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The Complete Home Water Quality Test Kit
Industrial Test Systems, Inc has unveiled the redesigned Complete Home Water Quality Test Kit, the first water quality test kit that lives up to its name. The Complete Home Water Quality Test Kit (481199) tests 13 common water parameters valued at over $350 (approximate laboratory costs). The Kit uses safe and accurate recognised test methods any homeowner can use to test their water quality. This newly redesigned Water Quality Test Kit includes tests for bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, hydrog...
Direct Elemental Analysis of Environmental Filter Samples
Exeter Analytical, Inc has published an application note describing direct determination of total Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen in environmental air and water filter samples. Described in application note 210 - the optimised methodology, using an Exeter Analytical Model CE440 CHN elemental analyser, requires a minimum of sample preparation and may be used for single samples or automated for higher throughput environments. The Model CE440 is a static combustion system, with a unique horizont...
New Water Level Instrument Offering
In-Situ, Inc announced the new Level TROLL 200 instrument with direct-read cable for monitoring and logging water level/pressure and temperature. The new absolute (non-vented) Level TROLL 200 instrument further expands In-Situ’s water level instrument offering. The Level TROLL 200 features corrosion resistance, flexible communications, low power consumption, and durable direct-read cable. For monitoring water levels and collecting hydrologic event data, the instrument offers linear, fa...
Waterproof Food Hazard Analysis Thermometer
Control Company’s new Traceable® Waterproof Food Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Thermometer’s easy-to-use membrane switches and rugged ABS body make it ideal for food labs, food processing, food preparation and brewing. Waterproof construction allows it to be used in labs, plants, wash-down and all food areas. For versatility, unit combines non-contact noninvasive, no-touch, infrared thermometer and piercing stainless steel probe thermometer. Designed spec...
Dr Yousoo Kim Wins the 2009 Sir Martin Wood Prize
The 2009 "Millennium Science Forum" organised by Oxford Instruments was held at the British Embassy in Tokyo on Wednesday 11th November 2009. The Millennium Science Forum was established in 1998 to promote scientific exchange between the UK and Japan and award prizes to young researcher from a Japanese University or research institute who have performed outstanding research in the area of condensed matter science. The prize is named after Sir Martin Wood, Founder and Honorary Presid...
Growing Algae Pushes the Green Agenda
Arup and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) are moving ahead with their efforts to develop pioneering engineering systems to scale up a novel idea that could revolutionise carbon capture. The organisations have developed a system of using algae, which draws on the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by power stations and factories. It closes the carbon cycle, using wastes to produce environmentally friendly bio-based products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and artificial chemicals in c...
Lab tests show papaya extract prevents cancer growth
Laboratory tests by researchers in the US and Japan have found that papaya prevents the spread of cancer. University of Florida scientist Dr Nam Dang and colleagues in Japan noted that extracts from the fruit slowed growth in a range of lab-grown tumours, including from the pancreas, breast, liver and cervix. According to Dr Dang, one of the most important discoveries was that papaya did not have a toxic impact on healthy cells - a common side effect of many cancer treatments. "Based on...
Supervised From Farm to Fork
According to estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 10% of the population in the industrialised nations become ill each year due to contaminated food. Scrupulous quality controls are not only an increasingly challenging task for health authorities, they also help to prevent scandals in the food industry, and are the best way to regain consumer confidence. Particular emphasis is placed on the identification of pathogens in foods throughout all stages of food processin...
Nutritionals in No Time
ALcontrol Laboratories have introduced a new testing service that allows them to provide extremely rapid nutritional results. ALcontrol can now offer a full nutritional analysis (which consists of Energy kJ, Energy kcal, Protein, Moisture, Fat, Ash, Total Sugar, Dietary Fibre AOAC, Fatty Acid Profile, and Sodium) in just 72 hours from receipt at the chemistry laboratory. Furthermore, all the individual component tests are actually performed and they do not infer any results using values from...
Sartorius Opens New Plant in India
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sartorius inaugurated its new plant at the Sartorius Group’s location in Bangalore, India. Together with some 100 guests from the scientific community and politics, CEO Dr Joachim Kreuzburg, Supervisory Board Chairman Professor Arnold Picot and MD of Sartorius India Amit Chatterjee officially started up operations at the large building complex covering 10,000 square meters. At its new site, Sartorius has combined its five decentralised individual locations...
New Testing Option Extends Scope of Food Safety Screening
Foss has extended the availability of software functionality that helps to spot adulterated raw milk. The software allows MilkoScan™ analysers based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology to be programmed to give a warning of possible abnormalities in raw milk samples. MilkoScan instruments are already used around the world to check raw milk for payment and quality assurance purposes. Raw milk containing abnormalities is a growing problem. The abnormalities can be caused by de...
Cleanroom Truck Oven
No. 970 is a 500ºF (260ºC) electrically-heated, Class 100 cleanroom oven from Grieve, currently used for a variety of heat processings such as sterilising, depyrogenation, curing and drying workloads at the customer’s facility. Workspace of this unit measures 36”W x 42”D x 66”H. 30KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven, while a 2400CFM, 3-HP recirculating blower provides horizontal airflow to the workload. This Grieve cleanroo...
Snake venom to lead to drug discovery?
A new protein has been identified in snake venom that could lead to the discovery of new drugs.Haditoxin was described in the Journal of Biological Chemistry after being discovered at a laboratory in Singapore.And co-author of the paper Dr S Niru Nirthanan explained that the structurally-unique nature of the protein means it could have pharmacological properties.Despite more than 50 years of research into king cobra venom, new compounds are still being found, he said.The substance acts on neu...
Quick and Easy Sterilisation
Harvard Apparatus has introduced a Hot Glass Bead Dry Steriliser for decontaminating microsurgical instruments used in small animal surgery. Fast and easy to use, this compact steriliser eliminates the need for messy chemicals or open flame in the lab. Dry glass beads heated to 500ºF (260°C) will sterilise surgical instruments within 15 minutes. This product is a must for any laboratory doing small animal surgery.
Cost-Effective Quality Tool
A 230-litre-capacity Carbolite oven with fanned convection is being used successfully by Alutrade Ltd as part of its quality control procedures in the recycling of aluminium drinks cans. Alutrade is a recycler of aluminium scrap with a particular expertise in recycling drinks cans, which are usually highly contaminated when received from waste management companies, local authorities and other sources. Customers for the scrap, who manufacture strip from which more drinks cans are produced, re...
Gyros and DI Biotech Sign Distribution Agreement for the Korean Market
Gyros® AB, a leading provider of automated micro-immunoassays for therapeutic protein development, is pleased to announce the signing of a distribution agreement with DI Biotech, a leading supplier to the Korean life-science market. Under the terms of the agreement, DI Biotech will market and provide full support for Gyros’ proprietary technology, Gyrolab®, to the Korean pharmaceutical, biotech, CRO and CMO industries. Gyrolab has rapidly become established as a preferred techno...
CRM Offers Safety Benefits
Starna Scientific is offering pharmaceutical quality assurance laboratories a safe-to-handle toluene/methanol Certified Reference Material (CRM) for validating instrument resolution with derivative spectrophotometry analysis methods. The easy-to-use CRM offers safety benefits for users because Starna is the only CRM supplier that is permanently heat-fuse sealing methanol thereby ensuring that laboratory users no longer need to handle methanol, which is a volatile, flammable, toxic solvent....
Environmental Education Programme in India Expanded
The first ‘NAMUR comes to China’ conference has met with a great deal of interest. The aim of these activities is to set up a process automation network in the Asian region. The keynote event on 19/20 November in Shanghai was sponsored by Endress+Hauser China. More and more member businesses of NAMUR – an international user association of automation technology in process industries – operate successfully in Asia. Other stakeholders to be addressed include users in Chi...
Exposure to sun may reduce risk of kidney cancer
Men who are exposed to sunlight during their working day are less likely to suffer from kidney cancer, research has indicated.Scientists at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland conducted the study, which has been published in the journal of the American Cancer Society.Sara Karami and her team aimed to investigate a potential link between increases in vitamin D deficiency and the disease over recent decades.And while no association between exposure to sunlight and the condition...
3D Analysis and Measurement Software
Hitachi High-Technologies has announced the introduction of a new software option for its ever-popular TM-1000 Tabletop microscope. The new 3DView analysis package provides the capability to produce, manipulate and record 3D visualisations of a specimen and make comprehensive measurements of the 3D surface characteristics without the need for specimen tilt. The range of measurements that can be made using the new software includes height, surface area and roughness measurements (S: Sm: Rlr:...
Hotplate Adapter Provides Precise Control Over Reaction Temperatures
Dolomite has introduced the Mitos Hotplate Adapter, enabling exact temperature control of microfluidic chips in conjunction with a range of hotplates. With the ability to hold a chip in position, the Mitos Hotplate Adapter is compatible with the Mitos Micromixer chip, the Mitos T-junction chip, the Mitos Thin-layer chip and the Mitos Droplet Generator chip for advanced management of fluid heating. With a compact footprint of 39 x 43mm, the Hotplate Adapter provides precise control over react...
The Heat is On
Nickel-Electro is pleased to announce a new range of Clifton Fan Assisted and Natural Circulation Drying Ovens in a comprehensive choice of sizes, each providing a temperature controlled environment in a high grade stainless steel chamber, sealed by a solid door. The NE9-S series Fan Assisted Circulation Ovens are available in five sizes with varying capacities: 56 litre; 112 litre; 240 litre; 400 litre and 750 litre. They all feature precision temperature and time control with programming f...
Metrosep C 4: Improved Cation Separation Thanks to a New Column Material
Metrohm presents the Metrosep C 4, a new cation column with outstanding separation characteristics. The Metrosep C 4 is the result of latest advances in synthesis procedures and production processes and has even better separation characteristics than its predecessors, the Metrosep C 2 and Metrosep Cation 1-2 column types. The Metrosep C 4 column has a clearly improved peak shape which leads to a better separation of the individual peaks. Direct comparison has revealed that using the Metrosep...
Another New Mini Centrifuge
Alongside the personal SCF1 Spinner, Stuart announces the more powerful SCF2 Microcentrifuge. This compact, variable speed unit accommodates a fixed angle rotor holding 12 tubes with a maximum speed of 13,500rpm or a strip tube rotor. Versatility and ease of use are key features of the SCF2 Microcentrifuge. The fixed angle rotor holds up to 12 x 1.5ml or 2.2ml microfuge tubes and, using the supplied adaptors, 0.5ml and 0.2ml tubes can also be centrifuged. The strip tube rotor holds four stri...
Link found between cancer and vitamin D
A link between vitamin D and basal cell carcinoma has been found by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital. According to a study compiled by the institution, higher levels of the nutrient's enzymes and proteins were discovered in people suffering from the common form of skin cancer, when compared with typical skin tissue. Senior staff physician of the organisation's department of dermatology Iltefat Hamzavi said: "This finding may help us in future research to determine whether vitamin D pla...
Mass spectrometry software 'to boost lipidomics studies'
A new mass spectrometry software could help laboratory workers to advance their studies in the field of lipidomics. Entitled LipidView, the program is the first platform designed specifically to incorporate the analytical preciseness of mass spectrometry to characterise lipid molecules. Head of bioanalytics at Zora Biosciences Dr Kim Ekroos stated that the technology enables researchers to test huge amounts of mass spectrometry information automatically.She remarked: "The ability to iden...
Microplate Contamination in Elevated Solvent Boiling
Genevac has announced the availability of the 2009 issue of its informative e-newsletter - Solvent Removal Online. Accessible as a pdf download the main feature of this issue focuses upon how contaminants from within or upon microplates, can enter the sample solution causing an elevation in the expected solvent boiling behaviour. A series of tests are described that will enable laboratories to check if unexpected elevated solvent boiling temperatures are attributable to microplate contaminat...
Versatile Handheld Vacuum Tweezers
Integra Biosciences has announced PIPETBOY vacuum tweezers, a handheld suction device for manipulating small or delicate items that cannot be touched. Designed as a low cost accessory for the popular PIPETBOY pipettor, the new vacuum tweezers allow users to pick up, move, and position small, delicate, and hard to hold objects that weigh up to 50g (1¾ oz). Benefiting from an ergonomic, lightweight and easy to use design, PIPETBOY vacuum tweezers allow safe, fatigue-free operation. Sup...
Free Feed Water Analysis
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc has introduced the free Thermo Scientific H2O SELECT Water Testing Programme, providing total confidence for scientists with their pure water applications. For over 125 years, Thermo Scientific Barnstead pure water systems have been a trusted resource for both science and industry. Thermo Fisher Scientific now offers the most comprehensive line of laboratory water purification systems available from one company, which is enhanced by the no obligation H2O SELECTTM...
Replacement Cartridges for Competitor Water
SG Water can offer a wide range of replacement cartridges to fit most competitor water systems. Their cartridges feature high quality resin and ion exchange capacity; unique diffuser design to maximise resin utilisation, and removal efficiency; vacuum packaging for maximum shelf life; and lower replacement costs. Further on SG Water offers a line of economical modular DI cartridges that operate on tap water pressure to produce high quality water for basic laboratory applications. The IWT®...
Accurate Handheld Micro to Millilitre Liquid Handling
Integra has announced that it is now able to offer a complete range of handheld pipetting systems offering accurate liquid handling from 0.5μl to 100ml. Proven in over one hundred thousand installations worldwide the PIPETBOY pipettor range sets a high benchmark for ease-of-use, reliability, build quality, performance and operational safety. Each PIPETBOY pipettor can be used with plastic or glass pipettes with volumes of 1-100ml. Precise and reliable pipetting is simply achieved by apply...
Next-Generation Temperature Control Systems
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc announced a new thermostat option for its line of Thermo Scientific next-generation temperature control systems. Users can now match a Thermo Scientific Advanced or Standard series thermostat with the appropriate Thermo Scientific heated or refrigerated bath to meet specific application requirements, assuring quality results while saving operating expense. The Advanced series of thermostats provides all the leading features of the currently available Standard se...
Autoclaves and Sterilisers - a Touchy Subject
Astell Scientific now include full colour touch screen controllers as standard on all their autoclaves and sterilisers. The extensive range of autoclaves and sterilisers include: Benchtop models 30 to 60 Lt, Top Loading models – 60 to 130 Lt and Front Loading models – 120 to 330 Lt. Vacuum systems are also available with the Top and Front Loading models. With no additional cost on the price of the standard model, all autoclaves with the SecureTouch+ controllers include the follo...
Powerful yet Quiet Shaking with the DragonMed SK O330-Pro
The DragonMed SK-O330-Pro shaker has a powerful yet quiet shaking mechanism. It provides a smooth orbital shaking with speed range of 0 to 5000rpm. In addition, an optional linear shaking mode SK-L330-Pro is available, ideal for most culturing / aeration applications, with a maximum capacity of 7.5kg. SK-330-Pro has two operating modes: time and continuous operating. Digital display makes it possible to read the speed, timer function and operation mode. The biggest advantage of SK-O330-Pro...
Progress on Mixed Plastics Waste Recycling
CeDo has reported significant progress in its research and development of recycling of mixed plastics film waste. David Brookes, Process Manager spoke at the Recoup -organised domestic mixed plastics recycling meeting in Oxford in May and outlined some of the technical advances to date. CeDo’s film extrusion plant in Telford UK and its CeDo’s recycling plant in Geleen Holland are combining forces to tackle the chemical, mechanical and process issues in trying to recycle this most...
White Paper Illustrates Technique for Multi-Color Bacterial Counting
UVP, LLC offers a white paper defining the technique to count multiple color bacteria (Ref. Focal Points FP-149). The ColonyDoc-It Imaging Station captures brilliant color colony images. The software then differentiates between multiple colors when counting the colonies. The white paper describes the materials and methods used for differentiating between b-glucuronidase positive (blue) bacteria and negative (yellow) bacteria. The results generated shows detailed counts of each color and perce...
Trace Elemental Analysis Reaches New Levels
Millipore Corporation announced the availability of the Q-POD® Element unit. Designed for use with the Milli-Q®Integral and Milli-Q Advantage systems from Millipore, the device ensures delivery of ultrapure water with extremely low levels of elemental contamination (single ppt or sub-ppt level) for laboratories performing trace and ultra-trace elemental analysis. By eliminating problems due to backgrounds with high elemental contamination, water produced by the Q-POD Element device c...
Hand-Held FT-IR Application Capabilities
A2 Technologies has announced that the Exoscan hand-held FTIR is now available with diffuse reflectance sampling interface. This capability greatly extends the range of applications for the Exoscan system. With the diffuse reflectance sampling capability, Exoscan can tackle an increased number of important applications. For example, in geoscience, the Exoscan system is analysing the components of soil, sand and rock to determine specific composition and origin. In art conservation, the non-c...
The All-Purpose Mill for Rapid Comminution
The Fritsch Variable Speed Rotor Mill PULVERISETTE 14 grinds rapid and effectively soft to medium-hard, brittle as well as fibrous samples. Even the comminution of samples, which are difficult to grind or temperature-sensitive samples and plastics, are no problem for the PULVERISETTE 14 due to its very efficient air cooling. In addition to the special air cooling of the PULVERISETTE 14, Fritsch have developed the Fritsch-impact blades. Due to its clever design it allows together with a sieve...
Unrivalled cleanliness - National Scientific Mass Spec Certified Vials
With highly sensitive chromatography applications requiring the complete elimination of any potentially contaminating substances, it is vitally important that you can be sure that all equipment used is clean, with a high level of purity. As an industry first, the National Scientific Mass Spec Vials are pre-cleaned and tested as standard to provide you with an extra level of assurance. Certified vials are manufactured under the strictest automated manufacturing and quality control systems...
New Compact Recirculating Cooler
The new compact recirculating cooler F250 by JULABO is a budget-priced, basic, and user-friendly instrument designed especially for routine application in day-to-day laboratory work. The unit cools with a closed circuit and uses only between one and 2 liters of refrigerant. The working temperatures range from +5°C to +40°C with a temperature stability of ±0.5°C (PID-control). The easily adjustable pump has a pressure capacity of 0.35 bar with a minimum flow rate of 15 l/min...
Personal Solvent Evaporator Offers Optimised Stored Methods
Genevac Ltd has announced the launch of a new third-generation version of its popular EZ-2 personal solvent evaporator. Using advanced evaporation science, it has been designed specifically for productive, sample-safe solvent removal, be that concentration of samples, or complete drying. Capability to input up to 10 stored methods now allows users to benefit from Genevac’s wealth of experience in developing optimised protocols for a wealth of applications including environmental test m...
Bringing TharSFC Instrumentation Together With SFC Columns to Create Integrated System Solution for Laboratory-Scale Purification
Waters Corporation introduces Viridis™ SFC columns, a new family of analytical and preparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) columns. Waters new Viridis SFC columns were developed to give laboratories using SFC a reliable source of high-quality columns for compound purification. Paired with Waters® TharSFC™ instrumentation laboratories now have a single source for both instrumentation and columns for their all-important purification work. Representing the first of...
Nanoparticle Analysis with the Bruker S2 PICOFOX
The analysis of nanoparticles is a challenging task. Often only minute amounts of sample substance are available for characterization. Especially in research it may be the case that the samples must be analyzed non-destructively, as the particles may be required for further analyses or processing steps. The S2 PICOFOX can be used for the analysis of sample amounts in the µg range and still provide reliable results. Also, as the substances for analysis are simply placed on sample carrier...
Ergonomically Correct. Environmentally Safe
Manufactured by NuAire®, LabGard® ES and CellGard™ ES Class II Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC’s) are designed with Energy Saver (ES) Technology for low operational costs. NuAire’s DC/ECM motor technology decreases energy consumption, extends filter life, and lowers noise and vibration. Combined with a correctly sized forward curved fan for each model/size, large HEPA filters with more filter media, and the HEPEX™ Zero Leak Airflow system for true laminar airfl...
Brady labelling solution is a clear advantage for a Cardiff University histology unit
The new Label Attachment System from Brady is enabling a Histology Unit to put an end to hand-writing sample identification on tissue cassettes, and winning praise for the clear printed labels from researchers in Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences. The Histology Unit offers standard paraffin wax histological services, including haematoxylin and eosin staining. Around 300–400 experimental samples are processed each month, mainly from cancer research projects undertaken...
Pfizer double-checks CO2 incubators with Geotech portable gas analyser
Pfizer quality checks 25 medical incubators with a Geotech G100 CO2 incubator gas analyser to confirm CO2 environments are as required – taking just two minutes for each. The medical incubators, kept at 37 degrees Celsius and five percent carbon dioxide (CO2), are manufacturer-fitted to regulate themselves and display their environments. “Now we can double check and every month we do a QC check to be sure the CO2 is at five percent,” said Tim Stroud, associate scientist in t...
Find out how Imperium Renewables Ensures Biodiesel Quality
As a pioneer of renewable energy sources, Imperium Renewables produces over two million gallons of biodiesel per week, which it sells to fuel trading companies in the US & Europe. Numerous quality tests are performed to ensure its biodiesel meets the strict governing standards. The challenge of Ensuring Biodiesel Quality Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly, clean burning, renewable energy source made from vegetable oils, waste oils or fats derived from farm crops. In order for bi...
Determination of Pb and As without sample preparation
Quality control of color pigments in the cosmetics industry includes e.g. the determination of Pb and As. Crucial factors of choosing the appropriate analytical operation method often are: saving time and money. Accordingly, a new technique to analyze such powdery samples directly without sample preparation is pushed into the market by Analytik Jena – solid AA®, Direct Solid Sampling GF-AAS. Metallic pigments impart brilliance, color and coverage to other cosmetic colorants. Fro...
Outstanding sample protection – Thermo Scientific Cold Storage
Successfully cooling and storing cells as frozen samples, while effectively maintaining viability, is a pivotal step for any laboratory looking to provide a continuous source of tissue and genetically-stable living cells. With uses including the long-term storage of valuable preparations, tissue samples and reagents, your laboratory requires a complete range of reliable products that have been designed and manufactured specifically to maintain sample integrity, and therefore function, during...