Topic

Serum protein capillary vs gel electrophoresis

Andre Mattman
Andre Mattman • 30 November 2023

I am planning to change our laboratory to capillary electrophoresis from gel electrophoresis. Are any members aware of an assessment of the impact of this change on the environmental footprint? I expect it to be reduced but not sure by how much.

Further I am looking to assess the impact of having fewer sites (machines) doing the same total number of samples.  

Comments (5)

Rachael Ward
Rachael Ward

Hi Andre, I have tagged the clinical labs network to you question. I can also connect you with the clinical labs network co-leads via email, as they should be able to help you! :)

Rob Shorten
Rob Shorten

Hi Andre, do you have any experience in carbon footprinting calculations? Can you measure a reduction in consumables (either in cost or weight?)? Will samples have to travel more or less? Does your trust have a sustainability group? If so they may be ale to help.

Andre Mattman
Andre Mattman

Hi Rob,
Thank you for the response. No, I don't have experience with carbon footprinting and so will be engaging help from those who have if similar work has not already been done. Yes, we have itemized the reduction in consumables in cost and weight but have not factored in energy usage for ongoing operations. Sample transport will be unaffected. We do have a fledgling sustainability group but nobody with expertise in carbon footprinting that I have connect with yet. I would be glad to pay for assistance with this project to get our lab started.

Rob Shorten
Rob Shorten

Hi Andre, If you have access to funds and a fledgling group, then I'd suggest looking at the CSH course on carbon footprinting. It's excellent, and under £300, I think. Full disclosure - I have done the course, but I'm not paid or incentivised by CSH to promote it!

There will be bits of the process that you can measure (they'll show you how), and bits that will need to be left out as they're not possible to quantify.

Andre Mattman
Andre Mattman

Thank you again for your response.
I will do so - next one is in January - there is a sustainability in QI course next week that sounds like it might be also beneficial for this purpose.


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