Rotary evaporators are a standard piece of equipment found in many laboratories and are commonly used in the preparation of distillates and extracts. By reducing the pressure to lower a solvent’s boiling point, solvent can be removed from a sample through evaporation. Frequent use of your rotovap, however, may lead to natural wear and tear of parts, especially seals, glass joints and tubing. Here is a list of three common parts that you should have on hand to keep your rotovap running and your workflow undisturbed:
- Vacuum gaskets: The vacuum system reduces the pressure to lower the solvent’s boiling point. Maintaining a good vacuum is important, especially if you are working with solvents that have a high boiling point such as water.
- Seals: Seals are important for both maintaining a tight vacuum system and for having a sealed connection between parts. Because connections are often the weakest part of a system, ensuring you have functioning seals will save you time and help provide the best results.
- Hose barbs: Hose barbs grip the inside of a tube to seal a connection. In a rotovap, it is essential to provide a sealed pathway for gases and liquids to migrate. Hose barbs are an important part of maintaining proper connections and you can’t go wrong with having some extras available in your laboratory.
