Life Sciences – Diagnostics

Sample Collection Media

Making Patient Samples Accessible for Downstream Testing

Sample Collection Media for Precise Volume Collection with High Analyte Recovery

Accurate diagnosis starts with the proper collection of a sample, as the pre-analytic stages of diagnostic testing can lead to erroneous results if not performed correctly. A precise volume uptake followed by a high analyte release combined with the removal of inhibitors ensures the consistency of diagnostics workflows.

Porous materials offer controlled pore sizes and structures, allowing for precise volume uptake as well as inhibitor removal crucial in sample collection. For challenging analytes, customized material solutions can reduce nonspecific binding. Integrating sample collection materials into direct sample-to-test devices eliminates sample loss via transfer steps to prepare a higher concentration of analyte for higher sensitivity.

In addition, sample sufficiency indicators can visually demonstrate when samples are ready to reduce user error in at-home settings. Optional integrated chemistry can simplify workflows by eliminating additional steps to help treat and normalize samples, such as incorporating cell lysis into the collection step or buffering in samples with wide variations of pH.

This is a pregnancy test that includes urine sample collection media.

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Using Porous Plastics for Wicking

How it works

Porex’s sample collection solutions are employed in custom collection devices for infectious disease, drugs of abuse, and genetic testing enabling superior specimen collection of nasal, saliva, vaginal, sputum, blood, breath, and other sample types. The design of these collection materials ensures consistent sample uptake and optimal analyte recovery, reducing pre-analytic errors.

ReadyGo Diagnostics Ltd. Announces its Partnership with Porex

See the lastest on how Porex is enabling precise sample volumes

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Options for customizing sample collection media

Key Features & Benefits

Pure materials which enhance sample integrity
High recovery of analytes
Customized capillary material structures that absorb quickly and consistently
Enhanced functionality with custom integrated chemistry
Diverse raw material options

Sheets
Rolls
3D geometric shapes
Molded & die-cut discs

Blood
Urine
Saliva
Nasal
Vaginal

Respiratory
Bloodborne pathogens
STI
Tuberculosis
Antibiotic Resistance
Drugs of Abuse
Genetic Testing

FAQ’s

How to choose the right swab for collecting a sample?

When choosing a sample collection swab there are several important factors to consider including sample type, yield and quality. Also, different swab materials will perform better or worse based on the type of testing being performed (e.g., microbiology, molecular diagnostics or clinical diagnostics). For example, cotton swabs can inhibit some organisms in microbiological analysis and flocked nylon swabs will yield a higher quantity of DNA for PCR testing.

Porex HRM (high-release media) swabs are the best option for those searching for a synthetic fiber, such as polyester, with precise sample volume collection. They can also be customized to avoid non-specific binding and ease of use for self-collection situations.

What are the differences between a flocked swab and a Porex HRM swab?

The main difference between flocked swabs and Porex high-release media (HRM) swabs is the base material. Flocked swabs are made of short nylon fibers that are spray coated onto a tip. In contrast, Porex HRM swabs are made of a bi-component fiber material that includes polyethylene and polyester and is formed through a nonwoven bonding process. Unlike flocked swabs, the Porex swab can be customized to capture and release a specific sample volume.

Porex HRM can also include a color-changing sample volume sufficiency indicator, which alerts users when adequate sample has been collected.

What are the best swabs to use for PCR testing?

The best Porex sample collection material for downstream PCR testing is our Porex HRM. Porex HRM is made of synthetic polyester fiber and can be tailored for specific sample volume uptake and release. It can also remove impurities from complex sample types, such as saliva, resulting in a purer sample for molecular diagnostics.

Importantly, cotton materials should be avoided, due to potential inhibition in downstream PCR workflows.

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Improved Drugs of Abuse Sample Collection

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Redefining Conventional Diagnostics
Webinar

In this webinar, explore the integration of Porex materials with ReadyGo’s chemistry and design platforms, which have simplified measured laboratory procedures — like pipetting and cell lysis prep — into cost-effective workflows suitable for any user.

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Science Inside Video Series: How does a pregnancy test work?

Discover the science behind pregnancy tests and the porous fiber wick mechanism that collects urine and transfers it from the outside to the reagents inside the test, leading to accurate and reliable test results.

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Absorbent Pad Brochure

Discover the benefits and technical specifications of Porex Absorbent Pads, the advanced media designed for Lateral-Flow-Tests.

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Free eBook: Improving STI Testing Coverage and Reliability Through Vaginal Self Collection and Exosome Analysis

Accurate diagnostics start with high-quality sample collection—but it all begins with the right materials. Explore how advanced porous components from Porex improve reliability and performance in leading diagnostic devices.

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Sample Collection Media