Atomic Spectroscopy

Bruker AXS unveiled the D2 Phaser, which puts desktop X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis into a smaller, lower-power package. With a fast detector, the powder diffraction system will be priced at $95,000; a simpler detector brings the price down to $70,000. The system will be available in three months.

Innov-X has begun exclusive distribution of a portable XRD/X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument made by inXitu. After manually crushing and sieving a sample, the powder is introduced into the Terra system for simultaneous XRD and XRF analysis. The 15 kg instrument is battery powered and housed in a rugged casing. Developed in association with NASA, a noncommercial version of the instrument is scheduled to be aboard the Mars Science Laboratory. The first shipments began in January at a price of $75,000.

PerkinElmer unveiled a new instrument in its AAnalyst series of atomic absorbance spectrometers. Although the instrument is a double-beam system with up to six lamps, the AAnalyst 50 is a relatively basic instrument with manual controls, making it ideal for teaching situations. The system is available now at a price of just $13,000.

The HDX-1000 XRF spectrometer from XOS is designed for the screening and analysis of commercial products, such as toys and other children’s items. The instrument can discriminate between paint layers and bulk material. The system’s form, design and software are well suited for its targeted application. The system has been selling since February at a price south of $100,000.

Electrochemistry

Picarro and OI Analytical jointly introduced the iTOC-CRDS (cavity ringdown spectroscopy) system, which combines OI’s Aurora TOC analyzer with Picarro’s CRDS detector. The system provides isotopic analysis of the liberated CO2 from the TOC analyzer, and is intended to compete with TOC-isotope ratio MS methods. The system is priced between $125,000 and $135,000 and is now available.

LC and LC/MS

Dionex introduced the Chromeleon 7 chromatography data system (CDS), which features the eWorkflows automation framework for both nonskilled and skilled operators. It also includes a miniplot display and the Cobra integration algorithm, which uses a few parameters to identify true peaks amid noise. For unresolved peaks, the SmartPeaks Integration Assistant provides a graphical overview of treatment options.

Grace Davidson Discovery Sciences launched the Reveleris flash chromatography system, which employs two UV detectors and an evaporative light scattering detector in a compact benchtop system. The Reveleris allows for easy access to the system’s plumbing and incorporates an onboard computer and flat-panel monitor display. Reveleris uses standard flash cartridges, but is optimized for use with its SRC high-capacity/high-durability cartridges. These cartridges also feature RFID tags for tracking a column’s life. The system starts at $40,000 and is currently shipping.

PerkinElmer introduced the Flexar LC platform. The Flexar can be configured using three different precision pump options that are capable of pressures of up to 6,000 psi, 10,000 psi or 15,000 psi to deliver a customized solution. When configured with the FX-15 pump option, the Flexar is capable of using sub-2 µm particle column technology. The price of the Flexar depends on the options, and is expected to be priced competitively with comparable products.

The Flexar LC platform can be controlled with TotalChrom or PerkinElmer’s new Chromera CDS. Chromera has been built from the ground up, offering an easy to use approach to LC control and data processing.

Shimadzu introduced the LCMS-2020 single quadrupole LC/MS, which is the first significantly new instrument in this class to be introduced in several years. First announced in January, the LCMS-2020 replaces the LCMS-2010 and offers 15 ms positive/negative ionization switching and 15,000 amu/second scanning, which improves sensitivity and makes it capable of being paired with fast HPLC instruments. The LCMS-2020 is now shipping and starts at under $100,000 without an LC.

Wyatt Technology launched the DynaPro NanoStar DLS dynamic light scattering instrument, which replaces the DynaPro Titan. The system incorporates two dedicated light scattering detectors that enable the simultaneous measurement of a sample’s hydrodynamic radius and absolute molecular weight. The system is priced at $70,000.

Life Science

Bioptix released a multiplex label-free detection system based on surface plasmon resonance technology for the detection of multiple biomolecules in a single sample. The technology features a flow cell volume of about 2 µL, a flow rate of 40–500 µL/minute, an average analysis time of less than 10 minutes and uses a consumable cartridge. The system is expected to have a price tag of about $50,000. A future release of the system will feature high-throughput 96-sample capability.

Gallios is Beckman Coulter’s new flow cytometry series. The system can integrate up to three solid-state lasers and features a forward-scatter detector that can provide three cell-size measurements and visualization of particles down to 0.4 µm in diameter. Gallios has six fluorescence detectors, with the option to add four more. It can process up to 25,000 events per second with up to 62 different processes. It is currently shipping.

Materials Characterization

The Zetasizer µV from Malvern Instruments was introduced in September 2008 and showcased for the first time at Pittcon. The dynamic light scattering system is designed specifically to characterize biomolecules and requires only 2 µL of sample, which can be fully recovered. The system analyzes particle sizes from 0.3 nm to 0.5 µm with a molecular weight range of 380 Da to 20 MDa. It is priced at around $40,000. The Zetazier APS from Malvern is very similar to the µV model, but it is capable of integrating 96- or 384-well microplates. It is priced at about $80,000.

PerkinElmer carried out a complete redesign of its new differential scanning calorimeter, the DSC 8000/8500. The double-furnace system can provide extremely rapid controlled heating and cooling rates up to 750° C per minute, with up to 100 measurements per second. The system is available now at an undisclosed price.

Molecular Spectroscopy

Horiba introduced two new fluorescence instruments at Pittcon. The DynaMyc is a fluorescence microscopy system that incorporates the same microscope used for the XploRA Raman microscope system into a more automated instrument for biomedical research. The TemPro is a basic fluorescence lifetime spectrometer intended for educational biology laboratories. The DynaMyc is priced $110,000–$120,000, while the TemPro starts at $35,000.

Shimadzu added itself to the list of major UV-Vis vendors entering the microvolume segment with the introduction of the BioSpec-Nano, which is purpose built to analyze 1–2 µL samples for nucleic acid quantification. The system incorporates automated preparation, analysis and cleaning, and can run a typical measurement in three seconds. The BioSpec-nano is priced starting at $7,500 and is now shipping.

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduced the Nanodrop 2000 Series, which is an upgrade of its microvolume UV/Vis product line. The 2000 Series has an accuracy of 2% and a wavelength range of 190–840 nm. It includes both a standard microvolume model, as well as the 2000c, which can also analyze standard cuvettes. The Nanodrop 2000 is priced starting at $9,000, while the 2000c is around $1,500 more.

Process

Bruker Optics introduced the Lancir II, a wireless, battery-operated diode array NIR system for blending, which incorporates a swappable battery pack. The Tandem II is an online tablet analyzer that incorporates FT-NIR and physical testing analyses into a fully automated system that is intended to replace off-line HPLC analyses. The Lancir II is priced at $65,000 and the Tandem II sells for $300,000, including the Dr. Schleuniger Pharmatron 10x Tablet Testing System.

Dionex introduced the Integral on-line ion chromatography (IC)/HPLC analyzer for process applications. The sampling modules and industrial enclosures can be configured for Dionex’s IC or HPLC technologies. The versatile sampling capabilities provide support for system multiplexing and core functions such as dilutions, concentration, matrix elimination and reagent addition.

Surface Science

FEI launched the Quanta 50 electron microscope. Building on the Quanta platform, the new Quanta 50 incorporates the beam deceleration technology that enabled the low-energy imaging in FEI’s “extreme high resolution” Magellan microscope. The Quanta 50 will be available in April at a price of $175,000 for the tungsten electron gun version; a field emission source is also available.