Application Finder

Raman instrumentation can use lasers of different laser excitation, giving the same Raman spectrum for a sample. This paper presents the specific strengths and weaknesses that different excitation wavelengths provide, allowing a user to optimize the measurement of different samples by their choice of Raman excitation laser wavelength.

In this article portable Raman spectroscopy as an effective tool for at-line characterization of carbon black is presented. Raman spectroscopic analysis can be an effective test to characterize carbon black material, including the structural order.

Raman spectroscopy is used for material characterization by analyzing molecular or crystal symmetrical vibrations and rotations that are excited by a laser, and exhibit vibrations specific to the molecular bonds and crystal arrangements in the molecules. Raman technology is a valuable tool in distinguishing different polymorphs. Examples of portable Raman spectroscopy for identification of polymorphs and in monitoring the polymorphic transiton of citric acid and its hydrated form are presented.

Portable Raman spectroscopy is an invaluable tool in the study of archaeological sites, allowing for in situ analysis which minimizes the impact of such studies on important cultural sites. The flexibility of the use of a fiber optic probe and tripod-mounted video microscope with a light weight instrument reduces the need for sampling, and increases the ability to make representative measurements over what can be very large sample areas. The information content of Raman spectroscopy aids in the understanding of the materials used in the construction and restoration of important archaeological sites, and in understanding the degradation that is occurring which should aid in preservation and restoration work.

For SERS developers and end users of SERS for specific applications to investigate low concetation levels of compounds, the centerpiece of their technological platform must be a Raman setup that provides reliable lab grade performance and is affordable and portable, allowing them to tackle real world problems. The portable i-Raman Plus system coupled with a BAC151 video microscope sampling accessory provides an ideal setup. With the performance and flexibility of use with different laser spot size and power for SERS research.

The NanoRam is able to test material through multiple layers of transparent plastic bags. Postive identification of material on PE bags from 1 to 9 layers were obtained, demonstrating minimum interference from the PE bags on the material identification result.

Raman spectroscopy is used widely by law enforcement as a field screening tool due to its speed, selectivity and ease of use. The majority of materials can be identified by the Raman signature, as they exhibit sharp distinctive peaks serving as a molecular fingerprint. However, many street and real-world samples are dark in color and not pure. The dark color, often due to impurities, gives rise to fluorescence that interferes with the Raman measurement. One method to suppress the fluorescence of a sample and enhance the Raman activity / signal is by the use of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).

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.

Portable Raman is used to quantify trigonelline, an alkaloid that contributes to the health benefits of some foods. A simple method to quantify the presence of diluted trigonelline in solutions using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is described. Portable Raman is a tool that could be used in quality control of food items such as coffee and quinoa.

This article demonstrates the utility of portable Raman spectroscopy as a versatile tool for process analytical technology (PAT) for raw material identification, in-situ monitoring of reactions in developing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and for real-time process monitoring. Raw material identification is done for verification of starting materials as required by PIC/S and cGMP, and can be readily done with handheld Raman. Portable Raman systems allow users to make measurements to bring process understanding and also provide proof of concept for the Raman measurements to be implemented in pilot plants or large-scale production sites. For known reactions which are repetitively performed or for continuous online process monitoring of reactions, Raman provides a convenient solution for process understanding and the basis for process control.

Urea in widely employed as a nitrogen-release fertilizer with more than 90 % of urea production destined for agricultural applications. Urea is also known to form complexes with fatty acids, which have been employed for separation of complex mixtures and purification processes. In this application note, we present the quantification of the concentration of urea in ethanol by Raman Spectroscopy and show how this method can be employed for determining the percentage of urea in a solid inclusion compound with stearic acid.

A new Raman system design is presented that expands the applicability of Raman to See Through diffusely scattering media such as opaque packaging materials, as well as to measure the Raman spectrum and identify thermolabile, photolabile, or heterogeneous samples.

The suitability and potential of Raman spectroscopy in forensics is widely known by forensic specialists who use it in the laboratory to identify a wide variety of compounds including explosives, drugs, paints, textile fibers and inks. However, the use of laboratory-grade Raman outside the laboratory, such as for in‐situ analysis at a crime scene, was something thought possible only in forensic‐fiction until just a few years ago. Fortunately, modern portable Raman spectrometers are commercially available, and their instrumental features are comparable to Raman lab‐ spectrometers.To prove this, some extraordinarily demanding and challenging applications, in which an in‐situ standoff identification of samples might be advisable, were tested.

Law enforcement personnel, laboratory technicians, crime scene investigators and many others face a significant challenge for identification of materials in a forensic investigation.Traditionally, technicians used multiple forms of identification in order to collect results from various forms of forensic samples. Although certain technologies are ideal for precise laboratory identification, many technologies, such as Raman spectroscopy, can be successfully used for identification of multiple forensic sample types either directly in the field or in the lab. Raman spectroscopy is classified as a Category A analytical method by the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG; Version 7.1, 2016).

At a crime scene, a police officer collects a fiber sample that may prove to be invaluable evidence in identifying a criminal or exonerating an innocent person. In recent years, Raman spectroscopy has been studied extensively for forensic fiber analysis because of the high selectivity of Raman signatures, non-destruction nature of the test, and the ability to conduct the analysis without any sample preparation. The Raman spectrum can be measured directly on fabrics or fibers mounted on glass slide with very little interference from the mounting resin or the glass.

Edible oils are not only a major source of nutrition but also a key basic material in the food industry. Vegetable oils are increasingly important because of their high content in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in comparison with animal fats. In this application note, the main ingredients of olive oil, camellia oil, arachis oil, sunflower seed oil, and colza oil are analyzed using a portable Raman spectrometer combined with chemometrics software.

Today’s Raman instrumentation is faster, more rugged, and less expensive than previous instrumentation.The design of high performance, portable and handheld devices has introduced the technology to new application areas that were previously not possible with older, more cumbersome instruments. Handheld Raman instruments such as the NanoRam® from B&W Tek are well-suited for pharmaceutical applications such as the testing of raw materials, verification of final products and the identification of counterfeit drugs due to the technique’s extremely high molecular selectivity.

Metrohm’s ST Raman technology enables fast, contactless identification of substances through opaque packaging, expanding safe, field-ready use of Raman spectroscopy.

Analytical methods to perform CU testing should ideally be fast, noninvasive and achieved with limited sample preparation. Recently, transmission near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and transmission Raman spectroscopy have both been explored as alternative methods for rapid and non-destructive on- and at-line CU testing with no sample preparation. Although quick and nondestructive, transmission NIR spectroscopy suffers from poor chemical selectivity and is sensitive to changes in the testing environment. Transmission Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometric modeling is quickly emerging as a valued technique for CU testing due to its high chemical specificity, which is particularly useful when dealing with complex pharmaceutical formulations that contain multiple components.

B&W Tek’s TacticID®-1064 is a field-ready handheld Raman system utilizing 1064-nm wavelength laser excitation. Designed for forensic analysis by safety personnel, first responders, and law enforcement personnel, the TacticID-1064 significantly reduces fluorescence, allowing users to identify tough street samples such as ecstasy tablets in a variety of colors and mixture forms.

The two most common mathematical representations used with handheld Raman spectroscopy as decision-making tools for spectroscopic data: Hit Quality Index (HQI) and significance level (p-value) are presented.

Correct identification of mineral phases in rock thin sections is essential to petrographic and petrologic analysis of rocks. Portable Raman coupled to an optical microscope gives chemical information along with the optical images to give a higher certainty of identification than traditionally used optical micropcopy alone.

The benefits of a TE-cooled spectrometer in Raman systems are discussed to deliver lower system noise over longer integration times, resulting in lower limits of detection.

Forensics testing of samples encountered by law enforcement and customs agents is based on analytical techniques that are now being miniaturized and simplified and are making their way into field instrumentation. Field testing with Raman spectroscopy allows users to conduct reliable measurements at the point of arrest, reducing the burden on crime labs and accelerating the prosecution process.

Handheld Raman solutions have improved the ability to do complete incoming raw material testing quickly without the need for sample preparation. The NanoRam handheld Raman contributes to increased quality testing with a cost-effective technology used at point of receipt, thus minimizing steps to material acceptance, giving a high return on investment (ROI).

The combination of Raman spectroscopy and vapor sorption techniques provides a comprehensive understanding of vapor-solid interactions of pharmaceutical materials as it relates to the structural properties.This paper investigates the in-situ monitoring of a moisture-induced polymorphic transformation (D-mannitol from delta to beta form) using a combined Raman-vapor sorption technique.

This technical note is to demonstrate the NanoRam material identification through dark brown plastic bags. NanoRam is shown to work for material identification inside dark brown polyvinyl bag.

Ternary mixtures of aqueous sugar solutions are measured and multivariate models of the concentration of analytes developed using BWIQ software.

Handheld Raman is used for raw material testing of different sample types and forms. The use of optimized sampling accessories enhances the utility of handheld Raman without compromising data quality or complicating testing.

Fiber-optic cables are marvels of innovation for modern spectroscopic instrumentation. The advantages offered by fiber optical cable-based sampling include great flexibility for enabling measurements at various sample sites, ease of use, and flexibility for easy transportation. With this freedom however comes increased responsibility for care and maintenance of the associated fiber accessories to ensure the measurement quality and fiber durability.

Conventional Raman typically has a very small sampling area with a high power density (PD) at the laser focal point on the sample, which means that only a limited portion of a sample is measured, and the result tends to be irreproducible for heterogeneous sample. The high power density may also cause samples to heat up or burn. The large spot adaptor (LSA) for B&W Tek’s handheld Raman products, featuring a much larger sampling area of 4.5 mm in diameter, is designed to overcome these issues.

The RVM method requires only a few spectra to make a model and can be quickly developed on the NanoRam-1064. Multivariate analysis of the Raman spectra on handheld Raman instruments provides more robust methodologies for identifying samples.

In this note, we use a model drug, acetaminophen, to demonstrate the capability of QTRam® to quantify low concentrations of API in compressed tablets.QTRam® is a compact transmission Raman analyzer designed specifically for content uniformity analysis of pharmaceuticals in solid dosage forms.

Cellulose is a common naturally-derived raw excipient found in the majority of pharmaceutical products. Raw material testing is required to ensure that consumers are receiving quality cellulose and its derivatives. The NanoRam®-1064 is an asset for pharmaceutical identity testing, minimizing fluorescence generated by typical handheld Raman systems with 785 nm lasers. As such, the NanoRam®-1064 is used here to identify cellulose derivatives that would normally fluoresce with a 785 nm laser.

The TacticID®-GP Plus has multiple measurement modes to support safety and security users. A-Mode allows the user to create library Raman or SERS spectra customizable for spectral search range and hit quality index (HQI) threshold. A-mode is of beneficial use to forensics laboratories that would like to utilize expansion of SERS detection of designer drugs specific to their geographical regions or for food safety in perspective markets. In this example, A-Mode is used to create a SERS library of melamine to easily detect the presence of melamine in infant formula using a single indicator peak.

Botanicals are derived from plant materials and used for their medicinal and therapeutic properties in the nutraceuticals market. They are not as heavily regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like the pharmaceuticals drug market, but they are required to follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP Requirements).The NanoRam®-1064 is an asset for pharmaceutical identity testing, minimizing fluorescence generated by typical handheld Raman systems with 785 nm lasers. As such, the NanoRam®-1064 is used here to identify botanicals that would normally fluoresce with a 785 nm laser.

Stamps are cultural heritage objects that provide an invaluable amount of historical information. There is an increase of counterfeit historical inks and it is imperative that fraudulent stamps can be identified and removed from the market. The portable Raman i-Raman EX® with a 1064 nm laser is used because it minimizes the fluorescence of the ink. The i-Raman EX® also has the functionality of low laser power reduction down to 1% to prevent sample burning and the Raman video microscope system analyzes the smallest of details, which is imperative for cultural heritage analysis of an 1885 historical envelope.

Research laboratories must expand their capabilities to routinely analyze candidate microplastics from environmental samples to determine their origin and help predict biological impacts. Spectroscopic techniques are well suited to polymer identification. Laboratory Raman spectroscopy is an alternative to confocal Raman microscopes and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopes for quick identification of polymer materials. Raman microscopy was used to identify very small microplastic particles in this Application Note.

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.

Quantitation of the functionalization of a water-soluble polymer was achieved using a portable Raman spectrometer. The Raman spectrum provides strong, unique bands for both the initial and fully reacted polymer. This enables development of a simple, robust quantitative analysis of the percent polymer functionalization. This method is now routinely used in a manufacturing plant's quality control laboratory.

Although the process of building, validating and using a method is well-defined through software, the robustness of the method is dependent on proper practice of sampling, validation, and method maintenance. In this document, we will detail the recommended practices for using the multivariate method with NanoRam-1064. These practices are recommended for end users who are in the pharmaceutical environment, and can expand to other industries as well. This document aims to serve as a general reference for NanoRam-1064 users who would like to build an SOP for method development, validation and implementation.

An important aspect of collecting Raman data to make it comparable across instruments is correcting for the spectrometer’s relative intensity, since the relative response for each Raman spectrometer is unique. Standard reference materials (SRMs) are optical glasses that emit a broadband luminescence spectrum when illuminated with a Raman laser at a specific wavelength. This spectrum is applied as the spectral-intensity response correction for a specific instrument, to remove instrumental artefacts. The standard software for i-Raman series portable instruments, BWSpec, has functions for applying this instrument-specific correction. This technical note explains the relative intensity correction, and how to apply it using BWSpec software.

In this case study, a suspected counterfeit Adderall pill was measured directly with a TacticID Mobile using a point-and-shoot adapter. The spectra of the suspected couterfeit pill was found to contain cellulose and caffeine, but not the active ingredient. The TacticiD Mobile with 1064-nm laser excitation provides fluorescence suppression, giving those on the front lines a tool in the fight against dangerous counterfeit drugs.

Raman spectroscopy’s use for process analytics in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries continues to grow due to its nondestructive measurements, fast analysis times, and ability to do both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Spectral preprocessing algorithms are routinely applied to quantitative spectroscopic data in order to enhance spectral features while minimizing variability unrelated to the analyte in question. In this technical note we discuss the main preprocessing options pertinent to Raman spectroscopy with real applications examples, and to review the algorithms available in B&W Tek and Metrohm software so that the reader becomes comfortable applying them to build Raman quantitative models.

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.

100% starting materials identification testing is one of the FDA’s directives as per 211.84 for FDA regulated industries such as Pharmaceutical, Vaccines, Cosmetics, Tobacco, Animal veterinary products, Food, etc. STRam®-1064 is a Raman analyzer uniquely suited for this purpose. It measures samples through thick packaging materials such as plastics, multilayer kraft paper sacks, and HDPE containers. A long wavelength laser is used to suppress fluorescence. The ID algorithm isolates the sample signature by subtracting that of the packaging material and compares that with library spectra to achieve identification.

The coupling of highly efficient ion chromatography (IC) to multi-dimensional detectors such as a mass spectrometer (MS) or an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP/MS) significantly increases sensitivity while simultaneously reducing possible matrix interference to the absolute minimum. By means of IC/MS several oxyhalides such as bromate and perchlorate can be detected in the sub-ppb range. Additionally, organic acids can be precisely quantified through mass-based determination even in the presence of high salt matrices. By means of IC-ICP/MS different valence states of the potentially hazardous chromium, arsenic and selenium in the form of inorganic and organic species can be sensitively and unambiguously identified in one single run.

In this poster a convenient direct injection suppressed ion chromatographic method for determining chloride and sulfate in denatured ethanol samples according to ASTM D7319 is presented.

The simultaneous ion chromatographic determination of trace-levels of lanthanides (or lanthanoides) was achieved by using either direct non-suppressed conductivity detection or UV/VIS detection after post-column reaction (PCR) with arsenazo III at 655 nm. Conductivity detection under isocratic conditions resulted in an overall analysis time of approx. 70 minutes. In contrast, the determination of the lanthanides via gradient elution and subsequent spectrophotometric detection of the arsenazo III-lanthanide(III) complexes was performed within 22 minutes. Besides the outstanding analysis time, UV/VIS detection excelled by its enhanced selectivity and sensitivity and did not suffer from interferences by ubiquitous non-lanthanide impurities such as iron(III) or other transition metals. For both conductivity and spectrophotometric detection, the inclusion of sample preconcentration steps lowered the limit of detection (LOD) to the sub-ppb range.

By means of azide analysis in Irbesartan a simple, fast, precise and accurate ion chromatographic method for the determination of traces of inorganic contaminants in pharmaceuticals is described. Traces of toxic azides in pharmaceutical products can accurately be determined in the sub-ppb range after Metrohm Inline Matrix Elimination using isocratic ion chromatography (IC) with suppressed conductivity detection. While the azide anions are retained on the preconcentration column, the interfering pharmaceutical matrix is washed away by a transfer solution, ideally consisting of 70% methanol and 30% ultrapure water. The analytical setup provides a well-resolved azide peak and thus alleviates the common drawback of excipient interferences, especially from the nitrate anion. Calibration with azide standards is linear over the range of 5…80 ppb, providing a coefficient of determination of 0.9995. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of azide in Irbesartan are 5 and 30 µg/L respectively; the relative standard deviations (RSD) for the peak area, peak height and retention time being smaller than 3.9%. Robustness testing involved variation of column oven temperature and composition of the transfer solution and, in terms of peak area, provided RSDs smaller than 2.8% and 3.1% respectively.

Quality and process control of biofuels require straightforward, fast and accurate analysis methods. Ion chromatography (IC) is at the leading edge of this effort. Traces of anions in a gasoline/ethanol blend can accurately be determined in the sub-ppb range after Metrohm Inline Matrix Elimination using anion chromatography with conductivity detection after sequential suppression. While the analyte anions are retained on the preconcentration column, the interfering organic gasoline/bioethanol matrix is washed away.Detrimental alkali metals and water-extractable alkaline earth metals in biodiesel are determined in the sub-ppm range using cation chromatography with direct conductivity detection applying automated extraction with nitric acid and subsequent Metrohm Inline Dialysis. Unlike high-molecular substances, ions in the high-ionic strength matrix diffuse through a membrane into the low-ionic water acceptor solution. In biogas reactor samples, low-molecular-weight organic acids stem from the biodegradation of organic matter. Their profile allows important conclusions concerning conversion in the anaerobic digestion reaction. Volatile fatty acids and lactate can be accurately determined by using ion-exclusion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection after inline dialysis or filtration.

The combination of 850 Professional IC, 858 Professional Sample Processor, Dosino and MagIC NetTM software offers a variety of sophisticated ion chromatographic sample preparation techniques. One of these is the automated inline dilution of samples.After the first sample injection, MagIC NetTM verifies if the area of the sample peak lies within the calibration range. If the measured peak area is outside these limits, the software calculates the appropriate dilution factor, dilutes and automatically re-injects the sample. For all investigated ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, F-, Cl- , NO2-, Br-, NO3-, SO42- ), automated logical dilution yielded coefficients of determination (R2) better than 0.9999. Direct-injection recoveries for cations and anions were within 98.6…99.5% and 93.4…100.4% respectively. In contrast, after logical dilution, recoveries for cations and anions were within 100.1…102.9% and 98.2…102.6% respectively. The relative standard deviations for all determinations involving diluted sample solutions were smaller than 0.91%.

The analytical challenge treated by the present work consists in detecting sub-ppm quantities of bromide, sulfate, aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and several alkaline earth metals in the presence of very high concentrations of sodium and chloride. Bromide, sulfate, acetate and butyrate can be reliably determined by suppressed conductivity detection. Due to matrix effects, propionate can only be detected qualitatively. This drawback can be overcome by coupling the ion chromatograph (IC) to a mass spectrometric (MS) detector. This results in reduced matrix interferences and significantly enhanced sensitivities. The cations magnesium, barium and strontium are determined by non-suppressed conductivity detection.

The study of adverse effects of air pollution requires semi-continuous, rapid and accurate measurements of inorganic species in aerosols and their gas phase components in ambient air. The most promising instruments, often referred to as steam collecting devices, are the Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler (PILS) coupled to wet-chemical analyzers such as a cation and/or anion chromatograph (IC) and the Monitoring instrument for AeRosols and GAses (MARGA) with two integrated ICs. Both instruments comprise gas denuders, a condensation particle growth sampler as well as pump and control devices. While PILS uses two consecutive fixed denuders and a downstream growth chamber, the MARGA system is composed of a Wet Rotating Denuder (WRD) and a Steam-Jet Aerosol Collector (SJAC). Although the aerosol samplers of PILS and MARGA use different assemblies, both apply the technique of growing aerosol particles into droplets in a supersaturated water vapor environment. Previously mixed with carrier water, the collected droplets are continuously fed into sample loops or preconcentration columns for on-line IC analysis. While PILS has been designed to sample aerosols only, MARGA additionally determines water-soluble gases. Compared to the classical denuders, which remove gases from the air sample upstream of the growth chamber, MARGA collects the gaseous species in a WRD for on-line analysis. In contrast to the gases, aerosols have low diffusion speeds and thus neither dissolve in the PILS denuders nor in the WRD. Proper selection of the ion chromatographic conditions of PILS-IC allows a precise determination, within 4 to 5 minutes, of seven major inorganic species (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, NO3- and SO4 2-) in fine aerosol particles. With longer analysis times (10-15 minutes) even airborne low-molecular-weight organic acids, such as acetate, formate and oxalate can be analyzed. MARGA additionally facilitates the simultaneous determination of HCl, HNO3, HNO2, SO2 and NH3.PILS and MARGA provide semi-continuous, long-term stand-alone measurements (1 week) and can measure particulate pollutants in the ng/m3 range.

This work was carried out with a Metrosep C 2 - 150 separation column, the following eluent parameters being investigated: nitric, tartaric, citric and oxalic acid concentration and concentration of the complexing anion of dipicolinic acid (DPA). The aim was to determine the effect of these parameters plus that of the column temperature on the retention times of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, ammonium and amines using ion exchange chromatography with non-suppressed conductivity detection. Due to similar affinities for the ion exchange column, transition metals are difficult to separate with the classical nitric, tartaric, citric and oxalic acid eluents. Partial complexation with the dipicolinate ligand significantly shortens the retention times and improves the separation efficiency. However, too strong complexation results in a rapid passage through the column and thus in a complete loss of separation. Apart from a change in the elution order of magnesium and calcium at high DPA concentrations, other non-amine cations are only slightly affected by the eluent composition. Irrespective of the tartaric acid and nitric acid concentration in the eluent, an increase in column temperature shortens the retention times and slightly improves the peak symmetries of organic amine cations, particularly in the case of the trimethylamine cation. In contrast, an increase in column temperature in the presence of DPA concentrations exceeding 0.02 mmol/L increases the retention time of the transition metals. Depending on the separation problem, variation of the pH value, the use of a complexing agent and/or an increase in column temperature are powerful tools for broadening the scope of cation chromatography.

The analytical challenge treated in the present work consists in detecting trace concentrations (ppb) of bromide in the presence of a strong chloride matrix. This problem was overcome by separating the bromide ions from the main fraction of the early eluting chloride matrix (several g/L) by applying two sequential chromatographic separations on the same column. After the first separation, the main fraction of the interfering chloride matrix is flushed to waste, while the later eluting anions are diverted to an anion-retaining preconcentration column. After elution in counter flow, the bromide ions are efficiently separated from the marginal chloride residues. The four-point calibration curves for bromide and sulfate are linear in the range of 10…100 µg/L and 200…800 µg/L and yield correlation coefficients of 0.99988 and 0.99953 respectively. For the method shown here, a second injection valve and a preconcentration column are the only additional devices needed to master this demanding separation problem.

Metal precipitation and cyanide recovery in the SART process (sulfidization, acidification, recycling, thickening) depend to a great extent on the sulfide concentration. Among the flow injection analysis methods coupled to wet-chemical analyzers, the combination of a gas diffusion cell with an ion chromatograph (IC) plus subsequent direct spectrophotometric detection has proven to be one of the most convenient methods of sulfide analysis.This paper deals with the determination of sulfide anions via the coupling of a gas diffusion cell to an IC with subsequent spectrophotometric detection.

Several testing methods such as the determination of the acid and the iodine numbers in biodiesel as well as the quantification of sulfate and chloride in bioethanol are described.

A complete tap water analysis includes the determination of the pH value, the alkalinity and the total water hardness. Both the pH measurement and the pH titration by means of a standard pH electrode suffer from several drawbacks. First, the response time of several minutes is too long and, above all, the stirring rate significantly influences the measured pH value. Unlike these standard pH electrodes, the Aquatrode Plus with its special glass membrane guarantees rapid, correct and very precise pH measurements and pH titrations in solutions that have a low ionic strength or are weakly buffered. Total water hardness is ideally determined by a calcium ion-selective electrode (Ca ISE). In a complexometric titration, calcium and magnesium can be simultaneously determined up to a calcium/magnesium ratio of 10:1. Detection limits for both ions are in the range of 0.01 mmol/L.

Commercially available fuels are complex mixtures of hundreds of different hydrocarbons. For the calibration of the test engines or advanced experimental and computational research they are modeled by means of multicomponent surrogate mixtures that adequately represent the desired physical and chemical characteristics. By definition, every octane and cetane number corresponds to a specific mixing ratio of primary reference fuels (PRFs). Based on this information, the tiamoTM controlled automatic dosing device prepares the surrogate mixtures. The setup drastically minimizes time-consuming and error-prone manual preparation steps and the contact with hazardous solvents. Additionally, precise and accurate results are displayed on customizable reports that fully comply with all current GLP and GMP requirements.

Compared to the classical Epton titration, potentiometrically indicated two-phase titrations using organic-solvent-resistant Surfactrodes can be easily automated and require no toxic and environmentally hazardous chloroform. Even challenging matrices such as fats and oils in bath oils and hair conditioners or strong oxidizing agents in washing powder and industrial cleaners do not interfere with the titration of the ionic surfactants. Results obtained show excellent agreement to those of the Epton titration. Irrespective of the matrix, relative standard deviations of threefold determinations are all below 2.1%. While the Surfactrode Resistant is mainly used for oil-containing formulations, the Surfactrode Refill is ideal for washing powders and soaps. Both electrodes excel by their ruggedness and allow the rapid and precise determination of anionic and cationic surfactants.

Benzbromaron is one of the main uricosuric drugs currently used. In addition to sophisticated and expensive LC-MS and GC-MS methods, benzbromaron can be effectively determined by titration with sodium hydroxide solution using a straightforward, fully automated sample preparation method. A high-frequency homogenizer comminutes one or three tablets within 90 or 120 s respectively. The overall analysis time is 8 minutes. Ten-fold determinations with one and three tablets resulted in a benzbromaron content of 99.2 and 98.7 mg per tablet respectively. Increasing the number of tablets from one to three lowers the RSD from 1.36 to 0.88%. These results show an excellent agreement with the benzbromaron content indicated by the manufacturer (approx. 100 mg/tablet).Besides the presented Titrando/homogenizer combination, the other two members of the 815 Robotic Soliprep Sample Processor family offer comprehensive sample preparation possibilities within the fields of IC, HPLC, ICP or voltammetry.

The water content of tablets determines the release of their active ingredients as well as their chemical, physical, microbial and shelf-life properties. Accordingly, the water content is of crucial importance and has to be accurately determined. This paper describes the straightforward determination of the water content using automated volumetric Karl Fischer titration (KFT). Tedious sample preparation steps are eliminated by using a high-frequency homogenizer that additionally serves as a stirrer. Prior to titration, the homogenizer comminutes the tablets directly in the KF solution. As the comminution process takes place directly in the hermetically sealed titration vessels, interference from atmospheric humidity does not occur. Even after 24 h in the vessels, the moisture content of four different tablet type samples was within 93…108% of the initially determined values. With a coefficient of determination of 0.99993 the KF method is highly linear for water amounts between 4 and 215 mg. For all investigated tablet types, KFT provides results that lie within the range expected by the manufacturer.

A convenient adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric (AdCSV) method has been developed for trace determination of uranium(VI) in drinking water samples using chloranilic acid (CAA). The presence of various matrix components (KNO3, Cl-, Cu2+, organics) can impair the determination of the uranium-CAA complex. The interferences can be mitigated, however, by appropriate selection of the voltammetric parameters. While problematic water samples still allow uranium determination in the lower µg/L range, in slightly polluted tap water samples uranium can be determined down to the ng/L range, comparable to the determination by current ICP-MS methods.

The presence of copper in fuel ethanol blends has gained considerable attention, since Cu2+ catalyzes oxidative reactions in gasoline leading to a deterioration of olefins and the formation of gum. Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV), one of the most sensitive and accurate techniques for trace-metal analysis, has been demonstrated for the determination of Cu(II) in ethanol/gasoline blends without any sample pretreatment. Copper ions are first electrodeposited onto the surface of a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) before the amalgamated copper is quantitatively stripped (anodically dissolved), a current-voltage curve being recorded.Experimental conditions such as deposition time and potential as well as the suitable electrolyte and reference electrode were determined in preliminary experiments. For synthetic samples spiked with Cu2+ (5…100 µg/L), recovery rates between 96 and 112% were obtained. The copper-spiked E85 sample provided a recovery of 100%. The relative standard deviations for Cu2+ concentrations of 5 µg/L and above were 8.0 and 5.5% respectively. Using a preconcentration time of 60 s at -0.7 V versus Ag/AgCl, a linear range of 0…500 µg/L with a detection limit of 2 µg/L was obtained.

For a variety of reasons, the water content of chocolate is of crucial importance and has to be accurately determined. This poster compares an automated version of the Karl Fischer titration (KFT) using the sequential addition of various solvents with the widespread manual titration at elevated temperatures using a chloroform/methanol mixture. The water contents determined by the two procedures show excellent agreement. However, manual titration requires laborintensive sample preparation, the side reactions are difficult to quantify and hazardous halogenated solvents have to be used. In contrast, automated KFT is straightforward, uses non-hazardous solvents, allows to quantify the side reactions and is easily applicable to water determinations in sugar- and fat-containing matrices.

In modern days, a new breed of energetic (explosive) materials is emerging. Traditional aromatic nitrates are still in use, but there is dire need of analytical techniques for energetic materials in the chemical class of peroxides, azo etc. This presentation will demonstrate the use of a modern HPLC system with traditional detector (DAD) and also coupled with mass spectrometry for the analysis of abovementioned various classes of energetic materials.

This poster presents a highly reproducible procedure for the determination of the sodium contribution of acid-extractable organic species in Bayer process liquor. The precision of the method is estimated to be 0.2% RSD.

Metrohm's iColumns are the first IC columns that are equipped with a data chip that stores freely definable data, fixed column data as well as data entered by the MagIC NetTM software. Any relevant information such as column type, standard parameters, maximum pressure, etc. can be called up at any time. Analysis data continuously entered by the MagIC NetTM software guarantees a complete column and GLP-compliant surveillance irrespective of the IC system in which the column is operated. The MagIC NetTM software surveys the critical column data and indicates any infringement of limits.

By using the 800 Dosino and the 849 Level Control as the only additional devices, Metrohm`s intelligent ion chromatography (IC) systems - the 850 Professional IC and the Compact IC family - can be easily extended to perform any unattended inline eluent preparation. Fully controlled by MagIC NetTM, the 849 Level Control monitors the eluent level while the Dosino performs all dosing and liquid handling tasks. Consecutive injections of a 250-µg/L standard over approximately 20 days revealed an excellent retention-time stability. After more than 800 consecutive injections, relative standard deviations for anions (F-, Cl-, NO2-, Br-, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-) and cations (Li+ , Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) were smaller than 0.55 and 0.41%, respectively. In the case of a 24-hour sequence, retention-time precision for anions and cations was better than 0.09 and 0.08%, respectively. The presented inline eluent preparation system increases the retention-time reproducibility and allows the determination of anions and cations over a one-month period without manual eluent preparation.

Comparative measurements show that the new Metrosep C 4 cation column has even better separation characteristics than the previous 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. Using Metrosep C 4 the number of theoretical plates per meter was noticeably higher than that obtained on the Metrosep C 2 or C 1-2 column. Additionally for standard cations transition metals and amines, the Metrosep C 4 column shows better results with respect to peak shape, peak height, resolution and asymmetry factor. The clearly improved resolution of the C 4 column with its narrow and high peaks achieves baseline separation for six standard and six transition metal cations. Analysis times and peak areas obtained with the C 4 column are in the same range as those obtained with its predecessors.As a result of the latest production methods and materials, the promising Metrosep C 4 column excels by an outstanding separation performance for complex mixtures comprising standard cations, transition metal cations and amines.

This poster presents a straightforward ion chromatographic determination of HF, HNO3, short-chain organic acids and H2SiF6 in etching bath samples. Standard ions such as fluoride, nitrate, acetate and sulfate are determined via suppressed conductivity detection while dissolved silicate is spectrophotometrically detected in the same run after downstream post-column reaction (PCR) as molybdosilicic acid. Analytical results of several commercial HF-HNO3-H2SiF6 mixtures obtained by ion chromatography (IC) and titration showed good agreement, which confirms the applicability of the presented «dual» detection IC method for controlling the composition of acidic texturing baths.

The combination of 850 Professional IC, 858 Professional Sample Processor, Dosino and MagIC NetTM software offers a variety of automated ion chromatographic sample preparation and calibration techniques available as an anion, cation or dual channel system. Calibration is straightforward and requires only one multi-ion standard.Inline calibration allows the calibration of any standard concentration in the ppt range by using one single stable standard solution at the ppb level. By using a preconcentration column and switching the valves one, two or more times different calibration concentrations at the ultra-trace level can be created with unprecedented reproducibility. The inline preconcentration technique uses a pre-concentration column and is ideally suited for trace analysis in complex matrices, especially when combined with matrix elimination. Besides facilitating the preparation of g/L to ng/L calibration graphs Metrohm`s intelligent techniques are capable of logical decision making. While Metrohm`s intelligent Partial Loop technique (MiPT) allows samples with a wide concentration range to be injected without previous manual dilution, the intelligent inline dilution technique, after the first sample injection, compares peak areas, calculates, if necessary, the dilution factor, dilutes and automatically re-injects the sample. The presented inline techniques allow the rationalization of the time-consuming, error-prone and cost-intensive manual preparation of standard solutions. They guarantee that the determined sample concentrations always lie within the calibration range. Higher sample throughputs as well as lower analysis costs and improved data reliability are achieved.

The analytical challenge treated in the present work consists in the determination of chloride, phosphate and sulfate in the presence of difficult sample matrices that interact with the stationary column phase or even render it unusable. Metrohm`s patented stopped-flow dialysis coupled to the new 881 Compact IC pro ion chromatograph overcomes these drawbacks. Two standard solutions covering the concentration ranges 1.0…3.6 mg/L and 10…36 mg/L as well as two samples, an ultra-high temperature (UHT) processed milk and a baby milk powder, were characterized in terms of analyte concentration, relative standard deviation, calibration quality, carryover and recovery rates. While the five-point calibration curves yielded correlation coefficients (R) better than 0.9999, carryover (between two subsequent injections of a concentrated sample and a blank) was less than 0.49%. Recoveries for the low (10…36 mg/L) and high standard concentrations (1.0…3.6 mg/L) were within 91…99% and 94…100%, respectively. Automated compact stopped-flow dialysis is a leading-edge sample preparation technique that ensures optimum separation performance by effectively protecting the column from detrimental matrix compounds.

Inline coupling of the 815 Robotic Soliprep with an ion chromatograph (IC) allows the straightforward determination of anions and cations in tablets. After automatic solvent addition and subsequent comminution, the homogenized tablet samples (Singulair and Bezafibrat) are filtered and subsequently transferred to the injector. The completely automated sample preparation saves both time and money, guarantees traceability of each sample preparation step and yields correct and precise results. In the range of 0.2…50 mg/L, six-point calibration curves for anions and cations yield correlation coefficients better than 0.99990 and 0.99991, respectively. While relative standard deviations (RSDs) for sub-ppm levels of nitrate, sulfate, calcium and magnesium in Singulair and Bezafibrat are smaller than 3.64%, RSD of ppm levels of chloride is better than 0.83%. The application of further inline sample preparation steps such as pulverizing, extracting, filtering or diluting facilitates numerous custom-tailored setups for ion determinations in exacting matrices such as animal feed, sediments or food.

The analytical challenge treated by the present work consists in detecting sub-ppb concentrations of low-molecular-weight amines in the presence of strongly retained cationic drugs by using ion chromatography (IC) with upstream inline coupled-column matrix elimination (CCME). In contrast to direct-injection IC, where the late elution of strongly retained drugs requires eluents with added acetonitrile, the CCME technique uses two preconcentration columns in series. In an «inverse matrix elimination step, cationic drug and target amines are trapped on a high-capacity and a very-high-capacity preconcentration column, respectively. During amine determination, a rinsing solution flushes the drug to waste. This significantly shortens the analysis time and improves sensitivity as well as selectivity. Besides the determination of monomethylamine in Nebivolol hydrochloride discussed here, the CCME technique is a promising tool for detecting further low-molecular-weight amines in a wide range of drugs.

Hydroxyl is an important functional group and knowledge of its content is required in many intermediate and end-use products such as polyols, resins, lacquer raw materials and fats (petroleum industry). The test method to be described determines primary and secondary hydroxyl groups. The hydroxyl number is defined as the mg of KOH equivalent to the hydroxyl content of 1 g of sample.The most frequently described method for determining the hydroxyl number is the conversion with acetic anhydride in pyridine with subsequent titration of the acetic acid released: H3C-CO-O-CO-CH3 + R-OH -> R-O-CO-CH3 + CH3COOH. However, this method suffers from the following drawbacks: - The sample must be boiled under reflux for 1 h (long reaction time and laborious, expensive sample handling) - The method cannot be automated - Small hydroxyl numbers cannot be determined exactly - Pyridine has to be used, which is both toxic and foul-smellingBoth standards, ASTM E1899-08 and DIN 53240-2, offer alternative methods that do not require manual sample preparation and therefore can be fully automated: The method suggested in ASTM E1899-08 is based on the reaction of the hydroxyl groups attached to primary and secondary carbon atoms with excess toluene-4-sulfonyl-isocyanate (TSI) to form an acidic carbamate. The latter can then be titrated in a non-aqueous medium with the strong base tetrabutyl- ammonium hydroxide (TBAOH). The method suggested in DIN 53240-2 is based on the catalyzed acetylation of the hydroxyl group. After hydrolysis of the intermediate, the remaining acetic acid is titrated in a non-aqueous medium with alcoholic KOH solution. The present work demonstrates and discusses an easy way to determine the hydroxyl number according to ASTM E1899-08 or DIN 53240-2 with a fully automated titrimetric system for a great variety of industrial oil samples.

Sodium fluoride is used as a preservative in biological samples for alcohol analysis. All submitted blood samples, including those taken from vehicle drivers suspected of driving under the influence of liquor, have to be tested for adequate preservation prior to alcohol determination by gas chromatography. This is critical to ensure adequate sample preservation. Inadequate sample preservation may allow glycolysis and/or microorganism growth to produce ethanol.In the past this has been done by direct potentiometric measurement using a fluoride-selective electrode (F ISE), an ion meter and certified NaF standards. The sodium fluoride level was determined manually by dipping the electrode directly into the blood sample. Results were recorded manually. This poster describes two independent automated methods of analysis that allow the minimization of this tedious and time-consuming procedure.In the first one, the fluoride content in a blood aliquot is measured by direct potentiometric measurement after the addition of TISAB and deionized water. The second method employs the titration of the sample aliquot with La(NO3)3 after adding a buffer solution.

The 800 Dosino controlled by tiamo™ or Touch Control can be used universally for dosing and liquid handling tasks in both the analytical laboratory or directly in the synthesis laboratory. This poster looks at three typical liquid handling applications, the synthesis of metal-organic compounds, the preparation of standards, and the determination of pharmaceutical ingredients.

This poster provides an overview of ion chromatographic methods combined with inline sample preparation for the determination of anions and water-extractable cations in biofuels. In addition, the determination of the oxidation stability is described.

This poster describes a simple and sensitive method for the determination of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in water samples by suppressed conductivity detection. Separation was achieved by isocratic elution on a reversed-phase column thermostated at 35 °C using an aqueous mobile phase containing boric acid and acetonitrile. The PFOA and PFOS content in the water matrix was quantified by direct injection applying a 1000 μL loop. For the concentration range of 2 to 50 μg/mL and 10 to 250 μg/mL, the linear calibration curve for PFOA and PFOS yielded correlation coefficients (R) of 0.99990 and 0.9991, respectively. The relative standard deviations were smaller than 5.8%.The presence of high concentrations of mono and divalent anions such as chloride and sulfate has no significant influence on the determination of the perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). In contrast, the presence of divalent cations, such as calcium and magnesium, which are normally present in water matrices, impairs PFOS recovery. This drawback was overcome by applying Metrohm`s Inline Cation Removal. While the interfering divalent cations are exchanged for non-interfering sodium cations, PFOA and PFOS are directly transferred to the sample loop. After inline cation removal, PFAS recovery in water samples containing 350 mg/mL of Ca2+ and Mg2+ improved from 90…115% to 93…107%.While PFAS determination of low salt-containing water samples is best performed by straightforward direct-injection IC, water rich in alkaline-earth metals are best analyzed using Metrohm`s Inline Cation Removal.

In routine chemical analysis, the predominant challenge involves a higher sample throughput, improved reproducibility, liquid handling flexibility and reduced personnel costs. In response to these requirements, the 872 Extension Module Liquid Handling in combination with the MagIC NetTM software and the well-proven Dosino technology expands the possibilities of inline sample preparation and opens up new fields of application. Among others, the module can be used, together with an optional mixing vessel, for pH adjustments, pre-column derivatizations, or the mixing of solutions.As a representative of an inline sample preparation technique, this poster describes the performance of precise dilutions. By using only one single stable standard solution, multi-point calibration curves can be automatically recorded by diluting a concentrated standard in an external vessel.

Psychoactive gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its prodrug gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) are substances that are increasingly abused as date-rape and recreational (party) drugs. Since the non-controlled GBL converts into the illicit GHB both in-vivo and in-vitro, their legal distinction is of crucial importance.For the forensic determination of illegally added GHB and GBL in commonly consumed beverages, this work presents a simple and sensitive method that employs direct-injection ion chromatography combined with spectrophotometric detection. The method allows to trace GHB-GLB interconversion, whether in vivo or in vitro lactone cleavage or intramolecular GHB esterification, and thus complies with pertinent requirements of law enforcement agencies.

This study compares air sampling data obtained by a filter-based method including off-line manual filter extraction followed by ion chromatographic analysis with those gained by an automated Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler coupled to an ion chromatograph (PILS-IC).PILS-IC is a straightforward instrument for aerosol sampling that provides near real-time measurements for long-term unattended operation and is thus an indispensable tool to monitor rapid changes in aerosol particle ionic composition.

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2002/95/EC stipulates maximum limits for the hazardous metals cadmium, lead and mercury as well as the hexavalent chromium and the brominated flame retardants in electrical and electronic products. To ensure compliance, reliable analysis methods are required.This poster deals with the wet-chemical determination of trace concentrations of the six RoHS-restricted substances in a wide variety of materials including metals, electrotechnical components, plastics and wires. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321, the metals lead, cadmium and mercury are best determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and the flame retardants PBB and PBDE are quantified by direct-injection ion chromatography (IC) using spectrophotometric detection. Chromium(VI) can be determined either by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) or IC. Both methods are very sensitive and meet prescribed RoHS limits.

The presence of excessive water in plastics adversely affects the performance of polymeric goods which is why water determination is of crucial importance. This article describes the accurate and straightforward determination of the water content using the Karl Fischer Oven Method in ten different plastic types that are not amenable to direct Karl Fischer titration. The experiments revealed that besides the determination of the oven temperature, sample preparation is one of the most important steps of the analysis, especially in case of hygroscopic plastic samples.

UV/VIS detection is one of the most sensitive detection techniques in trace-level chromatography. Sometimes, however, spectrophotometric detection lacks sensitivity, selectivity or reproducibility and chemical derivatizations are required. By using Metrohm`s rugged and versatile flow-through reactor, single- or multi-step derivatizations can be done fully automatically, in either pre- or post-column mode at any temperature between 25…120 °C. The variable reactor geometry allows to adjust the reactor residence time of the reactants according to derivatization kinetics. The flexibility of the reactor is demonstrated by optimizing four widespread post-column techniques: the relatively slow ninhydrin reaction with amino acids and the fast derivatizations of silicate, bromate and chromate(VI).

Available sample size, mass sensitivity, efficiency and the detector type are important criteria in the selection of separation column dimensions. Compared to conventional 4 mm i.d. columns, microbore columns excel, above all, by their low eluent consumption. Once an eluent is prepared, it can be used for a long time. Additionally, the lower flow rates of microbore columns facilitate the hyphenation to mass spectrometers due to the improved ionization efficiency in the ion source.With the same injected sample amount, a halved column diameter involves a lower eluent flow and results in an approximate four-fold sensitivity increase. In a converse conclusion, this means that with less sample amount, microbore columns achieve the same chromatographic sensitivity and resolution than normal bore columns. This makes them ideally suited for samples of limited availability.

Metrohm`s intelligent Preconcentration Technique with Matrix Elimination (MiPCT-ME) excels in its capacity to perform automatic ion chromatographic determinations over 6 orders of magnitude. Crucial requirements for this are the system`s intelligence and the exact measurement of the sample volume. While the intelligence allows to compare results and take decisions, the dosing device takes over the high-precision liquid handling of even single-digit microliter volumes to the preconcentration column. By using only one analytical setup and without additional rinsing, samples containing both ultratraces and high concentrations can be analyzed.As the other Metrohm Inline Techniques, the MiPCT-ME technique presented reduces the workload, ensures complete traceability, is free of carryover effects and significantly improves accuracy and reproducibility of the results.

The thermometric titration method presented here permits a simple and direct determination of the total acid number (TAN) in petroleum products. It is an invaluable alternative to current manual and potentiometric methods. Thermometric titration uses a maintenance-free temperature sensor that does not require rehydration and is free of fouling and matrix effects. The procedure requires minimal sample preparation. Results agree closely with those from the potentiometric titrimetric procedure according to ASTM D664, but the thermometric titration method is far superior in terms of reproducibility and speed of analysis, with determinations being complete in approximately one minute.

The Rancimat method is a widely accepted method for the determination of the oxidation stability of natural fats and oils. Its main application is quality control in oil mills and the oil processing industry. At elevated temperatures and under the exposure of air, fatty acids are oxidized. The reaction products are absorbed in ultrapure water that is continually monitored for conductivity. After an induction period with slow reaction, the formation of volatile carboxylic acids is accelerated. At that time the conductivity begins to increase rapidly. Instead of investing weeks or months, the sample can be oxidized within a few hours.The method can also be used to determine the oxidation stability of solid foodstuffs that contain natural fats or oils. Frequently, a direct determination without extraction of the fat is possible, if the fat content exceeds a minimum level. In these cases, a simple and reliable assessment of the quality of the produced foodstuff is possible.A number of fat-containing solid foodstuffs such as almonds, peanuts, peanut-flavored puffs, potato chips, muffins, butter cookies, French fries, and instant noodles were successfully tested with the Rancimat method. The experiments revealed that the comminution of the sample is one of the most important steps. The grinding procedure of the tested samples was kept as simple as possible to avoid the use of expensive milling instrumentation.

The poster presents the ion chromatographic determination of organic degradation products such as glycolate, formate and acetate besides the standard anions fluoride, chloride, nitrate and sulfate.

The presented IC system with inline sample preparation allows the determination of traces of lithium and sodium (ppt) in the presence of ppm quantities of ammonium and ethanolamine.

Determination of chloride and sulfate in the presence of high nitrate concentrations. Optimization of the chromatographic separation by variation of the temperature and eluent composition.

This poster discusses results showing the influence of pH, temperature of the post-column reactor, eluent composition, and iodide concentration on the sensitivity of the triiodide method.

Three different suppressor systems are compared in terms of sensitivity. Additionally, binary gradient elution was applied to analyze phosphates in the presence of mono- and divalent ions.

The poster describes how different suppressors (MSM and MCS) work and mentions possible applications.

This poster describes the water determination in different biodiesel samples via direct coulometric titration, the Karl Fischer oven method and an automated KF pipetting system.

The poster describes the water determination in pharmaceuticals using the Karl Fischer oven technique.

The poster describes the development of an automated Karl Fischer method for determining the water content in different edible oils.

Thermometric titration can solve application problems that potentiometry cannot solve at all, or at least not satisfactorily.

By combining the information from electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques, UV/VIS spectroelectrochemistry (UV/VIS-SEC) allows a comprehensive analysis of electron-transfer processes and complex redox reactions. The anodic oxidation of a N-aryl-D2-pyrazoline derivative was investigated by combining cyclic voltammetry and UV/VIS spectroscopy. In-situ measured UV/VIS absorbance depicted the absorption changes that accompanied the anodic oxidation and could therewith prove the stability of the electrogenerated radical cation. UV/VIS-SEC provides a powerful tool for the in situ study of shorter-lived species, reaction mechanims, and kinetics in a wide variety of electrochemical active organic, inorganic, and biological molecules.

This poster presents an approach that couples a Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler (PILS) to a dual-channel ion chromatograph (IC) for measurement of aerosol anions and cations and a voltammetric measuring stand (VA) to determine the heavy metals. Feasibility of the PILS-IC-VA online system was demonstrated by collecting aerosol samples in Herisau Switzerland, at defined time intervals; air pollution events were simulated by burning lead- and cadmium-coated sparklers.

This poster looks at the possibility to modify the existing EPA Method to meet California's rigorous public health goal (PHG) of 0.02 µg/L. After optimizing instrument settings and method parameters, a method detection limit (MDL) of 0.01 µg/L is obtained.

This poster describes a method for automated and precise dosing of liquid samples into the Karl Fischer titration cell using Metrohm Dosino liquid handling technology. First, the titer was automatically determined with ultrapure water. The same dosing procedure proved valuable for the automated water determination in highly viscous water-glycol fluids and low-boiling organic solvents such as n-pentane. Lastly, the method copes with the labor-intensive and human error-prone suitability test stipulated in chapter 2.5.12 in the European Pharmacopoeia.

The Combustion IC system presented allows the automated determination of organic halogen and sulfur compounds in all flammable samples. Both combustion digestion, which is automatically controlled with a flame sensor, and the professional Liquid Handling guarantee highest precision and trueness. This poster describes the determination of the halogen and sulfur content in a certified polymer standard, a coal reference material as well as in latex and vinyl gloves.

Because of its toxicity, the World Health Organization recommends a maximum arsenic content in drinking water of 10 μg/L. Anodic stripping voltammetry with the scTRACE Gold offers a straightforward, highly affordable alternative to spectroscopic determination.

Non-enzymatic ethanol sensor based on a nanostructured disposable screen-printed electrode.

The poster shows the use of Vis-NIR spectroscopy for the simultaneous quantification of cobalt content, solids content, relative density and viscosity in paint driers as an outstanding alternative to conventional wet chemical laboratory methods. The advantages of the expanded wavelength range over the visible range become clear in this application: the visible range (400 – 780 nm) correlates directly with the cobalt content; the NIR range (780 – 2500 nm) is used for determining the chemical and physical parameters.

Ion chromatography tackles difficult separation problems of various ionic species and typically works with conductivity detection. Mass detection as a secondary independent detector significantly lowers the detection limits and confirms the identity of analytes even when coeluting. This poster describes how the combination of IC-MS and automated sample preparation techniques cope with the analysis of anions and oxoanions in challenging matrices such as soil or explosion residues.

Pharmaceutical analysis guarantees drug safety by providing information on the identity, content, quality, purity, and stability of pharmaceutical products using analytical chemistry. Ion chromatography (IC) offers a broad range of pharmacopeia-compliant applications for quality control, monitoring, and improving drug manufacturing.As a very accurate and versatile technique, IC meets the requirements of many pharmaceutical applications. IC is a USP-accepted standard method for the determination of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), excipients, impurities,pharmaceutical solutions as well as pharmaceutical starting materials, finished pharmaceutical products (FPPs) and even body fluids.This poster describes some typical examples.

This poster demonstrates the feasibility of coupling a Metrohm IC system to a PerkinElmer NexION ICP-MS, operated under Empower 3 Software.Using a Metrosep Carb 2 column, the chromatographic separation of both species was achieved with a high resolution. Low background and high sensitivity allow determination in the low ng/L range.Optimal separation and full complexation of Cr(III) is already possible with EDTA concentrations from 40 μmol/L in low matrix solutions and may need to be increased depending on the sample matrix.Handling of the system was easy and user friendly. It was shown that speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) can be carried out on this system utilizing a professional data system for acquisition, processing, and reporting.

This poster presented jointly with USP at AAPS meeting shows the new USP method for zinc as per <591> using Ion Chromatography which is highly selective and sensitive. Selectivity is achieved by separation and further improved with PCR reaction. Sensitivity and wide linear quantification limit make the new USP method ideal for QA/QC. Automated PCR delivery makes the overall method performance easy to validate.

This poster presented jointly with USP at AAPS meeting shows, that we successfully developed and validated a single IC procedure for potassium assay and identification in potassium bicarbonate and potassium chloride for effervescent oral suspension. The optimized chromatographic conditions could be used for other cationic impurities, such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, and ammonium in potassium bicarbonate and potassium chloride for effervescent oral suspension. Single chromatographic method for assay and identification simplifies the overall QA/QC workflow.

This poster presented jointly with USP at AAPS meeting shows, that we successfully validated an IC method to determine chloride and sulfate in drug substances, potassium bicarbonate and potassium carbonate. The proposed IC method overcomes limitations of the turbidimetry/visual comparison methods.

Moisture in cannabis impacts potency and must be accurately determined. Loss on drying (LOD) is the most popular method for determining moisture in cannabis. Unfortunately, this technique is not specific to moisture and the loss of any volatile components, such as terpenes, will be incorrectly classified as moisture. Karl Fischer (KF) titration is the only chemically specific test for moisture. This poster describes the instrument used to determine moisture content by Karl Fischer titration and compares the results of this data to loss on drying.

Potassium iodide (KI) is used to treat overactive thyroid and to protect the thyroid gland from the effects of radiation from inhaled or swallowed radioactive iodine. Currently, in the USP Potassium Iodide Monograph, iodide identification is performed by wet chemistry and assay by manual titration, which has a history of reduced precision and accuracy. As part of USP’s global monograph modernization initiative, an alternative selective and sensitive method was developed and validated – ion chromatography (IC). The proposed IC method can also be used for the identification test as an alternative to wet chemistry.

Fluoride is commonly used in dental products to help prevent tooth decay. When fluoride is present in high concentrations, these products are regulated by 21 CFR 355. Three fluoride compounds used in over the counter (OTC) anti‐cavity dental products are sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride and sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP). The assay of fluoride in these active ingredients and finished formulations are determined by manual titration, or by ion‐selective electrodes. As a part of USP’s global monograph modernization initiative, an alternative selective and sensitive method has been developed and validated – ion chromatography (IC). The proposed IC method can also be used for the identification test as an alternative to the wet chemistry method.

A high throughput automated system was developed to determine pH of culture media using a pH module equipped with an external flow cell. A custom septum-piercing, vented needle was developed to accommodate the shape and size of the customer sample vials. For this application, both accurate and precise pH measurements were required. The data presented in this document was collected by a customer as a part of their validation process and was provided for use with their consent.

LC-MS/MS quantification methods are commonly used to determine trace levels of organic compounds. However, highly polar reversed phases (RPs) lack sufficient retention for very polar compounds, or they fail for charged organics. Separation using ion chromatography (IC) and subsequent MS/MS detection is an innovative alternative approach that combines the fast elution and flexibility of the IC system with the excellent resolution and high sensitivity of the MS/MS detector. This poster presents a fast, robust and reliable IC-MS/MS method for the detection of HAAs and other ionic analytes using the high-end MS/MS system QTRAP 6500+ from SCIEX coupled to a the 940 Professional IC Vario One SeS/PP/HPG instrument. This analytical setup is able to identify and quantify the presence of HAAs at trace levels with LLODs between 0.02 μg/mL and 0.2 μg/L on a single HAA. This capability easily fulfills the sensitivity requirements specified in EU Drinking Water Directive, which specifies a maximum residue level (MRL) of 60 mg/mL for the sum of monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid present in the representative sample.

Lead is known to be highly toxic, and lead salts are easily resorbed by humans. Cases of chronic lead poisoning caused by lead metal used in the water piping system are well known. Therefore, the control of drinking water for lead content is of utmost importance. The Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) published by the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) states an action limit of 15 μg/L lead for drinking water. Using a portable voltammetric instrument, lead can be determined in these concentrations directly at the point of sampling.

An automatic titration method is described using biamperometric endpoint indication for the determination of antimony in antimony-alloyed cable lead (approx. 1% Sb). A 0.01 mol/L KBrO3 solution is used as the titrant.

Zinc, such as that occurring as a constituent of light alloys, can be determined by precipitation titration with potentiometric endpoint indication. The determination of zinc in the presence of cadmium is also possible.2 K4[Fe(CN)6] + 3 ZnCl2 → K2Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2 + 6 KCl

A potentiometric method for the determination of nickel in gold and silver electroplating baths is described. The titration is carried out with KCN. Gold and silver are removed before titration by a reduction process. It is also possible to determine nickel in steel alloys, etc. (see the literature reference).Ni2+ + 4 KCN + 2NH4+ → (NH4)2[Ni(CN)4] + 4 K+

A routine method for the determination of copper is described. After dissolving the sample and adding a KI/KCNS solution, the released iodine is back-titrated with thiosulfate. The endpoint indication is potentiometric.

A method for the potentiometric determination of CaCO3 in cement raw meal is described, in which the accurately weighed-out sample is treated with HCl, heated to boiling and the excess HCl is then back-titrated with NaOH.

This Bulletin describes the simultaneous determination of gold and copper by potentiometric titration using an Fe(II) solution as titrant. Fe(II) reduces Au(III) directly to the free metal, whereas Cu(II) does not react. By the addition of fluoride ions the Fe(III) is complexed and a shift of the redox potential is effected. Afterwards, potassium iodide is added, thus reducing the Cu(II) to Cu(I), and the free iodine is again titrated with the Fe(II) solution using a Pt Titrode.Chemical reactions:Au(III) + 3 Fe(II) → Au + 3 Fe(III)2 Cu(II) + 2 I- → 2 Cu(I) + I2I2 + 2 Fe(II) → 2 I- + 2 Fe(III)

Ag electrodes are used for the indication of the potentiometric endpoints in precipitation titrations between silver and halide or sulfide ions. A coating on the silver ring may increase the sensitivity of the electrode and can thus reduce the limit of detection. This is why a variety of coated Ag electrodes are commercially available. This bulletin describes how the silver ring of Ag electrodes can be coated with AgCl, AgBr, AgI or Ag2S by electrolysis.

If chloride and bromide are present in approximately equal molar concentrations they can be titrated directly with silver nitrate solution after addition of barium acetate. If, however, the molar ratio n(Br-) : n(Cl-) changes from 1 : 1 to 1 : 5, 1 : 10, 5 : 1 or 10 : 1 then greater relative errors must be expected with this method. The Bulletin describes an additional titration method that allows bromide to be determined in the presence of a large excess of chloride. The determination of small chloride concentrations in the presence of a large excess of bromide is not possible by titration.

In the following tables, the half-wave potentials or peak potentials of 90 metal ions are listed. The half-wave potentials (listed in volts) are measured at the dropping mercury electrode (DME) at 25 °C unless indicated otherwise.

Two methods are described for the determination of chromium: a biamperometric titration and a polarographic analysis.

A potentiometric, nonaqueous method is described for analyzing nitrating acid using cyclohexylamine as titrant. Both sulfuric and nitric acid can be determined quantitatively.

Two electrometric methods for determining the pH value of papers with homogeneous and heterogeneous pH cross-sections are described.

Carbonyl compounds (CC) occur in many products, such as bio-oils and fuels, cyclic and acyclic solvents, flavors and mineral oils. Carbonyl compounds can be responsible for the instability of these products during storage or processing. Especially pyrolysis bio-oils are known to cause issues during storage, handling and upgrading. This bulletin describes an aqueous and a non-aqueous analytical titration method for the determination of carbonyl compounds by potentiometric titration.

The determination of cyanide is very important not only in electroplating baths and when decontaminating wastewater but, due to its high toxicity, also in water samples in general. Concentrations of 0.05 mg/L CN- can already be lethal for fish.This Bulletin describes the determination of cyanide in samples of different concentrations by potentiometric titration.Chemical reactions:2 CN- + Ag+ → [Ag(CN)2]-[Ag(CN)2]- + Ag+ → 2 AgCN

It is essential to know before starting the sample analysis if the electrode is in a good state or not. A well workingelectrode will increase the quality of your results, as the accuracy and precision will be increased. Furthermore, tedious error tracking can be omitted and no sample is wasted due to a defect or old electrode. There exist several ways how to check metal electrodes, e.g., measurement of redox potentials, potentiometric titration or bivoltammetric titration. This bulletin describes the best methods for the various by Metrohm available metal electrodes.

The determination of the lead content in engine fuels has gained considerable importance since the introduction of the catalytic converter technique. Even small contents of lead interfere with the effectiveness of the catalysts or may destroy them. On the other hand, there are still many vehicles on the roads which run on leaded fuel (addition of tetraalkyl lead). Here also the knowledge of the lead content is of interest.With reference to DIN 51769 and ASTM 0-1269 a simplified procedure for the determination of lead in petrochemical products is described. The products are digested with HCl and the lead compounds are converted to lead(II) chloride. After extraction with water, the inverse voltammetric Pb determination is carried out.

The potentiometric titration of Kjeldahl nitrogen is one of the most common analytic procedures. It is referenced in numerous standards, ranging from the food and animal feed industries through sewage and waste analysis and all the way to the fertilizer industry. As a rule, the samples are digested with concentrated sulfuric acid with the addition of a catalyst. The ammonium sulfate that is formed is distilled as ammonia in alkali solution, collected in an absorption solution and titrated there.This Bulletin provides a detailed description of potentiometric nitrogen determination following distillation of the digestion solution, followed by a discussion of the possibilities of coulometric titration (without distillation).

The quantitative determination of the alkaloid nicotine, which is an essential constituent of the tobacco plant, can be carried out by polarography. The quantification limit is less than 0.1 mg/L in the polarographic vessel.

Fructose (fruit sugar) is the only ketose that occurs naturally. It is found free in a mixture with dextrose (honey, sweet fruits, tomatoes) or bound as a component of cane sugar and various starch-like carbohydrates. As fructose tastes sweeter than dextrose, it finds great use as a sweetening agent.In 1932, the polarographic reducibility of sugar was described for the first time by Heyrovsky and Smoler. The following method can be used to determine the fructose content of fruit, fruit juice and honey quantitatively.

Silver is an important metal not only in jewelry and silverware but also in electrical conductors and contacts. The knowledge of the exact silver content in fine silver and silver alloys ensures that quality standards for jewelry and silverware are met. As for the plating industry, the knowledge of the amount of silver in silver plating baths helps to run the bath efficiently.While X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a fast alternative to determine the silver content in fine silver and silver alloys, it can only determine the silver content of the outermost sections of the metal. In contrast, titration offers a more comprehensive solution considering the whole sample, thus preventing fraud by thick plating.This application bulletin describes the potentiometric determination of silver in fine silver and silver alloys accordingto EN ISO 11427, ISO 13756, GB/T 17823, and GB/T 18996 as well as in silver plating baths by a titration with potassium bromide or potassium chloride, respectively

As much as the many types of cement may differ from one another, the characteristic that all of them have in common is the presence of the elements calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminum and silicon.Calcium, magnesium, iron and aluminum can be determined using various indicators following digestion of the cement sample using photometric titration with the Optrode at 610 nm. The determination of silicon, on the other hand, is gravimetric.

It is a comparatively easy matter to coat platinum electrodes with platinum black by electrolytic deposition of the metal from a platinizing solution.

Boric acid is used in many primary circuits of nuclear power plants, in nickel plating baths, and in the production of optical glasses. Furthermore, boron compounds are found in washing powders and fertilizers. This bulletin describes the potentiometric and thermometric determination of boric acid. The determination also covers further boron compounds, when acidic digestion is applied.

Indication of the titration endpoint of the weakly alkaline or weakly acidic terminal groups in non-aqueous solution is frequently not easy. An improvement is possible by using a suitable titrant (TBAH = tetrabutylammonium hydroxide for terminal carboxyl groups; perchloric acid for terminal amino groups).An improvement in the evaluation can also be achieved by choosing benzyl alcohol as the solvent.The choice of electrode combination and the measuring setup is also important. Differential potentiometry using the three-electrode technique results in a great improvement in titrations in poorly conducting solutions. Noisy signals are eliminated.

The quality of egg-based pasta is primarily determined by its egg content. Also of importance, however, is the water content, which influences the storage life of the product, as well as the degree of acidity which, in the case of high values, indicates undesirable acidification during processing or drying. A check of the chloride content shows whether salt has been added to the pasta.

The photometric determination of nitrate is limited by the fact that the respective methods (salicylic acid, brucine, 2,6-dimethyl phenol, Nesslers reagent after reduction of nitrate to ammonium) are subject to interferences. The direct potentiometric determination using an ion-selective nitrate electrode causes problems in the presence of fairly large amounts of chloride or organic compounds with carboxyl groups. The polarographic method, on the other hand, is not only more rapid, but also practically insensitive to chemical interference, thus ensuring more accurate results. The limit of quantification depends on the matrix of the sample and is approximately 1 mg/L.

The pH value and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) of soil provide important information about soil properties, such as solubility of minerals and ion mobility. Knowledge of these properties allows making predictions concerning plant growth, bacterial activity, nutrients that may be needed, possible corrosive effects on buildings, etc.Here, the determination of the pH value is described according to ISO 10390, EN 15933 and ASTM D4972. Th oxidation reduction potential determination is carried out in a suspension.

Halides interfere with most determinations of mercury or silver. However, if mercury or silver is titrated with sulfide ions, extremely insoluble sulfides are formed.A simple method is described that allows the direct titration of mercury(II) or silver(I) compounds in the presence of halides. The potentiometric titration takes place under alkaline conditions using thioacetamide as the titrant after formation of the EDTA complex.Organic compounds that are insoluble in alkaline EDTA can also be titrated after a Schoeniger digestion.

This Bulletin is a supplement to Application Bulletin no. 36 (Half-wave potentials of inorganic substances) in the sense that the half-wave potentials of 100 different organic substances are listed. At the same time the supporting electrolytes used and the limits of determination are given.The various substances are listed in alphabetical order. The most important polarographically active functional groups are taken into consideration. This means that substances for related structures can also be determined polarographically in the same or similar supporting electrolytes, although they may not appear in the list.Unless otherwise stated, the half-wave potentials refer to a temperature of 20 °C, and the potentials are given in volts, measured with a sat. KCI-Ag/AgCl electrode assembly.The determination limits give the smallest concentrations which can be measured without risking serious errors in the results. In all cases, the limit of detection lies below the limit of determination.

This Application Bulletin describes the voltammetric determination of the elements antimony, bismuth, and copper. The limit of detection for the three elements is 0.5 ... 1 µg/L.

According to the described method, NTA and EDTA can be determined in mass concentrations of 0.05 mg/L up to 25 mg/L in polluted water and wastewater.At first NTA and EDTA are converted to the corresponding Bi complexes by addition of Bi3+ ions at a pH value of 2.0. As these Bi complexes have significantly different peak potentials, they can be determined simultaneously by DP polarography. The interfering anions nitrite, sulfite, and sulfide are removed from the sample by acidification and purging. Interfering cations are removed by cation exchange; any NTA or EDTA heavy metal complexes present in the sample are disintegrated during this procedure. To remove surfactants and other organic components interfering with the analysis, the sample solution is run through a column filled with non-polar adsorber resin.

This Application Bulletin gives an overview of the volumetric water content determination according to Karl Fischer. Amongst others, it describes the handling of electrodes, samples, and water standards. The described procedures and parameters comply with the ASTM E203.

This Bulletin describes fluoride determination in various matrices with the help of the ion-selective fluoride electrode (F-ISE). The F-ISE is comprised of a lanthanum fluoride crystal and exhibits a response in accordance with the Nernst equation across a wide range of fluoride concentrations.The first part of this Bulletin contains notes regarding the handling and care of the electrode and the actual fluoride determination itself. The second part demonstrates the direct determination of fluoride with the standard addition technique in table salt, toothpaste and mouthwash.

This document explains how to measure Na ion concentration in diverse matrices with a sodium ion-selective electrode (Na-ISE) using direct measurement and standard addition.

The quality of a vinegar depends on various factors. Since the contents of the individual components vary widely even from bottle to bottle, it is impossible to give average values. This Bulletin describes the determination of the following parameters in vinegar: pH value, total titratable acid, volatile, and non-volatile acid, free mineral acid as well as free and total sulfurous acid.

This Bulletin describes analysis methods for determining the following parameters: pH value, total titratable acid, ash alkalinity, formol number, total sulfurous acid, chloride, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium. These methods are suitable for the analysis of jams, fruit and vegetable juices, and their concentrates.

This Bulletin describes methods for measuring the pH value of dairy products. Particular attention has been paid to the handling, maintenance, and storage of the pH electrodes.

This Bulletin describes potentiometric titration methods for the determination of the acidity in milk and yoghurt according to DIN 10316, ISO/TS 11869, IDF/RM 150, ISO 6091 and IDF 86, the chloride content in milk, butter and cheese according to EN ISO 5943, IDF 88, ISO 15648, IDF 179, ISO 21422, and IDF 242. Additionally the determination of the sodium content in milk using the thermometric titration is described. The determination of the oxidation stability of butter in accordance to AOCS Cd 12b-92, ISO 6886 and GB/T 21121 as well as the determination of lactose in lactose free milk by ion chromatography is also described.For the determination of the pH value in dairy products see Application Bulletin AB-086 and for the determination of calcium and magnesium see Application Bulletin AB-235.

This Bulletin describes potentiometric titration methods for checking sulfuric acid and chromic acid anodizing baths. In addition to the main components aluminum, sulfuric acid, and chromic acid, chloride, oxalic acid, and sulfate are determined.

Potentiometric titration methods for the analysis of acid and alkaline tin plating baths are presented. The following methods are described: tin(II) / tin(IV) / total tin, free fluoroboric acid, or free sulfuric acid, chloride in acidic tin baths, free hydroxide, and carbonate in alkaline tin baths.

Methods are described for the potentiometric analysis of the following bath components:Brass plating bath: copper, zinc, free cyanide, ammonium, carbonate, and sulfite.Bronze plating bath: copper, tin, and free cyanide.

This Bulletin describes the potentiometric determination of lead, tin(II), and free fluoroboric acid.

This Bulletin describes titrimetric methods for the determination of cadmium, free sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and total cyanide. The free cyanide can be calculated from the total cyanide and the Cd content.

This Application Bulletin describes the determination of mercury by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at the rotating gold electrode. With a deposition time of 90 s, the calibration curve is linear from 0.4 to 15 μg/L; the limit of quantification is 0.4 μg/L.The method has primarily been drawn up for investigating water samples. After appropriate digestion, the determination of mercury is possible even in samples with a high load of organic substances (wastewater, food and semi-luxuries, biological fluids, pharmaceuticals).

Edible oils and fats contain natural tocopherols and, in some cases, also synthetic tocopherols added as antioxidants. The method described below allows the simple and rapid determination of the tocopherol content by voltammetry. The tocopherols are oxidized electrochemically at the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The limit of quantitation is approximately 5 ppm (mg/kg) tocopherol.

In addition to its natural occurrence in fruit and vegetables, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is used as an antioxidant in foods and drinks. Ascorbic acid is furthermore also to be found in numerous drugs.Ascorbic acid and its salts and esters can be determined with titration or by using polarography, for which ascorbic acid is oxidized to form dehydroascorbic acid.Bi-voltammetric or photometric equivalence point indication can be used for titrimetric determination. It must be taken into account here that only bi-voltammetric indication is independent of the inherent color of the sample. Polarography is the most selective of the methods described, as other reducing or oxidizing substances are not recorded.

The potassium (or ammonium) ion is precipitated with sodium tetraphenyl borate, and the excess of this reagent back-titrated against the thallous(I) ion, using biamperometric endpoint detection. Ammonium can either be titrated together in an acid solution, or driven off by previous boiling in an alkaline solution. Methods are given for determining potassium in the presence of large excesses of sodium, ammonium, calcium, and magnesium.

This Bulletin describes the complexometric potentiometric titration of metal ions. An ion-selective copper electrode is used to indicate the endpoint of the titration. Since this electrode does not respond directly to complexing agents, the corresponding Cu complex is added to the solution. With the described electrode, it is possible to determine water hardness and to analyze metal concentrations in electroplating baths, metal salts, minerals, and ores. The following metal ions have been determined: Al3+, Ba2+, Bi3+, Ca2+, Co2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Sr2+, and Zn2+.

This bulletin contains two parts. The first part gives a short theoretical overview while more details are offered in the Metrohm Monograph Conductometry. The second, practice-oriented part deals with the following subjects:Conductivity measurements in general; Determination of the cell constant; Determination of the temperature coefficient; Conductivity measurement in water samples; TDS – Total Dissolved Solids; Conductometric titrations;

This Application Bulletin describes a polarographic method for the determination of cyanide that allows to determine free cyanide fast and accurately. The determination also succeeds in solutions containing sulfides, where other methods fail. Cyanide concentrations in the range b(CN–) = 0.01...10 mg/L cause no problems. Interference caused by anions and complexed cyanides has been investigated.

Wine sometimes contains heavy metals which can be precipitated out by the addition of potassium ferrocyanide. Generally, these are quantities of iron ranging between 1 and 5 mg, and exceptionally up to 9 mg Fe/L. Zinc, copper, and lead – in descending order of content – may also be present. To estimate the quantity of potassium ferrocyanide necessary for the «décassage of the wine», only very complicated and relatively inaccurate methods have been described until now.This Bulletin permits accurate results to be obtained easily with a simple instrumentation. The results are available in a short time.

Cadmium, lead, and copper can be determined simultaneously in oxalate buffer by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) after digestion with sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Tin present in the sample does not interfere with the determination of lead.For the voltammetric determination of tin please refer to Application Bulletin no. 176.

Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, and Fe2+/Fe3+ are determined simultaneously. Interference due to the presence of other metals is mentioned, and methods given to eliminate it. The threshold of determination is ρ = 20 µg/L for Co and Ni, and ρ = 50 µg/L each for Cu, Zn, and Fe.

This Application Bulletin describes methods for the polarographic and voltammetric determination of small quantities of chromium in water, effluent water and biological samples. Methods for the sample preparation for various matrices are given.

In the past, selenium determinations have always been either unreliable or have required complicated methods. However, as selenium is on the one hand an essential trace element (vegetable and animal tissues contain about 10 μg/kg), while on the other hand it is very toxic (threshold value 0.1 mg/m3), it is very important to cover determinations in the micro range. Cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) enables selenium to be determined in mass concentrations down to ρ(Se(IV)) = 0.3 μg/L.

Bromide is removed from the sample as BrCN by distillation. The BrCN is absorbed in sodium hydroxide solution and decomposed with concentrated sulfuric acid, then the released bromide ions are determined by potentiometric titration with silver nitrate solution. Iodide does not interfere with the determination.Iodide is oxidized to iodate by hypobromite. After destruction of the excess hypobromite, the potentiometric titration (of the iodine released from iodate) is carried out with sodium thiosulfate solution. Bromide does not interfere, even in great excess.The described methods allow the determination of bromide and iodide in the presence of a large excess of chloride (e.g., in brine, seawater, sodium chloride, etc.).

It has been known for years that consuming too much nitrates from foodstuffs can result in cyanosis, particularly for small children and susceptible adults. According to the WHO standard, the hazard level lies at a mass concentration c(NO3-) ≥ 50 mg/L. However, more recent studies have shown that when nitrate concentrations in the human body are too high, they can (via nitrite) result in the formation of carcinogenic and even more hazardous nitrosamines.Known photometric methods for the determination of the nitrate anion are time-consuming and prone to a wide range of interferences. With nitrate analysis continually increasing in importance, the demand for a selective, rapid, and relatively accurate method has also increased. Such a method is described in this Application Bulletin. The Appendix contains a cselection of application examples where nitrate concentrations have been determined in water samples, soil extracts, fertilizers, vegetables, and beverages.

"A sensitive methods to determine manganese is described. It is primarily suitable for the investigation of ground, drinking and surface waters, in which the concentration of manganese is important. The method can naturally also be used for trace analysis in other matrices.Manganese is determined in an alkaline borate buffer by the anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). Interference by intermetallic compounds is prevented by the addition of zinc ions in the sample. The limit of determination lies at b(Mn) = 2 µg/L."

This bulletin describes the determination of calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity in water by complexometric titration with EDTA as titrant. It is grouped into two parts, the potentiometric determination and the photometric determination.There are multiple definitions of the different types of water hardness. In this Application Bulletin, the following definitions are used: alkalinity, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total hardness, and permanent hardness. Explanations of these definitions and other expressions are provided in the Appendix.Determination of alkalinity during the photometric part is carried out in a separate acid-base titration before the complexometric titration of calcium and magnesium in water. Permanent hardness can be calculated from these values. The determination of calcium and magnesium in beverages (fruit and vegetable juices, wine) is also described.The photometric part includes the determinations of total and calcium hardness and thereby indirectly magnesium hardness using Eriochrome Black T and calconcarboxylic acid as indicators (in accordance with DIN 38406-3).

This Bulletin describes a simple polarographic method for the determination of quinine in drinks and tablets. Whereas in drinks quinine can be determined directly, in the case of tablets it must first be extracted. The limit of quantification is 0.2 mg/L or 4 μg/tablet.

Nitrite can be determined polarographically after its conversion to diphenylnitrosamine (C6H5)2NNO. Potassium thiocyanate is used as a catalyst in order for the conversion to proceed rapidly and quantitatively. The reaction takes place in acid solution at a pH value of approx. 1.5. The limit of quantification is 5 μg/L NO2-.

In our Instructions for Use for the 656 Electrochemical Detector the user will find all the basic information about how it works and how to use it as well as how to handle the electrodes. They also contain information about the demands placed on the separating system together with the causes of and remedies for detection problems.Application Bulletin no. 128 is intended to provide an overview of the most important substance classes and mention some compounds that can easily be determined oxidatively, i.e., with detection limits in the pg range; it also mentions possible working conditions for separation and electrochemical detection and illustrates them with examples.

After acid digestion, the sample solution is neutralized with sodium hydroxide to form sodium dihydrogen phosphate. An excess of lanthanum nitrate is added and the released nitric acid is then titrated with sodium hydroxide solution.NaH2PO4 + La(NO3)3 → LaPO4 + 2 HNO3 + NaNO3This determination method is suitable for higher phosphate concentrations.

Potentiometric titration is an accurate method for determining chloride content. For detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips, download our Application Bulletin.

This Application Bulletin describes a voltammetric method for the determination of aluminum in water samples, dialysis solutions, sodium chloride solutions and digestion solutions (e.g. of lyophilisates). The method utilizes the complexation of the Al3+ ion by Calcon (Eriochrome blue black R). The formed complex can easily be reduced electrochemically at 60 °C. The limit of quantitation depends on the purity of the reagents used and is approx. 5 µg/L.

A method is described in this Bulletin that allows molybdenum to be determined in steel and other materials containing a high iron concentration. Mo(VI) is determined at the dropping mercury electrode by catalytic polarography. The determination limit is approx. 10 μg/L Mo(VI).

Although the known photometric methods for the determination of ammonia/ammonium are accurate, they require a considerable amount of time (Nessler method 30 min, indophenol method 90 min reaction time). A further disadvantage of these methods is that only clear solutions can be measured. Opaque solutions must first be clarified by time-consuming procedures. These problems do not exist with the ion-selective ammonia electrode. Measurements can be easily performed in waste water, liquid fertilizer, and urine as well as in soil extracts. Especially for fresh water and waste water samples several standards, such as ISO 6778, EPA 350.2, EPA 305.3 and ASTM D1426, describe the analysis of ammonium by ion measurement. In this Application Bulletin, the determination according to these standards is described besides the determination of other samples as well as some general tips and tricks on how to handle the ammonia ion selective electrode. Determination of ammonia in ammonium salts, of the nitric acid content in nitrates, and of the nitrogen content of organic compounds with the ion-selective ammonia electrode is based on the principle that the ammonium ion is released as ammonia gas upon addition of excess caustic soda:NH4+ + OH- = NH3 + H2OThe outer membrane of the electrode allows the ammonia to diffuse through. The change in the pH value of the inner electrolyte solution is monitored by a combined glass electrode. If the substance to be measured is not present in the form of an ammonium salt, it must first be converted into one. Organic nitrogen compounds, especially amino compounds are digested according to Kjeldahl by heating with concentrated sulfuric acid. The carbon is oxidized to carbon dioxide in the process while the organic nitrogen is transformed quantitatively into ammonium sulfate.

Potassium is one of the most common elements and can be found in many different minerals and other potassium compounds. It is of importance for humans, animals and plants as it is an essential mineral nutrient and involved in many cellular functions like cell metabolism and cell growth. For these reasons, it is important to be able to declare the potassium content of food or soil to reduce problems that may arise by a potassium deficiency or extensive consumption.This bulletin describes an alternative to flame photometric method using an ion selective electrode and direct measurement or standard addition technique. Several potassium determinations in different matrices using the combined potassium ion-selective electrode (ISE) are presented here. Additionally, general hints, tips and tricks for best measurement practice are given.

This Bulletin describes the potentiometric determination of hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, and mercaptans in gaseous and liquid products of the oil industry (natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, used absorption solutions, distillate fuels, aviation gasoline, gasoline, kerosene, etc.). The samples are titrated with alcoholic silver nitrate solution using the Ag Titrode.

This Application Bulletin describes a simple polarographic method to determine monomeric styrene in polymers. The limit of determination lies at 5 mg/L. Before the determination, styrene is converted to the electrochemically active pseudonitrosite using sodium nitrite.

This Application Bulletin gives an overview of the coulometric water content determination according to Karl Fischer.Amongst others, it describes the handling of electrodes, samples, and water standards. The described procedures and parameters comply with the ASTM E1064.

This Bulletin describes three potentiometric, one photometric, one thermometric and one conductometric titration method for sulfate determination. The question of which indication method is the most suitable depends primarily on the sample matrix.Method 1: Precipitation as barium sulfate and back titration of the Ba2+ surplus with EGTA. Use of the ion-selective calcium electrode as indicator electrode.Method 2: As with Method 1, although with the electrode combination tungsten/platinum.Method 3: Precipitation titration in semi-aqueous solution with lead nitrate in accordance with the European Pharmacopoeia using the ion-selective lead electrode as indicator electrode.Method 4: Photometric titration with lead nitrate, dithizone indicator and the Optrode 610 nm, particularly suitable for low concentrations (up to 5 mg SO42- in the sample solution).Method 5: Thermometric precipitation titration with Ba2+ in aqueous solution, particularly suitable for fertilizers.Method 6: Conductometric titration with barium acetate in accordance with DIN 53127

As the determination of the exact content of individual glycerides in fats and oils is difficult and time-consuming, several fat sum parameters or fat indices are used for the characterization and quality control of fats and oils. Fats and oils are not only essential for cooking, they are also an important ingredient in pharmaceuticals and personal care products, such as ointments and creams. Consequently, several norms and standards describe the determination of the most important quality control parameters. This Application Bulletin describes eight important analytical methods for the following fat parameters in edible oils and fats:Determination of water content in accordance with the Karl Fischer method; Oxidation stability in accordance with the Rancimat method; Iodine value; Peroxide value; Saponification value; Acid value, free fatty acids (FFA); Hydroxyl number; Traces of nickel using polarography; Special care is taken to avoid chlorinated solvents in these methods. Also, as many of the mentioned methods as possible are automated.

This Application Bulletin describes the determination of water in non-explosive and non-flammable gaseous samples using the coulometric Karl Fischer method. This method is ideal for very low water contents.

Application Bulletin AB-076 contains a description of the polarographic determination of low concentrations (1–100 mg/L) of NTA and EDTA in bodies of water. NTA, EDTA and citrate have gained in importance as complexing agents and builders due to the fact that the laws of some countries have made it necessary to find a substitute for phosphates in detergents.This Bulletin describes the determination of larger quantities of complexing agents in detergents using potentiometric titration. The ion-selective copper electrode (Cu-ISE) is used here as the indicator electrode. The determination of complexing agents is not disturbed by the other constituents often present in detergents.

"Molybdenum is an essential trace element for plant growth. Since it occurs in natural waters only in trace amount, a very sensitive method of determination is needed. Using the following polarographic method, it is possible to determine 5·10-10 mol/L resp. 50 ng/L.The principle of the method is based on the reaction between the molybdate ion MoO42- and the complexing agent 8-hydroxy-7-iodo-quinoline-5-sulfonic acid (H2L) to form a MoO2L22- complex, which is adsorbed on the mercury electrode. The adsorbed Mo(VI) is reduced electrochemically to the Mo(V) complex. The hydrogen ions present in the solution oxidize Mo(V) again spontaneously to form the Mo(VI) complex, which is thus newly available for electrochemical reduction. This catalytic reaction is the reason for the high sensitivity of the method.Tungsten W(VI) exhibits practically the same electrochemical behavior as molybdenum, but is not described in detail in this Application Bulletin."

The metals Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn are determined in the sub-ppb range (limit of detection 0.05 µg/L) by means of stripping voltammetry. The DP-ASV method is used for Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn whereas Co, Ni, and Fe are determined by means of the DP-CSV method (dimethylglyoxime or catechol complexes).Use of the VA Processor and the sample changer allows automatic determination of the above metal ions in one solution. The method has been specially developed for trace analysis in the manufacture of semiconductor chips based on silicon. It can naturally also be employed successfully in environmental analysis.

In most electrolytes the peak potentials of lead and tin are so close together, that a voltammetric determination is impossible. Difficulties occur especially if one of the metals is present in excess.Method 1 describes the determination of Pb and Sn. Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) is used under addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. This method is used when:• one is mainly interested in Pb• Pb is in excess• Sn/Pb ratio is not higher than 200:1According to method 1, Sn and Pb can be determined simultaneously if the difference in the concentrations is not too high and Cd is absent.Method 2 is applied when traces of Sn and Pb are found or interfering TI and/or Cd ions are present. This method also uses DPASV in an oxalate buffer with methylene blue addition.

The bromine number and bromine index are important quality control parameters for the determination of aliphatic C=Cdouble bonds in petroleum products. Both indices provide information on the content of substances that react withbromine. The difference between the two indices is that the bromine number indicates the consumption of bromine in gfor 100 g sample and the bromine index in mg for 100 g sample.This Application Bulletin describes the determination of the bromine number according to ASTM D1159, ISO 3839, BS2000-130, IP 130, GB/T 11135 and DIN-51774-1. The bromine index determination for aliphatic hydrocarbons is described according to ASTM D2710, IP 299, GB/T 11136 and DIN 51774-2. For aromatic hydrocarbons the determination of the bromine index is described according to ASTM D5776 and SH/T 1767. UOP 304 is not recommended for the determination of the bromine number or bromine index because its titration solvent contains mercuric chloride.