TurboVap - Second Generation Solvent Evaporators

Importance of the Topic

The evaporation of solvents is a key step in sample preparation across analytical chemistry, affecting sensitivity and throughput. Efficient and controlled evaporation reduces sample loss, accelerates workflows and ensures reproducibility in fields such as environmental analysis, food safety, pharmaceutical development and clinical diagnostics.

Objectives and Study Overview

This document introduces the second generation TurboVap solvent evaporators from Biotage, developed to enhance customer experience and analytical performance. The overview covers design innovations, configuration options and interoperability with upstream extraction systems.

Methodology and Used Instrumentation

The TurboVap range employs patented gas vortex shearing technology in a thermostatted glass water bath. A modular chassis supports four configurations (II, LV, EH and P+), each with interchangeable manifolds and Multi Racks tolerating tubes from 1.5 to 200 mL. Key features include:

• Adjustable, removable nozzles and programmable gas flow gradients.
• Independent control of up to 48 sample positions and end-point detection on TurboVap II.
• Integrated 7″ touchscreen for method setup and memory.
• Compatibility with inert gas at 4–9 bar and connections for bench or fume hood venting.

Main Results and Discussion

Customer-driven enhancements yield:

• Improved visibility via an illuminated water tank.
• Rapid reconfiguration between sample racks, minimizing downtime.
• Enhanced chemical resistance with optional PTFE-coated manifolds and treated nozzles.
• Programmable evaporation profiles to optimize solvent removal across diverse matrices.
• Reduced footprint (400 × 400 × 390 mm) supporting space-constrained laboratories.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The second generation TurboVap offers:

• High-throughput evaporation (6 to 48 samples) for environmental, food, forensic, clinical and pharmaceutical workflows.
• Seamless integration with Biotage Extrahera and PRESSURE+ systems, streamlining SPE and extraction protocols.
• Wide solvent compatibility, including volatile organic solvents and aqueous mixtures.
• Safe operation via efficient vapor containment and fume hood adaptation.
• Reproducible end-point concentration using integrated sensors.

Future Trends and Applications

Emerging directions include full automation with real-time monitoring, integration with laboratory information management systems, development of green evaporation protocols and advanced sensor technologies for solvent composition analysis.

Conclusion

The Biotage TurboVap second generation evaporators combine modular design, user-friendly controls and robust performance. Tailored configurations and enhanced safety features address the evolving demands of analytical laboratories, delivering reliable, high-throughput solvent evaporation.