What laboratory workflows benefit most from automation?

Laboratory automation has moved well beyond simple time-saving convenience. As analytical demands intensify and regulatory requirements tighten, the question is no longer whether to automate but which workflows deliver the greatest return when automated. From environmental contaminant screening to complex multi-matrix cleanups, laboratory automation is reshaping how modern labs operate, reducing human error, cutting solvent consumption, and dramatically improving throughput. Understanding where automation adds the most value helps laboratories prioritize investment and build workflows that are both efficient and defensible under regulatory scrutiny.

Not every workflow benefits equally from automation, however. Some processes are so variable or judgment-dependent that manual execution remains the better choice, at least for now. The sections below break down the workflows where automation delivers clear, measurable advantages, and where manual approaches still hold their ground.

High-throughput sample preparation workflows

High-throughput sample preparation is where laboratory automation delivers its most immediate and quantifiable impact. When a lab routinely processes dozens or hundreds of samples per week, manual pipetting, extraction, and cleanup become the primary bottleneck, introducing fatigue-related variability and limiting the number of samples a team can realistically handle.

Automated systems designed for batch processing solve this directly. Systems like the SPE2000, for example, can process up to 80 samples in a single run across 10 consecutive sequences of 8 samples simultaneously, handling sample volumes from 10 mL up to 1,000 mL. This kind of capacity fundamentally changes what a laboratory can commit to, allowing teams to take on larger contract volumes without proportionally scaling headcount.

Beyond raw throughput, automated sample preparation improves reproducibility. When extraction conditions such as flow rate, solvent volume, and contact time are controlled programmatically, variability between operators and between runs decreases significantly. For laboratories working under ISO 17025 accreditation, this consistency is not just operationally useful – it is a quality requirement. Automation also enables unattended overnight runs, meaning instruments work while staff do not, compressing turnaround times without extending working hours.

Environmental contaminant analysis and compliance testing

Few analytical domains place greater demands on sample preparation than environmental contaminant analysis. Testing for persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, and PFAS requires rigorous cleanup to remove co-extracted matrix interferences before measurement, and the consequences of analytical errors extend well beyond the laboratory into public health and regulatory enforcement.

PBDE analysis automation is a particularly compelling use case. PBDEs share chromatographic space with other halogenated compounds, making thorough and consistent cleanup essential. Automated purification systems like the GO-EHT platform from Miura Institute of Environmental Science are specifically engineered for this challenge, handling the purification of dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, and PCNs across matrices including food, feed, soil, sewage sludge, water, and air. Because samples do not come into direct contact with the system itself, cross-contamination risks are eliminated, a critical advantage when working at ultra-trace levels.

Compliance testing adds another layer of pressure. Regulatory frameworks such as EU Commission Regulation 2023/915 for dioxins and PCBs in food and feed, or EPA methods 1613B and 1668A for PCDD/F and PCBs, require documented, validated procedures with defined performance criteria. Automated systems support compliance by delivering documented, repeatable workflows that can be validated once and then applied consistently. This traceability is difficult to achieve at scale with manual methods, where operator-to-operator variation can undermine method validation data.

Solid phase extraction and multi-matrix cleanup

Solid phase extraction (SPE) is one of the most widely used techniques in environmental and food safety laboratories, and it is also one of the most labor-intensive when performed manually. Automating SPE workflows eliminates the repetitive hands-on steps that consume analyst time and introduce variability, particularly during large-volume water sample processing or when switching between different cartridge formats and matrices.

PFAS SPE automation has become especially important as regulatory limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances continue to tighten globally. PFAS analysis is uniquely sensitive to contamination from laboratory materials, which is why automated SPE systems with fully inert flow paths and Teflon-free components are now considered best practice for this application. The AutoEmpore system, designed for large-volume water sample extraction, addresses this directly. Available in 3, 6, 9, or 12-channel configurations and compatible with 25 mm, 47 mm, and 90 mm disks as well as 3 mL and 6 mL cartridges, it supports both parallel and series operation with automatic online filtration and water removal.

Multi-matrix capability is another dimension where automated SPE systems outperform manual approaches. A single platform that handles soil extracts, water samples, food homogenates, and biological matrices without requiring extensive reconfiguration gives laboratories the flexibility to serve diverse client needs without maintaining separate manual setups for each matrix type. This consolidation reduces both capital cost and the training burden on laboratory staff.

Method development and validation processes

Method development is often perceived as an inherently manual, exploratory activity, but automation plays an increasingly important supporting role here too. When developing a new SPE cleanup method, for instance, the ability to systematically vary solvent type, volume, flow rate, and cartridge chemistry across multiple samples simultaneously compresses what might otherwise take weeks of sequential manual experiments into a much shorter development cycle.

Validation is where automation becomes even more critical. Demonstrating that a method meets performance criteria for accuracy, precision, linearity, and recovery across the full range of intended matrices requires running large numbers of fortified samples under controlled, reproducible conditions. Automated extraction systems make it practical to generate the volume of validation data required by regulatory bodies and accreditation standards without monopolizing analyst time for weeks at a stretch.

The evaporation and concentration steps that follow extraction also benefit from automation during validation. Systems like the MultiVap 64 and CentriVap Benchtop Concentration System allow multiple samples to be concentrated simultaneously under controlled conditions, ensuring that the final volume delivered to the instrument is consistent across all replicates. This consistency is essential for producing validation data that accurately reflects method performance rather than variability introduced during post-extraction handling.

Workflows that still rely on manual execution

Automation is not universally superior, and recognizing its limits is as important as understanding its strengths. Some laboratory workflows remain better suited to manual execution, at least given current technology and the nature of the analytical task.

Sample receipt, inspection, and initial preparation often require human judgment. Evaluating whether a soil sample is homogeneous enough to subsample, identifying unusual matrix characteristics that might affect extraction efficiency, or deciding whether a sample is too degraded to analyze reliably are decisions that trained analysts make based on experience and observation. Automating these judgment calls prematurely can lead to systematic errors that are difficult to detect.

Highly specialized or low-volume analyses also present a case for manual execution. When a laboratory runs only a handful of samples per year for a niche analyte, the time and cost of programming, validating, and maintaining an automated method may not justify the investment. In these cases, a well-trained analyst following a documented manual procedure may deliver equivalent quality at lower overall cost. Similarly, troubleshooting unusual results, investigating method failures, or adapting to unexpected matrix behavior still depends heavily on human expertise and cannot be delegated to automation alone.

How DSP-Systems helps with laboratory workflow automation

DSP-Systems specializes in supplying and distributing automated sample preparation and cleanup systems for laboratories analyzing environmental contaminants. As the official European and North American distributor for Miura Institute of Environmental Science and LabTech, DSP-Systems offers a complete portfolio of solutions matched to the workflows described above:

GO-EHT automated cleanup systems for dioxin, PCB, PBDE, and PCN purification across food, feed, soil, water, and air matrices
SPE2000 and AutoEmpore for high-throughput and large-volume PFAS, pesticide, hormone, and SVOC extraction
SER-158 solvent extractor for solid and semi-solid sample extraction using less than 100 mL of solvent per sample
MultiVap and CentriVap concentration systems for fast, reproducible post-extraction evaporation
Method development and validation support, including pre-installation programming and configuration in line with EPA and CEN standards

Whether a laboratory is scaling up throughput, pursuing accreditation, or transitioning from manual to automated workflows, DSP-Systems provides both the equipment and the technical expertise to make that transition successful. Contact DSP-Systems to discuss which automated solutions best fit your laboratory’s specific workflow needs.