Freezer sample storage documentation is crucial as it not only saves energy by reducing freezer opening times, it also safeguards samples.
Given the high turnover of people in science, having a reliable tracing system is key.
Here are the basic steps on creating an outline (as simple as an Excel Sheet):
Create The Basic Outline
Sample Type – DNA, protein, bacteria, cell culture, etc.
Storage Location – Freezer number, rack, box, position (e.g., “FZ1_R2_B3_P07”).
Sample ID – Unique identifier (e.g., “RNA_2024_01”).
Sample Volume/Concentration – Important for determining if there is enough material left for experiments.
Owner – Researcher responsible for the sample.
Date Stored – Helps track sample age.
Expiration/Disposal Date – Prevents storage of expired or unnecessary samples.
Additional Notes – Space for relevant details (e.g., buffer composition, antibiotic resistance).
Enhance The Design
Set up specific pages or separate tables for different kinds of samples (reagents vs DNA vs RNA vs Bacteria etc.)
Use the filter function to help sorting and use Ctrl+F (Find function) to locate specific samples instantly.
Add lines or colors to improve readability
Optional: Create a Visual Box Map
In a separate Excel page/sheet, create a grid representation of each freezer (e.g., each tower/section that contains boxes + boxes) and each box (e.g., 10×10 matrix for a 100-slot box).
Ensure Easy Access
Save the Excel file on a shared lab drive or cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive).
Print a summary sheet and attach it to the freezer door for quick reference.
Science & Sustianability
| The scientific instruments market, including all its innovations, was estimated at an astonishing $40 billion in 2023.
When it comes to sustainability, approximately 50% of a laboratory’s electricity consumption is attributable to their instrumentation Similarly, billions of liters of reagents are required annually to run instruments.
Surprisingly, even in the high-performance segment, significant efficiency differences exist. That means you can become more sustainable by saving reagents, reducing maintenance, and optimizing time when choosing the right instruments.
Truly innovative equipment does not only enhance performance, it is more efficient too. This graphic is adapted from a Waters’ brochure featuring a comparison of the Xevo TQ Absolute to its competitor models
Let us review some inspiring examples to provide you with a sense of what could be of help to you:
Mass Spectrometry
Some MS systems use nitrogen to remove solvent from ions in the ionization source. More efficient source designs and optimized desolvation processes can reduce this consumption.
For instance, Waters’ ESI mass spectrometers require a gas flow of 20–23 L/min, compared to other systems that use up to 77 L/min. In fact, older instruments consume liquid nitrogen even in “standby” mode.
At first glance, these numbers might seem negligible, but consider that in core facilities, instruments typically run for 8 hours each working day, 200 workdays à year (=48000 hours):
> Traditional Operation: 77 L/min × 48,000 min = 3,696,000 L
> Sustainable Operation: 23 L/min × 48,000 min = 1,140,800 L
In many industrial settings, instruments operate 24/7, enabling more than 23 Million liters of Nitrogen savings!
On Top, modern instrument come with vacuum pumps that achieve comparable pumping capacities at only 500 watts, whereas traditional oil pumps consume between 1,500 and 3,000 watts.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
In HPLC, several innovations have emerged. For example, solid-core particles or halving column length and particle size enable more efficient separations, reducing run times by up to 50%.
= This also means 50% less solvent use and energy consumption compared to conventional machines.
However, one of the most exciting advancements exists in column diameter.
While conventional LC-UV instruments still use 4.6-mm inner diameter (i.d.) columns, switching to 2.1-mm i.d. columns can reduce solvent consumption by up to 80%. Although extra column dispersion or internal backpressure can become a challenge, even more forgiving alternatives with 3.0-mm i.d. columns save about 60% of mobile phase use.
Considering that approximately 150 million kilograms of methanol and acetonitrile are used annually, these changes could save 50 million kilograms—the equivalent weight of 10 Eiffel Towers!
Investigating Protein Interactions – SPR
Beyond time and reagents use, efficient handling of samples is key. Older SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance) instruments that enable the study of affinity of two ligands require approximately 150 µL of sample. Newer models, such as the Alto, reduce this amount to just 2 µL while requiring lower protein concentrations overall.
These are the main competitors on the market—the Alto is clearly the only one that does not work with an internal fluidic system.
Although the concrete sustainability of this innovation has to be judged based on Life Cycle Analysis data, this instrument runs on DMF-powered cartridges, meaning it has no internal fluidics. As a result, maintenance and repair requirements for this part are eliminated altogether.
Imagine the reduced stress when less sample volume is needed, and expensive service calls are avoided—not to mention the lower carbon footprint associated with fewer service expert visits.
How This Knowledge Helps You:
Reagent use, running time, and sample preparation requirements are often undervalued when searching for new instruments. Importantly, faster processing speeds have compounding effects: reduced energy use, less heat generation, and therefore lower HVAC demands.
To evaluate the sustainability of equipment, consider these 5 core factors:
Sufficiency & Breadth of Performance
Operation Efficiency (e.g., energy consumption and heat generation)
Type and Volume of Required Reagents (including sample preparation)
By-products and Waste Generation (from reagents and samples)
Embodied Carbon of the Materials
A personal tip: think outside the box. Don’t opt for the standard, instead choose what benefits you. For example, nowadays, very short 10×2.1 mm cartridge columns in HPLC systems are available. They save up to 88% of running time and 70% of solvent. However, they come with a lower resolution. If you need peaks as sharp as possible this is nothing for you. If you use an LC-MS system, broader peaks are not an issue, however, saving time, money and waste is.
| Ultimately, the question is whether we want to embrace optimization or stick with the conventional.
You want to learn more about how to make laboratories sustainable by enhancing workflows? Then sign up for our weekly “Sustainability Snack” that outlines case studies, helpful tools and step-by-step guides for free.
Saving >62% Plastic Waste in SDS-PAGEs
Imagine you could save the weight of a chocolate bar in plastic every time you conduct an experiment!
Today I want to convince you that this is certainly possible.
Let us discover how much waste we can save every time we prepare an SDS-PAGE, a rather short and straightforward protocol – nevertheless, there is a lot of potential for optimization!
Work Smart, Not Hard
Always create as many gels as possible and as few as necessary. This means that if you are planning to run multiple SDS-PAGEs within the next week, prepare 2 or 4 gels at a time. -> Advantage: This will halve or reduce to a quarter the amount of waste and time used.
Following The Right Order
Use the following pipetting order from dedicated stocks to reuse one serological pipette instead of three (cutting your waste by one-third):
Water
Low molecular Tris buffer
High molecular Tris buffer
Acrylamide
Ensure the volumes for each are large enough to pipette conveniently. -> You cut your waste by one-third and save the time required to exchange pipettes.
Note: Be sure to use best practices and expel the liquid completely. The risk of contamination is minimal since you only take up fluid (without mixing), and this wouldn’t be a concern anyway, as you use dedicated stocks. However, we still aim to work as carefully as possible.
For SDS, 10% | N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) | Ammonium persulfate (APS), you use a single tip for each.
Traditional Approach
10 mL serological pipette: 3x = 26.91 g
P1000 tip: 1x = 0.755 g
P200 tip: 2x = 0.329 g
Sustainable Approach
10 mL serological pipette: 1x = 8.97 g
P1000 tip: 1x = 0.755 g
P200 tip: 2x = 0.329 g
28.323 g vs. 10.383 g -> 63% reduction
Keep Them With You
Each time you reuse your Falcon tubes (Tris buffers, acrylamide – SDS is often stored in a single 15 mL tube, APS and TEMED in smaller tubes), you cut down your waste even further. For us, reusing them for half a year has never caused any issues. However, for simplicity, let’s assume you reuse them 10 times:
Traditional Approach
50 mL tube: 10x*3 = 384.9 g
Sustainable Approach
50 mL tube: 1x*3 = 38.5 g
384.9 g vs. 38.5 g -> 90% savings
= Combined, these measures save more than 350 g of plastic, equivalent to the weight of 3.5 chocolate bars – just in plastic waste!
Note: We need 2x 50 mL tubes to mix our gels, so for each approach, add 25.66 g of waste to the total.
Bonus Tip How do you know when your gel has polymerized sufficiently? Since it is advisable to prepare a bit of excess solution in case you spill something or your apparatus is not entirely sealed, keep this remainder in your preparation tube. You will know the gel has polymerized when the leftover solution sets. (Of note, polymerized gel is much less toxic than the liquid form, so never discard it into the sink!)
You can then leave the gel in the tube or throw it out later and reuse the tube. If you remove the gel, just be gentle and ensure no clumps are left behind. If in doubt, it’s better to discard the tube!
Weight of Items We Used (varies by manufacturer)
10 mL pipette: 8.97 g
P1000 tip: 0.755 g
P200 tip: 0.329 g
50 mL tube: 12.83 g
Reducing Energy Consumption In Laboratories
The university of Cambridge spent approximately 19 million pounds on energy in 2018. On average, about 60-75% of all energy is consumed by laboratories.
Therefore, these steps, can significantly cut down on energy consumption while maintaining high standards of research and operation:
1. Develop a Comprehensive Energy Plan
Schedule Machine Usage: Create a clear plan for when to turn machines on and off. Coordinate with your lab mates to decide on the best times to power down, use standby modes, or keep equipment running.
Define Shutdown Protocols: Establish clear rules, such as “Turn off directly after use,” “Ask before turning off,” “Never turn off,” or “Turn off if you’re the last person leaving the lab.” This ensures everyone is on the same page, reducing unnecessary energy use.
Pro Tip: Optimize Equipment Readiness: Measure how long it takes for your equipment to get ready and share this information in a collaborative Excel sheet with your team. This will help you plan better and avoid leaving equipment running longer than necessary.
2. Smart Purchasing Decisions
Choose Energy-Efficient Equipment: When purchasing new equipment, prioritize models with lower energy consumption. Look for certifications like the ACT label and Energy Star, which indicate high efficiency and lower environmental impact.
3. Optimize Settings
Adjust Temperature Settings: Reconsider the temperature settings on your -80°C freezers, refrigerators, and air conditioning units.
Collaborate with Building Administration: Work with your building administration and HVAC personnel to optimize temperature settings and air exchanges.
Fine-Tune Experimental Settings: During experiments, review your settings to ensure they are energy-efficient. This includes scanning areas for microscopy or test runs to establish optimal settings.
Pic energy consumption from last time pdf with S-labs consumption of HVAC vs others
4. Efficient Equipment Usage
Choose the Right Piece of Equipment: For example, the appropriate centrifuge for your needs—smaller models often consume less energy.
Maximize Dishwasher and Autoclave Efficiency: Only operate dishwashers and autoclaves when they are full, reducing the number of cycles and saving energy.
Upgrade Software and Packages: Look for newer, more efficient software or packages that require less processing power.
Optimize Server and Storage Usage: Make conscious choices about which servers to use and explore ways to save on hard drive space.
5. Regular Maintenance
Keep Equipment Well-Maintained: Regularly clean equipment, change necessary filters, and ensure refrigeration coils and door seals on refrigerators and freezers are clean and functioning efficiently.
Declutter your Lab: Periodically check your samples and reagents, discarding anything you no longer need. This reduces the load on your storage equipment and improves overall efficiency.
6. Collaborative Sharing
Share Laboratory Equipment: Partner with other departments to share equipment. This not only saves on energy by reducing the number of instruments running but also cuts costs by sharing expenses with other research groups.
When starting a new experimental series, try to involve collaborators to conduct test runs to validate hypotheses before establishing new methods in your lab
7. Optimize Equipment
Use Multi-Plugs and Smart Plugs: Employ multi-plugs or smart plugs to easily turn off ovens, water baths, and other equipment during inactivity. Automated on/off cycles can also ensure equipment isn’t left running unnecessarily.
Improve Equipment Efficiency: Use covers for water baths and replace oil baths with more efficient alternatives like metal heating blocks or modern oil pumps. These small changes can lead to significant energy savings over time.
An Introduction To Sustainable Procurement: A Scientist’s Guide to Purchasing Greener Items For The Laboratory
By Patrick Penndorf
Procurement. In other words, the process of purchasing items and services for your laboratory.
When I first delved into the world of procurement, I was met with a lot of complex jargon and convoluted advice. It felt confused and uncertain about my next step.
Therefore, let me share what I have learned to help you make sense of this topic:
If you do not want to read the entire article, here is my key take-away: As everything related to sustainability in science, sustainable procurement is about prioritizing differently. Instead of choosing the easiest solution, it is about balancing environmental, societal and economical impacts. It always comes at a cost (time, effort, risk) upfront but will pay off in the long turn.
Why Procurement Matters
Did you know that a significant chunk of laboratory emissions stems from purchasing? One Preprint found that up to 56% of laboratory missions can be attributed to procurement alone.
Also, more regulations that require companies to report about their footprints are released. Especially the EU is moving quickly (e.g., CSRD). Even for academic laboratories such obligations could be a reality soon. Their universities, funding bodies or the government might ask for such data.
Still, it not just about saving the planet; there are tangible cost savings too. Companies like Unilever, Pepsico, and Nike have saved millions by optimizing their procurement processes ($1.2 Billion, $60 and $50 million respectively).
But What Is SUSTAINABLE Procurement?
Sustainable procurement is revisiting and shifting our purchasing priorities to make it about more than just buying what fits. It is about valuing environmental, social, and economic factors as well.
There are 8 “factors” that in my opinion explain well what it means to prioritize sustainability (and to make this section not too dry, I will add a bit of black humor to illustrate what it should NOT look like):
Effectiveness – buying what (actually) align with your organization’s goals. “You said DNA-Prep Kits, I understood NEW COFFEE MACHINE“
Efficiency – reducing expenses, emissions and environmental damage to a minimum. “Although it took 8 months for my product to arrive, it at least has seen every continent on earth – I am so proud!”
Competitive Openness – inviting (all) suppliers to compete for the best offer (in terms of price as well as environmental impacts). “No need for tedious online research, my friend is assembling CRISPR Kits in his garage”
Transparency – you should know and share where your products come from, how they’re made, and what their environmental footprint looks like. “Phh that number is so long it could be my phone number, just put into in the supplementary of the additional information in the attachments”
Fairness – avoiding discrimination of certain providers and contributing to proper cooperation. “I hate their logo, this blue tone is off-putting, they are out!”
Accountability – holding both yourself and your suppliers accountable for ethical practices, whether it’s fair labor conditions or responsible sourcing of materials. “I think Tony messed up again … but anyway, he is paying for the beer so don’t mess with him!”
Responsibility – recognizing the broader impact of your procurement choices. “Environmental exploration – I would be glad if that would finally happen here so they could start building this new highway…”
Independence – making purchasing decisions based on objective criteria rather than external influences or biases (e.g., from single stakeholders). “But the oracle (aka my neighbor who works at this company) has forsaken that this is going to be the new gold-standard in a few years”
Independence – making purchasing decisions based on objective criteria rather than external influences or biases (e.g., from single stakeholders). “But the oracle (aka my neighbor who works at this company) has forsaken that this is going to be the new gold-standard in a few years”
But In How Far Does That Relate To The Laboratory?
Most changes in your procurement have to happen in alignment with your laboratory. And some can only be sparked there. To provide some examples, here are four of them:
Collaboration and Resource Sharing
Reduction is king. Before making a purchase, explore opportunities for collaboration or resource sharing. Can you partner with other labs to share equipment or borrow chemicals? Setting up an excel or designated chat/Email Group to inquire can be helpful for larger institutes.
Reduce delivery footprints through collective purchasing and bulk orders, especially in institutions with multiple labs. By pooling resources and purchasing in bulk, you can not only save costs but also reduce packaging waste. And for laboratories with smaller financial resources, it might be the only way to afford some especially expensive antibodies or equipment.
Reviewing Procurement Practices
Do you need to reorder, or can you reuse? Some columns can be recovered, while tubes for commonly needed solutions can be reused. Instead of purchasing entire DNA isolation kits, reuse collection tubes to safe money and only buy the columns (QIAGEN offers that for example).
Especially for academic laboratories, mindful organization and distribution of laboratory are often lacking. Keep track of expiration dates and where stocks are kept. This will save a lot of time and money. Also, multiple people accepting deliveries an putting items in various storage locations can result in items getting lost. Software and systems for inventory management are available (even for free) – and sometimes an excel sheet will do too.
Exploring Innovation And Alternatives for Solvents & Reagents
Explore which new items and equipment exist to save energy, chemicals and resources. Some MS and HPLC machines already use less chemicals/eluents and need less energy. Eppendorf produces tubes made to 90% out of plant oil waste streams.
Especially for laboratories in the bioeconomy, can you repurpose waste streams or adopt alternative methods that require fewer resources?
Make use of resources such as the solvent guide from the University of Pennsylvania to identify sustainable alternatives for commonly used solvents. Get informed about the 12 principles of green chemistry. Software such as the DOZN Tool make it easier to optimize experimental procedures (solvent choice, reaction conditions, and waste minimization strategies etc).
Finding Better Options To Order Your Products
Look for suppliers offering eco-friendly alternatives for the items you need. As mentioned, consider bio-based products like Eppendorf tubes made from recycled plant oil waste streams.
Shift your focus towards suppliers that prioritize sustainable delivery methods and packaging materials. Vendors like NEB, utilize paper and hemp-based products instead of traditional plastic for packaging. Additionally, inquire about innovative shipping practices, such as sending items at ambient temperatures to minimize the need for cooling materials (especially ice packs) and insulation (available e.g., for primers).
Also, what happens to your items “downstream” is a factor to be considered. Opt for items with eco-friendly disposal options, such as paper cartridges from Labcon instead of traditional plastic counterparts. Additionally, suppliers like Rainin offer easily recyclable pipette tip boxes. Others offer to take back your waste (but take care, some of them just discard it themselves and thereby cause a higher footprint due to additional transport).
Let’s Be Honest
While the principles might seem straightforward at first glance, putting them into action can be a complicated task.
Sustainable procurement isn’t just about being eco-friendly; it’s about finding the delicate balance between environmental, economic, and social considerations.
Can you trust all claims made? Theoretically, certification should help you make the decision. We give some tips and introduce the top 5 most important certifications in another article of ours.
And we cannot forget, all change inherently involves risk. What if the new product or supplier that seems to be of superior quality doesn’t deliver in time?
To make it easier for you, here is an actionable plan. It also summarizes the information from above:
A Five-Step Roadmap To Get Started
1. Awareness & Assessment
Begin by actively trying to understand what sustainable procurement entails. Understand the environmental, economical and social impacts associated with the items and services you procure. Assess your current procurement practices (i.e., everything that you did not consider to be important so far). So far, it is not about finding solutions, just to get used to take the knowledge from this article and translate it to your laboratory. Also, you will discover more as you go along, no need to get paralyzed at this step.
2. Learning & Identification
This is the most painful step – it takes time to learn about sustainability and alternatives available in the market. Explore different products, suppliers, and procurement practices step by step. Often, it is 50% active search and 50% keeping an open mind to notice interesting alternatives (here, the algorithms suggestion you solutions can become your friend) Educate not only yourself but leverage your team as well – again, remind them that there is a lot of money to be saved.
3. Prioritization
There is no perfectly sustainable procurement. You need to find what is most important to you and where you are ready to take a step back. Consider whether certain purchases are essential. Evaluate the importance of factors such as environmental impact, supply chain ethics, and end-of-life considerations for you personally (or your laboratory or company). This will also depend on your circumstances, i.e., which possibilities and freedom you have.
4. Balancing Risks & Testing
Each and every change comes at a risk. Recognize that transitioning to sustainable procurement will involve uncertainties too. No perfect solutions available. Conduct thorough risk assessments before implementing changes. If possible test alternative products or practices on a small scale to gauge their effectiveness and reliability. And do not be disappointed if some alternatives seem just to risky. Times will change and at the start of new projects, changes are implemented more easily.
5. Reporting, KPIs & Maintenance
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of sustainable procurement efforts. Develop a reporting framework to track progress and communicate achievements internally and externally. Stay informed about emerging regulations and industry standards related to sustainability reporting. Regularly review and update procurement practices to maintain alignment with sustainability goals.
If this article contained any useful information for you, you can always join our weekly lessons, live events for free: https://forms.gle/iGkDKX4XDRTUnsRVA
Or you can follow us on social media where we share these lessons in bit-sized chunks: https://linktr.ee/readvance
Finally, if you want to see some real-life examples of how to go through websites from providers, you can watch our recording (and there you can also see me in person ; )
Top 5 Certifications For Scientists To Know About
Optimizing procurement strategies can be challenging. Searching for greener products and suppliers is not straightforward.
Although it is impossible to get a hang of all certification out there, 5 questions can help you to get a good feeling:
A) What do they assess? i.e., carbon footprints or working conditions | processes or products?
B) Who is doing them? i.e., independent assessments?
C) How is the assessment conducted? i.e., On site or Desktop (latter refers to companies is simply submitting documents to be reviewed)
D) How often it has to be renewed? i.e., how long is the certification valid?
E) How difficult is it to score well or how impactful are changes that lead to successful certification i.e., are requirements meaningful and actually require “above average” change?
The last question is obviously somewhat subjective and depends a lot on what you are looking for. Furthermore, it will vary in which year and which company size you look at. Therefore, we leave it up to you to make your decision ; )
Here are 5 of the most important certifications and assessments to know about:
A) ISO certifications such as ISO 14001 for environmental protection, ISO 50001 for energy management, and ISO 14064 for greenhouse gas emissions, evaluate specific aspects of environmentally aspects. However, ISO certifications are also available for other aspects.
B) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) oversee ISO certifications, ensuring compliance with international standards.
C) ISO certifications involve both on-site assessments and desktop evaluations to verify adherence to standards.
D) ISO certifications typically require renewal every three years.
A) The Act Label, initiated by My Green Lab, attempts to evaluates the footprint of laboratory equipment from consumables, equipment to chemicals and reagents.
B) This certification is given out by My Green Lab, a non-profit organization in corporation with the SMS Collaborative, LLC. which is Limited liability company which has been acquired by Parallel another LLC for sustainability strategies.
C) The Act Label only involves desktop assessments to evaluate sustainability practices within labs.
D) Renewal of The Act Label certification occurs annually.
A) ISCC is an independent multi-stakeholder initiative that assesses sustainability and carbon certification across various industries. They offer multiple certifications such as ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification for Carbon footprint certification across a value chains or ISCC PLUS for the bioeconomy and circular economy for food, feed, chemicals etc.
B) Associate bodies of ISCC oversee the certification process, ensuring adherence to sustainability standards.
C) The need for on-site assessments varies depending on the risk factors associated with the industry or organization.
D) ISCC certification typically requires annual renewal.
A) Energy Star certification is geared towards products, buildings, heating & cooling systems assessing their energy efficiency and environmental impact.
B) The Energy Star program is a government initiative aimed at promoting energy-efficient products. It is run program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Therefore, it only can received in Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, United States while there have been agreements with countries in the EU.
C) Energy Star certification involves a verification program to assess product energy efficiency, typically conducted through desktop evaluations.
D) Renewal of Energy Star certification is required annually.
