Sterile and RNase-free are two flags that record the handling state of a specific container. They exist because a bottle that was sterile when it arrived may not be sterile after somebody opened it on the bench, and your inventory should be able to say which is which.
Labsistant records the flag. It does not test anything, and it cannot tell you whether a container really is sterile or RNase-free. Setting a flag is you asserting a fact, and the app keeps a record of who asserted it.
What each flag means
- Sterile means this container is free of viable microorganisms.
- RNase-free means this container is free of ribonuclease contamination, which matters when you are working with RNA.
They are independent. A container can be either, both, or neither.
Which items carry them
| Item kind | Carries the flags? |
|---|---|
| Reagent | Yes |
| Supply | Yes |
| Sample | No |
Supplies carry them because sterile tips and RNase-free tubes are exactly the kind of thing labs need to keep straight.
They belong to the container, not the substance
The flags live on the individual inventory item, not on the reagent and not on the lot.
Two bottles from the same lot can have different flags, because one was opened in a hood and the other was opened on the bench. That is the whole point: the flag tracks what happened to that specific container.
Setting the flags when you add an item
Both flags are off by default on every item you create.
- Adding a reagent: the toggles are on step 3, "Inventory Item".
- Adding a supply: the toggles are near the bottom of the form.
Turning one on records that this specific container is in that state, as at the moment you set it. It is a statement about the container in front of you, not about the product as sold.
Marking an item as no longer sterile or RNase-free
When a container's status is compromised, record it.
- Open the item from the Inventory page.
- Under Actions, choose Mark as Non-Sterile or Mark as Non-RNase-free.
- Optionally give a reason.
- Confirm.
Marking part of a container non-sterile
The sterile dialog lets you mark a quantity rather than the whole container, which handles the common case where you drew off some material under non-sterile conditions and the rest is untouched.
Enter the amount to mark non-sterile. If it is less than the full quantity, the dialog tells you how much will remain sterile, and a new inventory item is created for the non-sterile portion. You end up with two items: the still-sterile remainder and the portion that is not.
The RNase-free dialog does not split. Marking non-RNase-free applies to the whole container.
Restoring a flag
If a container is re-sterilised, or treated and verified, you can restore the flag.
- Open the item and choose Restore Sterility or Restore RNase-free.
- Give a reason. This one is required, unlike marking, where the reason is optional.
- Confirm.
The dialog is explicit that you are certifying the item has been verified. That asymmetry is deliberate: losing a status is something you simply report, but claiming it back is a positive assertion, so it has to be attributable and explained.
Restoring is available to anyone who can edit the item. There is no separate permission for it.
Keeping status when you pull a portion
When you pull a portion out of a sterile or RNase-free container, the pull dialog offers Maintain Sterility and Maintain RNase-Free Status. Both are on by default.
- Left on, the portion you pulled is recorded as carrying the flag forward.
- Turned off, the portion is recorded as no longer carrying it, while the source container keeps its own status.
Whether the pull preserved the status is your call. Recording it at the moment of the pull is more reliable than reconstructing it later.
Finding items by flag
The Inventory page's status filter includes Sterile and RNase-free, so you can list only the containers currently carrying either flag.
Plans
Sterile and RNase-free tracking is a Lab plan feature, and it is enforced. On a lower plan, saving an item with either flag turned on is refused with a message saying the feature requires the Lab plan.
When downgrading, existing flags are preserved. You keep what you already recorded and lose the ability to set new ones.
See Plans and limits.
What this is not
These flags are a record-keeping aid, not a quality control system. Labsistant does not test sterility, does not verify RNase-free status, does not expire a flag after any period of time, and does not warn you that a container has been open for a long while. Whether material is fit to use is your call, made under your institution's procedures.
Both flags are set when the container is created, so Add a reagent and Add a supply show where they sit on each form. Recording handling state per container rather than per product is one of the things the inventory is built around.