Cryomill

Statement of Requirements

Project:  Procurement of a closed system liquid nitrogen cryomill.

USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, 5883 USDA Road, Houma, LA 70360

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0    Scope of Work:  Purchase of one cryomill that is functional with liquid nitrogen.

2.0    Background:  Plant tissue and animal samples often need to be kept at ultra low temperatures (using liquid nitrogen) for processing (chopping/grinding into a fine powder or homogenizing) prior to analysis of contents. This is the case particularly when researchers need to evaluate volatile chemicals from the samples that would otherwise be lost when using a freeze drying system with vacuum pump followed by a Wiley Mill grinder. Further, tissues are often wet, so the mill would need to be able to work on both wet and dry samples. This type of mill would also allow for more efficient cryogenic homogenization of plant and animal materials for RNA and DNA processing as needed by entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, and breeders.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

3.0    Technical Requirements/Tasks: 

Minimum Requirements

1. Must be compatible with use of liquid nitrogen for ultra low temperature processing.
2. Must include a closed liquid nitrogen system to increase safety for the operator (as opposed to mills where the operator has to routinely pour liquid nitrogen into the processing chamber).
3. Must include a liquid nitrogen feed accessory.
4. Processing abilities must include size reduction, mixing, homogenization, and cell disruption.
5. Must be able to process dry, wet, and cryogenic samples.
6. Must have a vibrational frequency of 5 - 30 Hz (300 - 1,800 rpm)
7. Must be able to fit on a standard laboratory benchtop.
8. Must be leak-proof for safety.
9. Must be able to store digital standard operating procedures for reproduceable methods.
10. Must be compatible with interchangeable grinding balls so that sample homogenization can be customized per experimental needs.
11. Must be compatible with interchangeable grinding jars so that samples can be easily changed out for faster work flows.
12. Interchangeable grinding jars should be available in a range (5-50 mL) of sizes to accommodate different experimental needs.
13. Must include a 25mL grinding jar for made of Zirconium Oxide for cryogenic grinding.
14. Must include 2 zirconica 15MM Ø grinding balls for use with cryogenic grinding.

4.0    Government Furnished: Not applicable.

5.0   Deliverables/Schedule: Full cryomill machine with 1 25 mL zirconia grinding jar, 2 zirconica 15MM Ø grinding balls, and liquid nitrogen feed accessories delivered to USDA-ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, at 5883 USDA Road, Houma, LA 70360.