The Kraft process is the dominant pulping process in the pulp and paper industry with the highest chemical recovery efficiency. In order to run each part of the papermaking process optimally, constant quality checks and analyses should be performed. This Process Application Note illustrates the straightforward online analysis of alkali (active, effective, total titratable alkali (TTA)), carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide and the causticizing degree (CE%) in pulping liquors using a 2060 Process Analyzer from Metrohm Process Analytics.

Acid throwing, a historical method for retribution against women, has become a modern threat of a different nature. Concentrated acids and other corrosive substances have emerged as modern tools of social violence. Aggressors use common plastic containers with openings that create a powerful directional spray, such as lemon juice squeeze bottles. Sulfuric and phosphoric acids were chosen for analysis here due to their highly corrosive nature- acid attacks in London most commonly use sulfuric, phosphoric, and nitric acids.2017 saw a remarkable number of acid attacks in the UK, with reported incidences averaging 2x a day. Detection and regulation of acids may contribute to prevention of this social scourge.

Thiram is used extensively as a fungicide and parasiticide to prevent disease in crops and as an animal repellent to protect trees and ornamental plants. However, extensive toxicological studies conclude that chronic, high-level exposure can cause considerable organ damage to land and aquatic species. The US defines maximum residue limits that vary for different food crops. In contrast, the EU recently banned thiram and is moving to use pesticides that carry reduced health risks.Using Misa (Metrohm Instant SERS Analyzer), low level detection of thiram on apples is achieved with guided workflows adapted for use by diverse testers.

The saponification value evaluates edible oil quality by indicating the average molecular weight of fatty acids. Its titrimetric determination in canola and olive oil is described here.

The TacticID®-1064 ST is a 1064 nm handheld Raman system designed for law enforcement officials, first responders, and customs and border protection officers for rapid field identification of illicit substances such as narcotics, explosives, and other suspicious materials.The TacticID-1064 ST is specially designed with see-through Raman functionality to measure materials through both transparent and opaque containers. These through-barrier measurements remove the need for active sampling of potentially dangerous compounds such as fentanyl, leading to safer operations and reduced wait time for clear results.

Determination of the diethylene glycol content, isophthalic acid content, intrinsic viscosity (ASTM D4603), and the acid number (AN) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a lengthy and challenging process due to the sample’s limited solubility and the need to use different analytical methods. This application note demonstrates that the DS2500 Solid Analyzer operating in the visible and near-infrared spectral region (Vis-NIR) provides a cost-efficient and fast solution for a simultaneous determination of these parameters in PET. Vis-NIR spectroscopy allows for the analysis of PET in less than one minute without sample preparation or using any chemical reagents.

Functional group and viscosity analysis (ASTM D789) of polyamides can be a lengthy and challenging process due to the sample’s limited solubility. This application note demonstrates that the DS2500 Solid Analyzer operating in the visible and near-infrared spectral region (Vis-NIR) provides a cost-efficient and fast solution for a simultaneous determination of the intrinsic viscosity as well as the amine, carboxylic, and moisture content in polyamides. With no sample preparation or chemicals needed, Vis-NIR spectroscopy allows for the analysis of polyamides in less than a minute.

This Application Note describes the Raman spectroscopy identification of sugars such as D-galactose, D-glucose, D-maltose, D-mannose, D-sorbitol, fructose, sucrose and inositol. Rapid and non-destructive determination takes place after a suitable spectrum database has been created. Measurements with the portable Raman spectrometer Mira M-1 require no sample preparation and provide immediate and unambiguous results.

This Application Note describes the rapid and non-destructive identification of conventional organic solvents using hand-held Raman spectrometers. Measurements with the handheld Raman spectrometer Mira M-1 require no sample preparation and provide immediate and unambiguous results.

Solids used in road construction were analyzed with a hand-held Raman spectrometer. The materials examined are conventional pigments and resins, e.g., CaCO3, TiO2 and DEGALAN®. The measured spectra differ considerably from one another. In order to assess the main differences between the chemical structures, the peaks of the spectra were assigned to the functional groups that generated them.

Paraquat is a highly effective, yet exceptionally toxic herbicide used to manage weeds in agricultural operations. In recognition of paraquat’s danger, the EU and several other countries have banned its use for any application, though the US EPA permits its limited use by licensed applicators. Despite tight regulation, paraquat continues to be produced and is liberally used as an herbicide in over 100 countries without regulatory oversight.Testing for paraquat typically requires involved sample processing and analysis by trained chemists using expensive laboratory instruments such as HPLC, CE, and LC/MS. Misa achieves trace level detection of paraquat residue in tea leaves in a fully integrated, portable, smart system for easy on-site testing by non-technicians.

Handheld Raman spectrometers are valued for their ability to provide onsite material identification in seconds. In the case of combination pharmaceuticals, a single tablet contains more than one active ingredient in different proportions. MIRA DS is uniquely capable of identifying multiple compounds in such tablets by using Raman to identify the major component and SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) for the minor component. This application describes quick, dual analysis of a prescription medication containing acetaminophen and hydrocodone. The application is easily extrapolated to the study of street drugs.

Precise online monitoring of peracetic acid (PPA) for beverage bottling requires a reliable stainless steel process analyzer.

Handheld Raman spectroscopy enables rapid polymer masterbatch analysis, while Metrohm’s XTR® algorithm mitigates fluorescence interference for accurate additive identification.

Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) is often used in life science applications and its purity must be monitored. This analysis is possible with ion chromatography.

This study shows how a pre-calibrated NIRS instrument is used for multiparameter analysis of several pet food quality indicators like protein, moisture, fat, and ash.

Online mercaptan and H₂S monitoring with the 2060 TI Ex Proof Analyzer certified for Zone-1 and Zone-2 areas.

Fenthion is a multi-purpose insecticide used in many countries for mosquito control. To minimize human exposure and the unintentional poisoning of wildlife, the US EPA has classified fenthion as a restricted-use insecticide. However, the widespread spraying of olive orchards in Mediterranean countries results in olive oils that occasionally exceed the maximum residue limits established for olives.Misa (Metrohm Instant SERS Analyzer) easily achieves sensitive trace detection of fenthion in spiked olive oil after a simple organic solvent extraction. This Application Note presents an excellent example of how the signal from SERS substrates can compete with the target signal at very low levels of detection.

Sodium fluoride gel for pharmaceutical use needs to comply with USP requirements. The actual monograph (USP 42) uses two different methods for the identification and the assay. Ion chromatography allows the analysis of these two parameters in one single determination. In the course of the USP monograph modernization, this ion chromatographic approach makes this type of analysis even easier.

In severe cases of cyanide poisoning, sodium nitrite is used along with sodium thiosulfate for treatment. This Application Note describes the nitrite ion chromatography assay with the Metrosep A Supp 4 column and suppressed conductivity detection. This column equivalency study was in cooperation with the USP according to the USP General Chapter <621>.

Metrohm’s MIRA XTR handheld Raman spectrometer enables fast, reagent-free identification of phosphate species, enabling continuous monitoring of dynamic systems.

Dental care products often contain sodium fluoride as an active ingredient. Manufacturers use the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary (USP-NF) Monograph «Sodium Fluoride» to quantify sodium fluoride and its anionic contaminants chloride and acetate in these products. The validated USP method proposes ion chromatography (IC) with suppressed conductivity detection to carry out the fluoride assay as well as the impurity determination in a single chromatogram.

By using an enzymatic sensor with a screen-printed electrode, producers can measure lactic acid production, thereby monitoring fermentation processes.

In refineries, high octane products are desired since they are used to produce premium gasoline. Catalytic reforming converts heavy naphtha into a high octane liquid product called reformate (a mixture of aromatics and iso-paraffins C7 to C10). The reformate must be constantly monitored to ensure high throughput along the refining process. Traditionally, the octane numbers can be measured by two different methodologies: Inferred Octane Models (IOM) and laboratory octane engine analysis. However, these do not provide «real-time» results and require constant maintenance and human intervention to adapt to current operation conditions. «Real-time» analysis of the octane number in fuels can be performed online via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, which fits well within the international standards (ASTM). Utilization of a Metrohm Process Analytics NIRS XDS Process Analyzer (ATEX version) in conjunction with a sample preconditioning system makes analysis of the octane number simple, fast, and reliable, allowing quick adjustments to the process for a better quality product and higher profitability.

Thermal power plants require enormous amounts of water, using high purity steam at high pressure to rotate turbines. A separate cooling water circuit is implemented, which helps to form a vacuum when the steam condenses after the turbines. Maintaining this vacuum with optimal condensation parameters is critical for the power plant efficiency. The copper condensers are susceptible to corrosion by ammonia, leading to an upper limit of 2 mg/L NH3 set by EPRI in cooling water. Small cracks in the condenser combined with the large pressure differential between the steam circuit and the cooling water circuit will contaminate the high purity water in the boiler, causing major problems and necessitating a shutdown for plant maintenance. Monitoring NH3 online in cooling water with a process analyzer can signal early problems in a plant before significant intermediation is necessary.

Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool for the characterization of carbon nanomaterials due to its selectivity, speed, and ability to measure samples nondestructively. Carbon materials typically have simple Raman spectra, but they contain a wealth of information about internal microcrystalline structures in peak position, shape, and relative intensity.

Corrosion in the water-steam circuit of power plants leads to shorter lifetimes of most metal components and potentially dangerous situations. Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is a specific case, leading to thinned pipes and elevated Fe concentrations in the circuit. Additionally, metal transport issues such as with Cu from copper heat exchangers can lead to deposition on the high pressure turbine blades, decreasing their efficiency. Current methods can monitor but not prevent these issues, and analysis times are extremely long (up to three weeks). In combination with the power plant’s Distributed Control System (DCS), online monitoring of Fe and Cu with the 2060 Process Analyzer from Metrohm Process Analytics ensures that corrosion can be controlled before it affects the power plant efficiency, ultimately decreasing downtime and lowering maintenance costs. Results are offered within 20 minutes, allowing fast adjustments to the water-steam circuit to protect company assets.

Nitrite and nitrate salts are used as preservatives for meat and meat products. Nitrate salts (labeled E 251 or E 252) have a low toxicity but long-term exposure is of concern, as the lower gut reduces them to nitrite, a precursor of nitrosamines (classified as carcinogenic). Nitrite itself is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) lists the MPL (maximum permitted levels) after the manufacturing process for nitrite (labeled E 249 or E 250) as between 50–180 mg/kg, and for nitrate between 150–300 mg/kg, depending on the product. The European Commission (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) limits nitrate and nitrite salts in processed meat to less than 150 mg/kg. Ion chromatography with UV detection offers a robust and universal method for quality control of nitrite and nitrate in different meat matrices. Additional sample preparation techniques like Inline Ultrafiltration help to save time and costs as well as overcome analysis issues with difficult sample matrices.

This Process Application Note presents a way to closely monitor multiple parameters simultaneously during the dioctyl terephthalate production process with near-infrared spectroscopy.

This Process Application Note presents a method to accurately monitor low levels of moisture in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in «real-time» safely, reliably, and optimally with a 2060 The NIR Analyzer from Metrohm Process Analytics. Due to the hazardous and hygroscopic nature of THF, a single explosion-proof inline process analyzer is the preferred solution for industries to reduce chemical treatment, improve product quality, and increase profits.

This Application Note compares SPELEC RAMAN and a standard Raman instrument by analyzing their performance in measuring single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT).

The emergence of counterfeit prescription drugs has become a concern for the pharmaceutical industry. Because of the low concentrations of APIs found in pharmaceutical drugs, normal Raman spectroscopy is typically not sensitive enough to detect the API from the surface of a pill. In this study we develop a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based approach to identify a low-dose of the API alprazolam in a Xanax tablet using a handheld Raman spectrometer. If no SERS peaks consistent with alprazolam are observed from a Xanax tablet, the pill is a suspected fake. The method demonstrates the power of SERS to quickly verify the presence of alprazolam in the tablet for anti-counterfeiting purposes.

This Application Note explains how the 2060 XRF Process Analyzer enables real-time chemical monitoring of copper, tin, and zinc concentrations in white bronze plating baths.

Ion chromatography with PCR and UV/VIS detection provides a highly specific and sensitive method for bromate analysis, meeting EPA Method 317 and ISO 11206 requirements.

The main components of a battery are the positive and negative electrodes, together with the electrolyte, which provides only the ionic conductivity. The most common electrolytes are in the liquid state. Therefore, a separator is needed to provide a physical separation between the electrodes. The separator is soaked with electrolyte. The MacMullin number is a parameter used to determine the quality of a separator, in terms of ionic conductivity, when soaked with an electrolyte. The MacMullin number can be calculated, using the results of data fitting of two EIS experiments and the geometric factors of the measurement cells. In this application note, a commercial electrolyte is employed, together with a porous filter, used as a separator.

Chlorinating drinking water can form carcinogenic byproducts. EPA Method 557 enables µg/L-level quantification of haloacetic acids using Metrohm IC-MS/MS technology.

Electrochemical Raman (EC-Raman) spectroscopy enhances comprehension of energy storage devices by tracking physicochemical changes. This note details EC-Raman findings during nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery charge and discharge simulations.

The new DIN draft standard 38407-53 outlines TFA analysis in water using direct injection LC-MS/MS, enabling quantification from 0.1–3.0 μg/L as shown in this Application Note.