Enhanced tracking of sample- and tube-related information for thermal desorption

Historically, associating information with thermal desorption (TD) tubes has relied on manually reading and recording tube serial numbers. Barcode technology has proved difficult to apply to TD tubes because the high temperatures required limit the lifetime of barcode labels. Barcodes etched onto curved tube surfaces also get increasingly difficult to read electronically – especially after extensive handling. Another limitation of barcodes is that they can’t be programmed to record sample or tube-specific information.

TubeTAG™, a system based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, was introduced by Markes to overcome these limitations and offer a real step forward in sample tracking and analytical quality control for TD–GC users. The tags are re-usable, read/write-programmable devices that can be attached to standard sorbent tubes (metal or glass).

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