What is the difference between pipette tips and filter tips?

Pipette tips and filter tips are both used in laboratory settings for liquid handling and sample transfer, but they serve slightly different purposes due to the presence of a filter in filter tips. Here's the main difference between pipette tips and filter tips:

Pipette Tips:

Pipette tips, often referred to as standard tips, are the basic tips used with pipettes for transferring liquids. They come in various sizes and materials, such as polypropylene, and are suitable for general liquid handling tasks. Standard pipette tips are primarily designed to provide an airtight seal with the pipette, ensuring accurate and precise liquid delivery. They do not include any built-in filters.

Filter Tips:

Filter tips, on the other hand, are a type of pipette tip that includes a built-in filter, typically made of hydrophobic material like porous polyethylene. The primary purpose of the filter is to prevent contamination and aerosol formation during pipetting. When liquid is aspirated into the pipette, any potential contaminants or droplets are trapped by the filter, preventing them from entering the pipette shaft and potentially contaminating subsequent samples or the pipette itself.

Filter tips are particularly useful when working with sensitive samples, volatile substances, or potentially infectious materials. They help reduce the risk of cross-contamination and ensure the accuracy and integrity of your experimental results.

In summary, the main difference between pipette tips and filter tips lies in the presence of a filter in the latter. Pipette tips are standard tips used for general liquid handling, while filter tips have an added layer of contamination protection, making them ideal for situations where maintaining sample purity and preventing cross-contamination are critical.