Are the QIAwave kits based on a different chemistry than the legacy kits?

No, the chemistry between the QIAwave kits and the legacy kits is the same, and so is the performance. The QIAwave buffers come as concentrates, reducing the amount of plastic per bottle while maintaining the same functionality after reconstitution. The advantage of the QIAwave kits is the reduction of materials used for the kits, such as plastics, cardboard and paper. In addition, the QIAwave kits contain Waste Tubes made from 100% post-consumer plastic.