs may
have a negative effect; for example, to prevent infection of samples or
incorrect test results for microbiological experiments that would be
caused by unsterile lab equipment.
Pyrogen-free (endotoxin-free) Importance
Thermostable substances (glycoproteins) from the outer membrane
of bacteria and other microorganisms can cause fever in humans and
impair the growth of cell cultures.
Absence of pyrogen prevents endotoxin-based contamination in cell
culture, pharmaceutical, and medical research laboratories.
Bacterial DNA-free (E. coli) Importance
DNA is found in all cells of living entities, and it is the carrier of genetic
information. The highly sensitive PCR technique enables the amplifica-
tion of smallest amounts of DNA.
The presence of a DNA contamination could lead to false positive
results for different applications involving DNA. Note: Autoclaving is
not suitable for removing traces of DNA.
Human DNA-free Importance
Contamination belongs to the major concerns in DNA analysis,
especially when working with human DNA. The Eppendorf manu-
facturing plant is higly automated and monitored by staff wearing
protective clothing. Furthermore, access to the production area is
severely restricted, and positive air pressure prevents the intrusion
of particles. The final tests for the presence of human DNA are
performed by an external laboratory accredited to ISO 17025.
Contamination may lead to cross contamination of the sample or even
false positive results. Even the fragment length of contaminating
DNA could be important – e.g. in forensics, the relevant fragment
length for DNA genotyping starts at approx. 70 bp. Therefore, the
»Eppendorf Forensic DNA Grade«-consumables are tested with a
highly sensitive qPCR targeting a multi copy human DNA fragment
of 62 bp. This is one important aspect qualifying this purity grade for
forensic DNA analysis.
DNase-free Importance
DNases are enzymes which degrade DNA. DNase contaminations can affect or even ruin DNA analysis.
RNase-free Importance
RNases are enzymes that degrade RNA. These enzymes are extremely
resistant, even to autoclaving and irradiation.
RNase-free products are an absolute must in the field of molecular
biology because RNA is highly sensitive and can be destroyed very
quickly by RNases.
ATP-free Importance
ATP is a part of all living cells; therefore, its presence can indicate
biological contamination.
The test procedure for the quantitative and qualitative detection of
ATP is already an integral part of hygiene monitoring, e.g. in the
pharmaceutical industry.
PCR inhibitor-free Importance
PCR – the replication of DNA – has established itself as one of the
most important and commonplace molecular biology methods used
in almost all fields of life sciences where DNA is analyzed. However,
there are also substances that impair this reaction, so lab products
must be free of these inhibitors.
It is essential that the consumables used contain no impurities that
could adversely aect PCR. This is particularly crucial if only low
amounts of template DNA are available.
Eppendorf
®
, the Eppendorf Brand Design and Biopur
®
are registered trademarks of Eppendorf SE, Germany.
All rights reserved, including graphics and images. Copyright © 2025 by Eppendorf AG. Order No. A003 012 020/EN11/PDF/0125/MCP.
www.eppendorf.com/consumables
Your local distributor: www.eppendorf.com/contact
Eppendorf SE · Barkhausenweg 1 · 22339 Hamburg · Germany
[email protected] · www.eppendorf.com
Importance of Purity Criteria
