============================================================ TITLE: Beyond DIY: Improving LC-MS Sample Prep with Faster, More Consistent Nitrogen Evaporation TYPE: blog VERSION: 1 VERSION_ID: 9b354a91-c2e6-4991-bf49-036a3b94c8d6 GENERATED_AT: 2026-10-16T17:29:37.558Z SUMMARY: Our homemade evaporator certainly did the job for initial methods development, but it would have presented a real bottleneck for routine sample processing. AUTHOR: Sarah Johnson DATE PUBLISHED: September 16, 2026 DATE MODIFIED: September 16, 2026 READING TIME: 9 min WORD COUNT: 1761 KEYWORDS: Beyond DIY, Improving LC, MS Sample Prep with Faster, More Consistent Nitrogen Evaporation SOURCE URL: https://blog.organomation.com/blog/beyond-diy-improving-lc-ms-sample-prep-with-faster-more-consistent-nitrogen-evaporation ============================================================ KEY TAKEAWAYS: * ContactUs Accelerate Breakthrough Research with Intuitive Sample Preparation Products Nitrogen Evaporators Nitrogen Evaporators for PFAS Analysis N-EVAP 6 position 12 position 20 position auto 24 position 34 position 45 position MULTIVAP 9 position 30 position 48 position 64 position 80 position 100 position MICROVAP 15 position 24 position Microplate Evaporator Triple Microplate Evaporator Enclosed Nitrogen Evaporators RapidVap Vertex Centrifugal Evaporators CentriVap Standard CentriVap Pro Refrigerated CentriVap Pro CentriVap DNA Standard CentriVap DNA Pro CentriVap Cold Traps Solvent Recovery Evaporators S-EVAP-KD 8 position 500ml 10 position 250ml S-EVAP-RB 8 position 250ml 10 position 250ml S-EVAP+ Vacuum Evaporator Soxhlet Extractors ROT-X-TRACT-S ROT-X-TRACT-LC Nitrogen Generators N2 Generators for Sample Prep NITRO-GEN NITRO-GEN+ Nitro 35 / 70 FLO NiGen Micro N2 Generators for GC NiGen GC N2 Generators for Inertisation MAXI PICO DOMINUS NL Other Generators Hydrogen Generators H Series HG 220 R Zero Air Generators ZeroAir AirGen GC AirGen TOC More Recirculating Chillers Air Compressors Refurbished Evaporators Custom Solutions Resources Product Resources FAQ Informational Videos Product Brochures Tools & Product Finders Generator Recommendation Chart How long will it take to evaporate my samples? 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Case Studies Support Installation Installation Instruction Videos Manuals and Guides Warranty & Service Preventative Maintenance N-EVAP PM Guide MULTIVAP PM Guide MICROVAP PM Guide S-EVAP / ROT-X-TRACT PM Guide On-Site Services Extended Warranties Repair Repair Request Tech Support Videos Trade in program Contact Help Support About Us Our History Partnerships Statement of Quality Careers Blog Contact Online Store * Nitrogen Evaporators Nitrogen Evaporators for PFAS Analysis N-EVAP MULTIVAP MICROVAP Enclosed Nitrogen Evaporators RapidVap Vertex * Nitrogen Evaporators for PFAS Analysis * N-EVAP 6 position 12 position 20 position auto 24 position 34 position 45 position * 6 position * 12 position * 20 position auto * 24 position * 34 position * 45 position * MULTIVAP 9 position 30 position 48 position 64 position 80 position 100 position * 9 position * 30 position * 48 position * 64 position * 80 position * 100 position * MICROVAP 15 position 24 position Microplate Evaporator Triple Microplate Evaporator * 15 position * Microplate Evaporator * Triple Microplate Evaporator * Enclosed Nitrogen Evaporators RapidVap Vertex * RapidVap Vertex * Centrifugal Evaporators CentriVap Standard CentriVap Pro Refrigerated CentriVap Pro CentriVap DNA Standard CentriVap DNA Pro CentriVap Cold Traps * CentriVap Standard * CentriVap Pro * Refrigerated CentriVap Pro * CentriVap DNA Standard * CentriVap DNA Pro * CentriVap Cold Traps * Solvent Recovery Evaporators S-EVAP-KD 8 position 500ml 10 position 250ml S-EVAP-RB 8 position 250ml 10 position 250ml S-EVAP+ Vacuum Evaporator * S-EVAP-KD 8 position 500ml 10 position 250ml * 8 position 500ml * 10 position 250ml * S-EVAP-RB 8 position 250ml 10 position 250ml * 8 position 250ml * S-EVAP+ Vacuum Evaporator * Soxhlet Extractors ROT-X-TRACT-S ROT-X-TRACT-LC * ROT-X-TRACT-S * ROT-X-TRACT-LC * Nitrogen Generators N2 Generators for Sample Prep N2 Generators for GC NiGen GC N2 Generators for Inertisation MAXI PICO DOMINUS NL * N2 Generators for Sample Prep NITRO-GEN NITRO-GEN+ Nitro 35 / 70 FLO NiGen Micro * NITRO-GEN+ * Nitro 35 / 70 * NiGen Micro * N2 Generators for GC NiGen GC * N2 Generators for Inertisation MAXI PICO DOMINUS NL * DOMINUS NL * Other Generators Hydrogen Generators H Series HG 220 R Zero Air Generators ZeroAir AirGen GC AirGen TOC * Hydrogen Generators H Series HG 220 R * Zero Air Generators ZeroAir AirGen GC AirGen TOC * AirGen TOC * More Recirculating Chillers Air Compressors Refurbished Evaporators Custom Solutions * Recirculating Chillers * Air Compressors * Refurbished Evaporators * Custom Solutions * Resources Tools & Product Finders Applications Articles What is Nitrogen Evaporation? Case Studies * Product Resources FAQ Informational Videos Product Brochures * Informational Videos * Product Brochures * Tools & Product Finders Generator Recommendation Chart How long will it take to evaporate my samples? How much time could I save with a nitrogen evaporator? Am I spending too much on nitrogen gas? How much could I save switching to a nitrogen generator? * Generator Recommendation Chart * How long will it take to evaporate my samples? * How much time could I save with a nitrogen evaporator? * Am I spending too much on nitrogen gas? * How much could I save switching to a nitrogen generator? * Applications Latest Applications Environmental Pesticides Lipidomics Metabolomics Cannabis * Latest Applications * Environmental * Pesticides * Lipidomics * Metabolomics * Articles What is Nitrogen Evaporation? * What is Nitrogen Evaporation? * Case Studies * Support Installation Trade in program Contact Help Support * Installation Installation Instruction Videos Manuals and Guides Warranty & Service * Installation Instruction Videos * Manuals and Guides * Warranty & Service * Preventative Maintenance N-EVAP PM Guide MULTIVAP PM Guide MICROVAP PM Guide S-EVAP / ROT-X-TRACT PM Guide On-Site Services Extended Warranties * N-EVAP PM Guide * MULTIVAP PM Guide * MICROVAP PM Guide * S-EVAP / ROT-X-TRACT PM Guide * On-Site Services * Extended Warranties * Repair Repair Request Tech Support Videos * Repair Request * Tech Support Videos * Trade in program * Contact Help Support * About Us Our History Partnerships Statement of Quality Careers * Our History * Partnerships * Statement of Quality * Online Store Products All Products Nitrogen Evaporators Nitrogen Evaporators for PFAS Analysis Enclosed Nitrogen Evaporators Centrifugal Evaporators Solvent Recovery Evaporators Soxhlet Extractors Nitrogen Generators Hydrogen Generators Zero Air Generators More Recirculating Chillers Air Compressors Refurbished Laboratory Evaporators Custom Solutions Resources Tools & Product Finders Applications Articles Case Studies Support Support Home Installation On-Site Services Extended Warranties Trade in program Contact Help Support About Us About Organomation Our History Partnerships Statement of Quality Blog Contact Careers Online Store * All Products * Nitrogen Evaporators * Enclosed Nitrogen Evaporators * Centrifugal Evaporators * Solvent Recovery Evaporators * Soxhlet Extractors * Nitrogen Generators * Hydrogen Generators * Zero Air Generators * Refurbished Laboratory Evaporators * Tools & Product Finders * Support Support Home Installation On-Site Services Extended Warranties Trade in program Contact Help Support * Support Home * Preventative Maintenance On-Site Services Extended Warranties * About Us About Organomation Our History Partnerships Statement of Quality * About Organomation # Beyond DIY: Improving LC-MS Sample Prep with Faster, More Consistent Nitrogen Evaporation When research demands evolve, laboratory workflows have to evolve with them. That's exactly what happened at the Metabolism Core Facility at Sanford Burnham Prebys, where increasing LC-MS sample preparation needs pushed a homemade evaporation system beyond its practical limits. After winning Organomation's Homemade Evaporator Contest, the team upgraded to a 24 Position MICROVAP Nitrogen Evaporator, transforming what had become a bottleneck into a standardized, high-throughput workflow. ### Supporting Metabolism Research Through Advanced Analytical Workflows The Metabolism Core Facility at Sanford Burnham Prebys supports researchers with metabolomics analysis using both GC-MS and LC-MS while also developing and validating custom analytical methods for unique research applications. As LC-MS projects became more common, the facility needed an evaporation solution capable of efficiently handling larger solvent volumes while maintaining the consistency expected in a core laboratory environment. The team primarily evaporates methanol and acetonitrile-based samples—often containing up to 1 mL of solvent—prior to LC-MS analysis. A typical batch consists of approximately 20 samples, with evaporation performed at either 37°C for heat-sensitive metabolites or 45°C for more robust applications. ### A Homemade Solution That Reached Its Limits Like many laboratories, the team initially developed an in-house nitrogen evaporation setup to support method development. Their DIY system successfully demonstrated that nitrogen evaporation could improve their workflow compared to a centrifugal evaporator (SpeedVac), but it wasn't designed for the demands of routine sample processing. Several challenges became increasingly apparent: - Nitrogen flow could not be accurately measured or standardized, making method reproducibility more difficult. - Gas distribution across samples was inconsistent, requiring continual adjustment. - Setup required significant manual effort before each run. - Checking sample progress meant repositioning evaporation needles, slowing the workflow. - The homemade system required approximately 2.5 hours to evaporate 1 mL of an 80% methanol solution. For a shared core facility supporting multiple research groups, these limitations made standardized operation increasingly difficult. ### Transitioning to the 24 Position MICROVAP After receiving the 24 Position MICROVAP through Organomation's Homemade Evaporator Contest, the team quickly integrated the instrument into their LC-MS sample preparation workflow. One of the most noticeable improvements was the ability to establish standardized operating conditions. Adjustable, repeatable nitrogen flow settings eliminated much of the variability associated with their homemade setup while providing consistent evaporation across every sample position. The MICROVAP also simplified daily operation. Faster setup, even gas distribution, and easy sample visibility reduced the hands-on attention previously required, allowing staff to spend more time supporting researchers instead of managing the evaporator. ### Faster Processing and Greater Confidence Beyond improved usability, the team observed significant performance gains. During a head-to-head comparison performed at 37°C—the temperature the laboratory uses for heat-sensitive metabolites—the MICROVAP evaporated 1 mL of an 80% methanol, 20% water mixture in approximately 75 minutes, while the homemade evaporator required 2.5 hours. Since the MICROVAP has the potential to be operated at 130°C for more robust analytes, the potential time savings for those applications are even greater. These comparisons also exclude the additional setup time required by the DIY system. - Standardized nitrogen flow for reproducible methods- Uniform evaporation across all samples- Reduced nitrogen waste through a less leaky system- Faster setup with minimal manual adjustments- Easier monitoring of sample progress- Elimination of concerns about sample bumping and cross-contamination associated with centrifugal evaporation- Increased throughput for routine LC-MS sample preparation ### Looking Ahead What began as a creative homemade solution successfully supported early method development, but as demand increased, the laboratory needed a more robust and reproducible platform. Today, the MICROVAP has become an integral part of the Metabolism Core Facility's LC-MS sample preparation workflow, providing the consistency, speed, and ease of use required for routine operation. As Katrina Paras summarized: ""The MICROVAP is a much welcome addition to our workflow, and we plan to utilize it heavily for LC-MS sample preparation. It has cut down on sample processing times and is very easy to use. While our homemade evaporator certainly did the job for initial methods development, it would have presented a real bottleneck for routine sample processing. With the MICROVAP, this is no longer a concern. Also, everyone we have interacted with at Organomation has been a pleasure to work with and I look forward to continuing to build our relationship with the company!"" Also, everyone we have interacted with at Organomation has been a pleasure to work with and I look forward to continuing to build our relationship with the company!" For laboratories transitioning from improvised equipment to standardized workflows, this case demonstrates how the right evaporation system can improve throughput, reproducibility, and overall efficiency without compromising sample quality. Looking to replace your homemade evaporation setup? Contact Organomation at sales@organomation.com to discuss the right nitrogen evaporator for your workflow. If you need support from one of our technicians, please fill out our Contact Help Support form and we will respond as quickly as possible! 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