Atomic Spectroscopy

Bruker’s S8 Dragon wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (WD-XRF) system combines a conventional array of wavelength detectors dedicated for elements of particular interest with a multielement energy dispersive detector (the Bruker XFlash, more commonly used for energy dispersive spectrometry [EDS] microanalysis) to provide simultaneous measurement of the remaining elements. A complete run takes just 40 seconds, while a touch-screen interface allows control of the instrument’s functions. The S8 Dragon began shipment in late February at a price of $250,000–$350,000.

NIC (Rigaku) introduced a new generation of its portable mercury survey meter, the EMP-2, which uses cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry as the measurement technique. The unit has a compact touch-screen interface and is primarily intended for use in refineries. The product is now available at a price of less than $20,000.

Shimadzu unveiled its new combustion total organic carbon analyzer, the TOC-L. The compact unit contains many ergonomic and energy-saving improvements and can be outfitted with an optional nitrogen unit. The TOC-L should begin shipping at the end of March at a price of $30,000 including an autosampler.

The Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton FXL is a portable ED-XRF system that fills the gap between Niton handheld analyzers and more traditional benchtop and lab systems. It has a choice of X-ray sources providing up to 10 W of power and an internal battery but weighs just 30 lb. The platform is available in two models, one of which is customized for mining and prospecting applications. The system began shipping in February at prices ranging from $40,000 to $60,000.

Dissolution Testing

Distek’s Symphony 7100 is the first modular dissolution tester that can integrate up to eight positional modules. As a result, the system can run up to three independent methods simultaneously with different experimental parameters such as temperature, revolutions per minute and duration. The Symphony 7100 builds on Distek’s bathless technology. With the touch-screen user interface, the approximate cost of the system is around $20,000 and increases with the addition of modules. The Symphony 7100 is expected to ship within ten weeks.

GC

Defiant Technologies displayed its new Canary-VOC, which is a micro GC designed for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water. The system uses a micro-preconcentrator, micro-GC column and a miniature photoionization detector and is priced around $26,500. Shipments are expected to begin in May.

LECO introduced the GC-TOF MS, which is based on its Folded Flight Path (FFP) TOF technology (see page 1). The Pegasus GC-HRT GC/MS can scan at up to 200 spectra/second, while maintaining its maximum resolution of 50,000 FWHM. LECO expects the Pegasus to compete with high-end magnetic sector systems. The system is expected to begin shipping by September with a price starting at $325,000 including a GC.

Informatics

Thermo Fisher Scientific released its latest version of its flagship LIMS solution. SampleManager 10.0 LIMS is built on Microsoft .NET development environment. The SampleManager provides instrument calibration, operator training records and stock/inventory dashboard. Data visualization tools allow for the integration of existing enterprise resource planning, process information management systems and manufacturing executive systems as well as with other applications and instruments in and out of the lab.

Waters unveiled its UNIFI Scientific Information System that combines features of its Empower, MassLynx and NuGenesis scientific data management software in an integrated solution. The UNIFI software is an interactive workflow-driven data platform for flexible instrument control, advanced data processing and mining, and comprehensive reporting, with GxP laboratory compatibility. UNIFI is part of Waters’s Biopharmaceutical UPLC/MS system solution, which includes the ACQUITY UPLC H-Class Bio System and Xevo G2 TOF MS.

LC

Dionex launched the UltiMate 3000 x2 Dual UHPLC+ solution for inverse gradients. It provides uniform chromatographic peak response in UHPLC applications with charged aerosol detection and allows quantification of compounds for which no standard is available and before the elucidation of chemical structure. This solution employs the Corona ultra or Corona ultra RS detector, which provides a universal response for nonvolatile and some semivolatile analytes.

Hitachi High-Technologies announced the global release of the Chromaster HPLC system for enhanced performance, ease of use and robustness. The system features a low-pressure gradient mode that improves peak/gradient retention time. The Chromaster offers a detachable touch screen controller. Hitachi expects to sell approximately 2,000 of these units. The Chromaster HPLC is listed at around $40,000.

Materials Characterization

Fluid Imaging introduced the new Front-Fill illumination option for its flagship FlowCAM particle imaging analysis system. Unlike conventional systems that capture images as black silhouettes, the new illumination allows users to gain a better understanding of particle texture and color. The Front-Fill option became available in March at a price of about $5,000 on top of the FlowCAM’s price tag of approximately $40,000.

Malvern Instruments showed off the Morphologi G3-ID system, which combines Malvern’s particle image analysis system with a Raman spectrometer (sourced from Kaiser Optical). The system thus provides both image analysis and chemical identification of particles. Although two instruments have already been installed in a “soft launch” of the product, Pittcon represented the official debut of the system, which costs approximately $225,000.

The Microtrac Wave provides a combined platform for Microtrac’s particle analysis and zeta potential products in a single unit, which can be outfitted with one or both systems and is easily upgradable. The system will begin shipping midyear at a price of about $35,000 including both measurement systems.

Norton Scientific introduced the Protein Aggregation Monitor, which is designed as a fast and simple pre-screening tool. It measures protein aggregation and protein-protein interactions in one second from a 2 µL injected volume using laser light scattering. The product will begin shipping in April at a price of $9,000.

MS

Bruker’s major new introduction at Pittcon was its next-generation maXis 4G Q-TOF LC/MS. The system provides full sensitivity at 60,000 FWHM resolution along with 600 ppb mass accuracy. It also has a 30 Hz acquisition speed, which is needed for use with high-speed LC separations. Bruker will continue to offer the base-level maXis system.

Austrian-based Ionicon introduced the PTR-QMS-300, which is a quadrupole-based protron transfer reaction MS designed to be a mobile VOC monitor. It replaces the Compact-PTR-MS model that was first introduced in 2003. The PTR-QMS-300 began shipping in January and has a starting price of around €100,000 ($132,000 = €0.76 = $1).

Shimadzu showed the QP-2010 SE, a value-oriented single quadrupole GC/MS with 200:1 signal-to-noise sensitivity. The QP-2010 SE began shipping in February and is priced in the $55,000–$60,000 range. The most significant introduction for Shimadzu was the LCMS-8030, which is a triple quadrupole LC/MS that draws on Shimadzu’s single quadrupole MS technology. It marks Shimadzu’s entrance into the triple quadrupole LC/MS market and features high-speed scanning (15,000 amu/s). The LCMS-8030 began shipping in December and is targeted primarily at the food and environmental markets. It has a starting price of $200,000.

Thermo Fisher Scientific showed its new ISQ single quadrupole GC/MS, which is an all new design and was first announced this past December. It features the ExactraBright ion source. One is able to remove and replace the ion source without breaking vacuum. A new S-shaped ion guide improves detection limits and signal to noise.

Molecular Spectroscopy

AstraNet introduced the AstraGene Life Science Spectrophotometer, which is intended for the analysis of nucleic acids and proteins and can analyze samples as small as 2 µL. The AstraGene was previously launched in Europe, but was shown in the US for the first time at Pittcon. It has a starting price of $8,000.

Horiba introduced the AquaLog fluorescence spectrophotometer, which features a UV/Vis absorbance capability used to correct interference in the fluorescence spectra. The system is targeted at the environmental and wastewater industry for monitoring such compounds as chromophoric dissolved organic matter. The AquaLog can also be used as a simultaneous UV/Vis and fluorescence detector for HPLC. It has a starting price of $30,000.

JASCO introduced its new FP-8000 series of spectrofluorometers. The four models feature scan speeds of between 20,000 nm/min and 120,000 nm/min and range in price from $20,000 to $35,000 excluding accessories. A wide range of accessories is available, including a 5 µL sample accessory for bio applications and a microplate reader option for three models.

Sample Preparation

The UltraWAVE microwave digestion system from Milestone requires no sample preparation. All samples can be placed in a single vessel to be digested in high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. The system is available in a variety of sample rack options. Pittcon 2011 marked the system’s US introduction. The system’s price ranges from $30,000 to $60,000.

Shimadzu’s Perfinity Workstation is an automated protein sample preparation system that combines affinity selection, buffer exchange, digestion, desalting and reverse-phase separation methods into one platform through different modules/columns. The total preparation time for all five stages is around ten minutes, four minutes of which is dedicated to digestion. The Workstation is a collaborative effort with Perfinity Biosciences. The system costs $146,000, which includes the five-column technologies and software.

Surface Science

EDAX (AMETEK) introduced the Apollo XLT, a silicon drift detector for transmission electron microscopy. The detector has an area of 30 mm2 and an energy resolution of less than 129 eV. The maximum count rate has been improved to 950,000 per second. A windowless version of the detector improves performance for light elements. The EDS analyzer is available now at a price of $80,000–$90,000 including full-featured software.

JEOL introduced the JSM-6010 series of scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Also known as the InTouch Scope, the new system provides intermediate performance between desktop SEMs and more traditional electron microscopes. The compact system is easy to use and control from the wireless multitouch screen interface. The system was introduced in the last quarter of 2010 at a price of $110,000, or $135,000 with an integrated EDS system.

The second-generation Phenom desktop SEM was unveiled at Pittcon by Phenom World—a company created by FEI and NTS to market the Phenom brand. The Phenom G2 Pure and G2 Pro will ship in April at prices of $58,000 and $68,000 respectively.