In many analytical labs, a surprising amount of downtime doesn’t come from broken instruments or missing reagents—it comes from evaporation. Specifically, the solvent concentration steps that precede mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, or residue analysis.

While it’s a routine task, evaporation is also a chronic bottleneck. And as the demands on environmental, forensic, and pharmaceutical labs grow, the need for smarter, faster solutions becomes critical.

Why Solvent Evaporation Slows Everything Down

Evaporation isn’t glamorous. It’s not the headline technique, but it’s essential. Analysts often need to concentrate large volumes of solvent-extracted samples down to a few microliters—especially when chasing trace-level detection for compounds like pesticides, synthetic cathinones, or persistent organic pollutants.

The process requires precision: evaporate too quickly and you risk losing volatile analytes. Go too slow and you reduce daily throughput, delaying reports and batch processing. Add in the complexity of handling various vial sizes or switching between workflows, and it’s easy to see how this “last-mile” step can become a serious pain point.

The Case for Multi-Position Automation

Enter multi-function evaporators. Systems that can handle 32 or 48 samples simultaneously, with modular vial trays and heat/gas control, are becoming indispensable in modern labs. They not only streamline workflows but also reduce analyst fatigue and human error.

A good example is the SPeVAP system, which supports interchangeable trays for a variety of vial sizes (from autosampler vials to larger VOA formats) and includes gasketed fittings for secure sealing. This kind of setup allows labs to batch process multiple sample types without constant reconfiguration or oversight.

It’s Not Just About Speed—It’s About Reproducibility

Manual evaporation methods can be inconsistent. Variations in gas flow, heat application, or timing can all lead to variation in final concentration, which in turn affects analytical results. For regulated industries, this poses compliance risks.

Automated systems like SPeVAP mitigate these inconsistencies through uniform distribution, controlled temperature profiles, and reproducible workflows. This ensures every sample receives the same treatment, whether it’s the first or the fiftieth of the day.

Scaling the Final Step in Sample Prep

As labs move toward higher sample volumes, the weakest link is often the one no one’s talking about: solvent evaporation. But this quiet step is where time is lost, analytes are compromised, and throughput is throttled.

By automating and scaling this step with platforms like SPeVAP, labs can finally bring their last-mile processes up to speed with the rest of their high-performance analytical workflows.