A Guide to Microplate Closure and Sealing

Choosing the correct combination of microplate closure for each type of microplate is important to achieving best laboratory practice and to avoid unnecessary work further downstream. Microplates are a convenient method for storing, transporting and handling compounds and samples, but they have common problems associated with them. Evaporation can occur from the wells of the plate which can affect concentration readings. Contamination from dust, spores or other atmospheric detritus may occur and spillage is a constant danger whenever microplates are used for transport. Add to this the general risks of cross-contamination in the denser formats such as 96- and 384-well plates and it is easy to see why a closure device of some sort is to be preferred.