IMPROVED TECHNIQUES FOR THE RAPID RADIOIMMUNOASSAY OF ECDYSTEROIDS AND OTHER METABOLITES

An RTA procedure for assaying a large number of samples in a relativel y short time has been developed. It utilizes multi-channel repeater pi pettors for the addition of reagents, specially designed racks which a ccommodate 48 6x50-mm tubes and which fit directly into the centrifuge , multitube vortexers, and a specially designed aspiration device. The racks allow the tubes to remain in the same support throughout most o f the assay. The aspirator permits the rapid aspiration of eight tubes at a time, 192 in 2 min. One hundred ninety-two samples can be accura tely assayed in as little as 2.5 h.