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Microwave protein hydrolysis system

The accuracy and precision of amino acid analysis is often determined by the quality of protein hydrolysis. The widely used hydrolysis protocol requires heating samples in 6N HCl at 110 °C for 24 hours or more. The Milestone microwave-assisted protein hydrolysis system reduces this time to 10–30 minutes, by processing samples at elevated temperatures (up to 200 °C). This effectively eliminates the bottleneck in amino acid analysis. The protein hydrolysis system consists of a special reactor with connections for vacuum/inert gas purging, plus temperature measurement and control. Samples are introduced into vials and loaded into a teflon rack. Hydrochloric acid is added to the reactor, where the vial rack is then placed. The reactor is sealed, air is removed, and nitrogen gas is purged into the reactor. Microwave heating produces acid vapour that hydrolyses samples inside the vials.

Features

• Hydrolysis time reduced from 24-96 hours to 5-30 minutes increasing sample throughput

• Uniformity of temperature conditions prevents variations between samples and assures precision of results

• Inert, anaerobic processing preventing oxidative degradation of amino acids

• Hydrolysis performed in standard HPLC autosampler vials eliminating sample transfer steps

• Minimal sample handling reduces contamination and losses

• Milestone software ensures all hydrolysis parameters are stored for data validation

• Reactor sample racks can be customised to accomodate user specific vials

Milestone offers a choice of reaction vials and vial holders for use in its hydrolysis reactors.
Alternatively, a customised holder can be specified to accommodate vials of the required specification

Microsampling Vials and Holders

Each hydrolysis reactor can accommodate either a large single sample or multiple smaller reaction vials in a rack inside the reactor. The reactor cover supports temperature monitoring (pressure monitoring is also available). Two additional openings in the cover provide inert gas flushing of the reactor vessel. The 0.5 litre hydrolysis reactor incorporates a cooling jacket. Connections allow the convenient flow of air or water through the jacket, after the completion of the microwave heating cycle, to rapidly cool the reactor and contents.