IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS disposable dispersing tool (12 pieces), plastic, Ø 10 mm, 0003452400

100 per cent protection against cross-contamination: IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS disposable dispersing tool

In modern and highly sensitive laboratory environments, sample preparation often represents the most critical and error-prone step within the entire analytical chain. Particularly in fields such as forensics, medical diagnostics, PCR analysis or molecular biology research, even the tiniest carry-over of samples – known as cross-contamination – can have disastrous consequences. Not only do they ruin expensive and time-consuming experimental runs, but in the worst-case scenario they can lead to incorrect medical diagnoses or flawed forensic chains of evidence. The IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS dispersing tool (MPN 0003452400) was developed precisely for these extremely demanding scenarios. This innovative single-use plastic tool, supplied in a cost-effective pack of 12, revolutionises your day-to-day laboratory work and sets entirely new standards in terms of safety, reliability and workflow efficiency.

The problem of cross-contamination and the limitations of stainless steel tools

Whilst traditional stainless steel dispersing tools are durable and robust, they present significant drawbacks when processing highly infectious or DNA-containing samples. To ensure that a tool is 100 per cent free of germs and DNA between two samples, a stainless steel tool must be laboriously dismantled after every single dispersion process, cleaned manually or by machine, and then sterilised at high temperatures in an autoclave. This process not only ties up valuable working time for highly qualified laboratory staff, but also requires the constant use of harsh chemicals and the regular replacement of wear parts such as PTFE bearings. The IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS completely eliminates this entire cleaning and sterilisation cycle. Once the sample has been homogenised, the plastic tool is simply and safely disposed of in its entirety. This effectively reduces the risk of cross-contamination to zero, whilst at the same time freeing up enormous amounts of staff time and resources in the laboratory, which can then be used for actual analytical work.

Technical superiority in a compact plastic format

Despite being designed as a single-use item (identified by the abbreviation “KS” for plastic), this dispersing tool offers no compromise whatsoever in terms of grinding performance. The tool operates on the tried-and-tested rotor-stator principle and is specifically designed for the high-performance dispersing drives of the IKA T 18 series (such as the T 18 digital, T 18 basic or T 18 mini). With a stator diameter of 10 millimetres (indicated by the “10” in the product designation), it is perfectly sized for processing small to medium sample volumes in the range of 10 to 100 millilitres (based on water). The abbreviation ‘G’ stands for a coarse slot geometry on the stator. This geometry enables optimal suction of the sample into the shear gap and ensures rapid, efficient primary comminution of tough tissue, plant material or solid foodstuffs. Even at maximum speeds of up to 24,000 revolutions per minute, the high-quality plastic remains completely dimensionally stable and produces particle sizes that are ideally suited to downstream extraction processes.

Economic considerations and workflow optimisation

At first glance, the ongoing purchase of disposable tools may appear to be an additional cost factor. However, a detailed full-cost analysis in modern laboratories regularly reveals a very different picture: The purchase cost of an IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS tool is generally significantly lower than the combined expenditure on labour for manual cleaning, the operating and maintenance costs for autoclaves, expensive chemical cleaning agents, and the regular procurement of spare parts for conventional stainless steel tools. By eliminating set-up and waiting times, laboratories can massively increase their sample throughput. The tool is simply fitted onto the drive, the sample is dispersed, and the tool is then ejected in a single step and disposed of properly.

Numerous areas of application in highly specialised laboratories

The potential applications of this plastic dispersing tool are extremely diverse and cover the most demanding areas of modern analytics. In forensics, it is used for the safe and absolutely contamination-free extraction of DNA or RNA from evidence such as skin, hair or tissue samples. In medical and clinical diagnostics, it enables the rapid homogenisation of biopsies, tumour cells or organ samples for pathology, without the risk of transmitting dangerous pathogens to laboratory staff or other valuable patient samples. This single-use tool is also the absolute first choice for reproducible work in pharmaceutical research – for example, when pulverising coated tablets for active ingredient analysis – or in strictly regulated food safety testing for the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in meat or plant samples.

System integration for maximum safety (splash protection)

To ensure the absolute highest level of user safety, the IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS dispersing tool can be ideally combined with the appropriate IKA single-use tubes (such as the ET50 tube). This combination creates a fully enclosed system. This protects the user from hazardous, infectious or toxic aerosols that can inevitably be generated during the dispersion process under high centrifugal forces. The system remains completely sealed from homogenisation right through to disposal, which not only physically protects the user but also reliably and permanently prevents contamination of expensive laboratory equipment, pipettes and sterile fume cupboards.

Technical data

• Model: S 18 D - 10 G - KS
• Product type: Disposable dispersing tool (rotor-stator)
• Packaging unit (PU): 12 pieces per pack
• Material: High-quality, dimensionally stable plastic (KS)
• Stator diameter: 10 mm
• Rotor diameter: 6.8 mm
• Working range (H₂O volume): 10 – 100 ml
• Slot geometry: Coarse (G)
• Gap between rotor and stator: 0.2 mm
• Maximum permissible speed: 24,000 rpm
• Immersion depth: 15 – 85 mm
• Max. permissible operating temperature: 100 °C
• Compatible drives: IKA T 18 digital, T 18 basic
• Sterilisable: No (Designed as a single-use item only to prevent contamination)

Contents

• 1 x pack of 12 IKA S 18 D - 10 G - KS plastic dispersing tools

(Note: The T 18 drive motor and any sample vessels or protective tubes that may be required are not included in the scope of delivery!)

Individual requirements & accessories

To realise the full potential of this closed safety system, we strongly recommend using it in combination with the IKA S 18/25-ET50 disposable tube as an effective splash guard. If you need to process sample volumes of less than 10 ml, IKA also offers smaller disposable tools with a 7 mm stator diameter. Please contact our procurement service for detailed advice on your specific workflow.