POP-7™ Polymer for 3730/3730xl DNA Analyzers, 1 x 28 mL - FAQs

You can run 8,000-12,000 samples. These numbers may be lower if there is increased polymer consumption due to additional wizards being performed, such as the Bubble Remove and Water Wash wizards.

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POP-7 polymer can maintain its performance for seven days on the Applied Biosystems 3730 Series DNA Analyzer at standard lab conditions. After seven days, perform all required maintenance (including the Water Wash Wizard) and replace with fresh polymer. Do not "top off" the polymer bottle (add fresh polymer to old polymer), which can adversely affect data quality and consumable lifespan.

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Applied Biosystems supports the use of POP-7 polymer on the Applied Biosystems 3730 Series DNA Analyzer. If the instrument is running Applied Biosystems 3730 Data Collection Software v.3.1 or later, then you can also use POP-6 polymer. We do not recommend mixing and matching of various instrument polymers as each is manufactured in different processes, tested as an entire system, and guaranteed to perform to a minimum specification. Substitution of reagents may compromise the integrity of the system and cannot be supported by AB service or applications support specialists. Using unsupported polymers may adversely affect data quality, consumable lifespan, and may void existing warranties.

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Yes, Applied Biosystems 3130 Series Systems use the same POP-7 Polymer as Applied Biosystems 3730 series instruments, but is sold in a convenient 7 mL volume bottle which is aligned with expected Applied Biosystems 3130 Series throughput. We do not recommend customers purchase the Applied Biosystems 3730 series sized POP-7 Polymer due to the difference in throughput, limited shelf life and potential problems with pouring.

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When placing the array on the instrument, the last step in the process is to loosen the array knob and the instrument forces any air bubbles around the array tip through the threading and the middle of the array knob. Some polymer gets pushed through as well and when it dries up, it appears as a white, flaky residue. Use a damp, lint-free cloth to remove it. If more residue appears after the cleanup, it is possible that the array knob is not tightened enough or the array ferrule may require replacement.

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It is not unusual to see a large bubble at the tip of the piston while performing the water wash wizard on the system. When the polymer is put back on to the system, the difference in viscosity is usually enough to dislodge the bubble and push it out. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to repeat the wash and go back and forth between the water and polymer to force it out.

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“Leak detected” error messages can also occur when the piston on the pump moves further than expected during the movement of the pump. The usual cause for this is a leak on the system, usually due to either an improperly tightened or improperly threaded fitting or a broken capillary. However, if this is not observed, some of the other reasons are:

1.Valve stuck in open position
2.Large air bubble under the piston
3. Polymer:
-Wrong polymer type (e.g., instrument thinks it has POP-7 on it but it really has POP-4).
-Old/degraded polymer
4. Improper/no maintenance on the system

Inspect the system for leaks. If you do not see any leaks on the system, perform a water wash using the water wash wizard and place fresh, non-expired polymer and freshly made 1X Running Buffer on the system. If the problem persists, a service call may be required.

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Some of the other causes of an Unstable Electrophoresis current detected error message are:

1.Leak on the system
2.Polymer that:
-Has expired
-Has been left on the instrument for more than the recommended time
-Is a mixture of expired polymer and non-expired polymer
3.Using Running Buffer that was:
-Diluted to 1X incorrectly
-Swapped with the water position on the
Autosampler deck
-On the instrument longer than 48 hours
-Not filled to the fill line or evaporated below the fill line
4. An arcing event that was not cleaned afterwards using the water wash wizard
5. Not performing regular maintenance on the instrument
6. Hardware issues

Inspect the system for leaks. If you do not see any leaks on the system, perform a water wash using the water wash wizard and place fresh, non-expired polymer and freshly made 1X Running Buffer on the system. If the problem persists, a service call may be required.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.

If we do not specify the expiry date or number of uses, the warranty will last for 12 months from the date of shipment.

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Thermo Fisher Scientific can only provide warranty on performance on non-expired reagents. Using reagents past their expiration date is a risk and may compromise your data integrity.

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Putting the polymer back at 2 - 8 degree C may extend the life of the polymer, however, we do not have any data indicating how long it might extend it. Removing the polymer and putting it back on the system can also result in a trade-off in usage. When placing it back on the system, you will need to degas the polymer for 30 - 60 min, refill the pump/block, array, and remove bubbles, which will cause you to use more polymer for maintenance than you would for running samples and may decrease the number of runs you can get out of a single polymer bottle/pouch

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For the Applied Biosystems 3730/3730xl DNA Analyzer, the polymer can remain on the instrument for a week.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Capillary Electrophoresis Instruments Support Center.