Accuracy plays a vital role in many different aspects in life, especially when it comes to measurements. Too much flour can ruin a roux just as quickly as too much salt can spoil a sauce. While accuracy of ingredients of cooking can, in many cases, be subjective to taste, there are some realms in which accuracy must be purely objective, such is the case in a crime lab. Here, accuracy is of paramount importance. If a test is improperly conducted it could mean that the guilty party escapes justice, or the innocent are deemed guilty. This is where the pipette comes into play.
Chances are, if you’ve ever had a chemistry class, you’ve seen and used a pipette. Pipettes, which range in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles, are used to dispense and extract a measured amount of liquid, similar to a syringe. Pipettes work by employing a small vacuum chamber above the liquid. When the vacuum is expelled it then draws the liquid into the pipette where it can then be dispersed into another medium or container. While some pipettes are just used for general transference, some pipettes need to be very carefully calibrated to draw an exact amount of liquid, such as the pipettes that are used in crime labs.
Crime labs use pipettes for a number of reasons in forensics testing such as, DNA testing, analysis of bodily fluids, and compound determination in the cases of drugs or other hazardous substances. All of these tests can often hold the key to unlocking the mystery behind a particular case or investigation. However, because of the sensitive nature of these tests, it takes a very controlled process to insure accurate results. This is why pipettes are not only important, but are also very carefully calibrated, as even a microliter too much or too little can affect the results.
It might not seem like it, but the accuracy of measurement is incredibly important for a wide variety of reasons. For that very reason, Metrology, the science of measurement, has become a recognized field of study in the scientific community. Garber has dedicated themselves to the understand and pursuit of this science and are responsible for the calibration of not only weights and scales, but even the pipettes used in PA crime labs. Whether you’re using a compression load cell or measuring liquids down to the microliter, Garber Metrology has been a trusted name for close to 40 years. Whether it’s keeping the roadways safe from oversized roads, or keep us safe from those who would do us harm, Garber Metrology helps to keep the world in order.
