Supelco 22971 Six-Port Mini-Vap Nitrogen Evaporator

Overview

The Supelco 22971 Six-Port Mini-Vap is a compact, benchtop nitrogen evaporator engineered for precise, parallel concentration of volatile solvents from multiple small-volume samples. It operates on the principle of gentle gas-phase solvent removal—introducing a controlled stream of inert nitrogen (or compressed air) through stainless steel needles positioned above liquid surfaces in miniature vials or containers. This method minimizes thermal degradation, oxidation, and cross-contamination while enabling reproducible evaporation under ambient or mildly elevated temperature conditions. Designed for laboratories requiring high-throughput sample preparation prior to GC, HPLC, LC-MS, or residue analysis, the device delivers consistent performance across diverse matrices—including environmental extracts, biological fluids, food homogenates, and pharmaceutical formulations—without integration into complex heating manifolds or vacuum systems.

Key Features

• Six independent stainless steel delivery needles with individual height adjustability to accommodate varying container geometries and liquid volumes
• Fine-control needle valve for accurate regulation of nitrogen or air flow rate—critical for maintaining laminar gas dispersion and preventing splashing or foaming
• Compact footprint (19 cm × 4 cm × 2 cm) optimized for space-constrained fume hoods or analytical workstations
• Robust aluminum alloy base with chemically resistant surface finish for long-term stability and compatibility with organic solvents
• No integrated heater—designed for ambient-temperature concentration or use with external water baths or heating blocks (optional)
• Plug-and-play configuration: includes 0.9 m of flexible, low-permeability plastic tubing rated for nitrogen service and standard CGA-580-compatible inlet fitting

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The 22971 Mini-Vap supports containers ranging from 1 mL microcentrifuge tubes to 250 mL beakers, accommodating standard screw-cap vials, crimp-top autosampler vials, glass test tubes, and polypropylene conical tubes. Its open architecture allows direct placement onto laboratory benches or integration within ISO Class 5 laminar flow hoods. While the unit itself carries no CE or UL certification as a standalone gas-handling device, it complies with general laboratory safety guidelines for inert gas use (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.101, CGA P-1). When deployed in regulated environments (e.g., GLP or GMP labs), users are advised to document gas source purity (≥99.998% N₂), validate flow consistency across ports using calibrated mass flow meters, and maintain traceable records of instrument calibration and maintenance per internal SOPs aligned with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.

Software & Data Management

The Supelco 22971 is a manually operated, analog instrument with no embedded firmware, digital interface, or data logging capability. Flow adjustment is performed exclusively via mechanical needle valve actuation, ensuring operational simplicity, zero software validation burden, and full compliance with environments where electronic controls are restricted (e.g., explosion-proof zones or legacy QA workflows). For laboratories requiring audit-ready documentation, integration with external flow monitoring systems (e.g., Brooks Instrument SLA series) or manual logbooks referencing batch numbers, operator IDs, gas pressure readings, and evaporation duration is recommended. No FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance is applicable due to absence of electronic record generation.

Applications

• Routine concentration of pesticide residues in QuEChERS extracts prior to GC-ECD or GC-MS/MS analysis
• Preparative cleanup of plasma, urine, or tissue homogenates in clinical toxicology workflows
• Final solvent removal in solid-phase extraction (SPE) eluates for environmental PFAS or PAH quantification
• High-throughput drying of derivatized amino acid standards in food authenticity testing
• Parallel evaporation of calibration standards and QC samples in regulated environmental laboratories accredited to ISO 17025
• Supporting EPA Methods 505, 525.3, 8081B, and ASTM D7066-04 where inert-gas-assisted concentration is specified

FAQ

Is the 22971 compatible with vacuum-assisted evaporation?
No—the Mini-Vap is designed exclusively for positive-pressure inert gas delivery and lacks vacuum ports or sealing interfaces required for vacuum concentration.
Can I replace the stainless steel needles with PTFE-coated alternatives?
Yes—Supelco offers optional PTFE-sheathed needles (Cat. No. 22971-PTFE) for enhanced chemical resistance when handling aggressive solvents such as chloroform or concentrated acids.
What is the maximum recommended nitrogen inlet pressure?
Operational pressure should not exceed 30 psi (207 kPa); higher pressures may cause turbulent flow, uneven evaporation, or needle dislodgement.
Does this unit meet USP <467> residual solvent testing requirements?
While not certified to USP <467> itself, the 22971 is routinely employed in compliant workflows when paired with validated nitrogen sources and documented process parameters meeting the method’s precision and recovery criteria.
Is the plastic tubing supplied suitable for use with acetonitrile or methanol?
The included tubing is formulated for general-purpose nitrogen service; for prolonged exposure to polar aprotic solvents, users should substitute with fluoropolymer-lined tubing (e.g., Cole-Parmer Masterflex L/S 13).