Applikationer

Germanium is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) at the HMDE using aqueous sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte and pyrocatechol violet as complexing agent. It is possible to determine 20 µg/L Ge in a sample containing 150 g/L Zn, 3 g/L Cd and 1 mg/L Pb.

Thiourea is determined by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) at the HMDE in ammonia buffer at pH 8.9. Chloride in the sample does not interfere with this determination.

Ti is determined in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) after digestion in sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) with mandelic acid as complexing agent is used for this application.

Co is determined in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) after digestion in sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The application is carried out with adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) in ammonia buffer with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) as complexing agent.

Sb is determined in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) after digestion in sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The application is carried out with anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in hydrochloric acid.

Zn and Pb are determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in acetate buffer at pH 4.6.

Iron can be determined in ethanol by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) at the HMDE. PIPES buffer is used as supporting electrolyte and catechol as complexing agent at a pH value of 7.0.

Gold can be determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in the µg/l range at the Ultra Trace Graphite electrode. The solution should not contain halide ions.

The concentration of nickel in ethylene glycol can be determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) after the organic matrix is destroyed by UV digestion.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined in wastewater after UV digestion. The method is suitable for iron concentrations down to the low μg/L range. Stripping voltammetry is not applicable for this method. Fe(II) and Fe(III) generate signals with identical sensitivity.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined in deionized water. The method is suitable for iron concentrations down to the mid µg/L range. Electrochemical deposition is not applicable for this method. A subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended. Fe(II) and Fe(III) give signals with the same sensitivity.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined in monoethylene glycol by adsorptive stripping voltammetry with 2,3-dihydroxy-naphthalene as complexing agent. The detection limit of the method is approx. 0.1 µg/L with respect to the content in the measuring vessel. If no bromate is added to the supporting electrolyte the sensitivity of the method is about 10 times lower. All reagents have to be added in the order as listed below. Fe(II) and Fe(III) give signals with the same sensitivity. All reagents typically contain iron impurities, especially the 2,3-dihydroxy-naphthalene. Therefore a subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended.

The concentration of Fe(III) is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry with solochrome violet RS as complexing agent. All reagents have to be added in the order as listed below. Fe(II) does not show any signal. All reagents typically contain iron impurities. Therefore a subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended.

The concentration of Fe is determined in water samples by adsorptive stripping voltammetry with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol as complexing agent. All reagents have to be added in the order as listed below. All reagents typically contain iron impurities. Therefore a subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended. Fe(II) and Fe(III) show different sensitivities. Therefore the sample should only contain one of the iron species. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can be added to the measuring solution and to the Fe(III) standard solution if both Fe(II) and Fe(III) are present in the sample to determine the concentration of total iron. A final concentration of ascorbic acid of 0.002 mol/L is suitable.

Iron sucrose injection is a dark brown liquid which contains sucrose and iron(III) hydroxide in an aqueous solution, commonly used for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. As a medical product, iron sucrose is subject to strict controls. Among other tests, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) requires to monitor the limit of Fe(II) in the iron sucrose injection solution by polarography. The benefit of polarography is that Fe(II) and Fe(III) show signals at different potentials, and therefore an easier determination of Fe(II) without a previous separation of the two oxidation states is possible. The 884 Professional VA together with the viva software allows a straightforward determination of the Fe(II) content of iron sucrose injection solution following the requirements of the USP. The Fe(II) content is automatically calculated and stored in a database together with all relevant determination and calculation parameters.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined polarographically in a chromium electroplating bath. The method is suitable for iron in concentrations in the ppm range. Fe(II) and Fe(III) show signals with the same sensitivity.

The concentration of Fe is determined polarographically in phosphoric acid. The method is suitable for iron in concentrations in the ppm range. Fe(II) and Fe(III) show signals with the same sensitivity

The concentration of Al is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at the HMDE. The method is suitable for Al in concentrations in the range of 0.1 ppb to approx. 40 ppb Al3+. Pb2+ ions do not interfere up to a concentration ratio Pb:Al = 10:1. Due to the slow complex formation of Al with solochrome violet RS the measuring solution was heated to 40 °C for 10 min prior to the determination. For standard addition a solution of Al with solochrome violet RS complex was used. All reagents have to be added in the order as listed below.

The concentration of Ni and Co is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at the HMDE with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) as complexing agent.

The concentration of Fe is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at the HMDE with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol (1N2N) as complexing agent.

Determination of suppressor «Copper GleamTM 2001 Carrier» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «Copper GleamTM 2001 Additive» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «Cupracid BL-CT» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «Cupracid BL» in acid copper baths by linear approximation technique (LAT) using cyclicvoltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «Cupraspeed» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «Cupraspeed» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT)using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

The concentration of Sb(total) in an acid Cu bath is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry using hydrochloric acid as electrolyte. Due to the excess of Cu the deposition potential has to be chosen only 50 mV more negative than the Sb signal

Determination of suppressor «MACuSpecTM PPR 100 Wetter» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «MACuSpecTM PPR 100 Brightener» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «MultiBondTM 100 Part A20» in an acid copper bath by dilution titration (DT) using cyclicvoltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «Ronastan TP Additive» in a tin/lead bath by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «Solderon ST-200 Primary» in a tin bath by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of suppressor «InPulse H6» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «InPulse H6» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT) using cyclic pulse voltammetric stripping (CPVS).

The concentration of Ni in a Ni plating bath is determined by polarography in ammonia buffer pH 9.6.

The concentration of Co in a sulfamate Ni plating bath is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) inammonia buffer pH 9.6 with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) as complexing agent. All reagents have to be added in the order listed below. Special care has to be taken that the measuring solution is mixed well before the complexing agent is added. In case of precipitations of Ni-DMG further dilution of the sample is necessary.

The concentration of Cu in a Ni plating bath is determined by polarography in chloride-containing acetate buffer at pH 4.7.

The concentration of Sb(III) and Sb(total) in an electroless nickel bath is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). In c(HCl) = 0.6 mol/L only Sb(III) shows a signal. In w(HCl) = 10% the Sb(total) content is determined.

The concentration of Tl in a cyanidic Au bath is determined by anodic stripping voltammety (ASV) without further addition of electrolyte.

NTA in a cyanidic gold bath is determined as Bi-NTA complex by polarography. For standard addition a Bi-NTA standard solution is used.

Determination of suppressor «Thru-Cup EVF-B» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «Thru-Cup EVF-1A» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of leveler «Thru-Cup EVF-R» in acid copper baths by response curve technique (RC) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

The concentration of In in a Sn bath is determined in a HCl / Urotropin® containing electrolyte by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The determination is linear up to approx. 0.5 mg/L with respect to the concentration of In in the measuring vessel. The standard addition solution is also prepared with HCl and Urotropin®.

The concentration of Bi in a Sn bath is determined in a HCl / Urotropin® containing electrolyte by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). A reaction time of at least 25 min is required before the determination is started. The standard addition solution is also prepared with HCl and Urotropin®.

The concentration of Pd in an activator bath is determined by polarography in ammonium chloride electrolyte.

The concentration of Cu in a cyanidic Cu bath is determined by polarography.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined by polarography in oxalate buffer pH 2. This method is suitable for iron concentrations in the mg/L range.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined by polarography in an alkaline electrolyte containing triethanolamine (TEA) and KBrO3. All reagents typically contain iron impurities. Therefore a subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended.

The concentration of Ti in a Ti pickle bath is determined by polarography in an oxalic acid electrolyte.

The concentration of Zn in a zinc phosphatation bath is determined by polarography in ammonia buffer pH 9.3.

The concentration of Ni in a Zn phosphatation bath is determined by polarography in ammonia buffer pH 9.3.

The concentration of Cd in a Zn phosphatation bath is determined by polarography in HCl electrolyte.

The concentration of Pb in a Zn phosphatation bath is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in HCl electrolyte.

The concentration of Pb in Sn soldering contacts is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in an electrolyte containing citrate, oxalic acid, HCl, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide.

The concentration of Se(IV) in zinc plant electrolyte is determined by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) in ammonium sulfate electrolyte containing EDTA and Cu. The Cu concentration has to be adapted to the sample and the deposition time. With voltammetry only free selenium is determined, therefore it has to be taken into consideration that selenium forms sparingly soluble compounds with numerous cations (e.g. Fe2(SeO3 )3 with Ks = 2·10-31).

The concentration of Te(IV) in Zn plant electrolyte is determined by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) in ammonium sulfate electrolyte containing EDTA and Cu. To get a proper complexation of the interfering Zn a high amount of EDTA is necessary at pH 3.4.

The concentration of Co in zinc plant electrolyte (neutral zinc sulfate solution) is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) in ammonia buffer with α-furildioxime as complexing agent.

The concentration of Pb in zinc sulfate solution is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in hydrochloric acid electrolyte.

The concentration of As(total) in zinc plant electrolyte is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) on a lateral gold electrode in HCl electrolyte. Due to the high excess of zinc in the sample the deposition potential has to be adapted. A second potential approx. 100 mV more negative than the arsenic signal has to be applied to selectively oxidize interfering antimony. For sample preparation the sample was passed through a cation exchange column to reduce the concentration of zinc in the measuring solution.

The concentration of of Sb(III) in zinc plant electrolyte is determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) with chloranilic acid as complexing agent. In this method high copper concentrations do not interfere. An approx. 10-fold excess of lead interferes, since it shows a signal close to the antimony. With the parameters given below the working range of this method is 1 - 30 µg/L antimony(III) with respect to the concentration in the measuring vessel.

The Se(IV) concentration can be determined by cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (CSV) in an ammonium sulfate electrolyte. The analysis also functions in the presence of Cu. Se(IV) is determined in the first step. In order to register the entire content of Se, Se(VI) species are first reduced to Se(IV). This is handled by the 909 UV Digester at a pH value of between 7 and 9. The method requires practically no reagents and permits selenium speciation.

The concentration of Fe(total) is determined by polarography in alkaline electrolyte containing triethanolamine (TEA) and KBrO3. All reagents typically contain Fe impurities. Therefore a subtraction of the reagent blank is recommended.

The concentration of Cu in seawater is determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in acetate buffer on a mercury film electrode (MFE). Gallium is added to overcome zinc interferences.

The iron concentration in boiler feed water has to be monitored to ensure reliable and safe operation of the water-steam circuit. Various guidelines set limits for the maximum iron content.The concentration of total iron in boiler feed water can be determined with high sensitivity using adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) using 2,3- dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) as complexing agent. Voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) or inductive couple plasma (ICP) for the determination of iron with only a moderate investment in hardware required and low running costs.

The concentration of nitrobenzene in aniline is determined by polarography in an ethanol / acetic acid electrolyte.

The concentration of Cr(VI) in cement is determined in tartrate electrolyte after acid extraction of the sample.

Determination of suppressor «Top Lucina α-M» in acid copper baths by dilution titration (DT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of brightener «Top Lucina α-2» in acid copper baths by modified linear approximation technique (MLAT) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

Determination of leveler «Top Lucina α-3» in acid copper baths by response curve technique (RC) using cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS).

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of lead and cadmium in electronic components can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) using ammonium oxalate buffer pH 2.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of chromium(VI) in electronic components can be carried out by polarography in ammonia buffer pH 9.6.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of mercury in electronic components can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at a gold rotating disk electrode (Au-RDE).

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of lead and cadmium in polymer materials can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) using ammonium oxalate buffer pH 2.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of chromium(VI) in polymer materials can be carried out by polarography in ammonia buffer pH 9.6.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulatedheavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC62321 the determination of mercury in polymer materials can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV)at a gold rotating disk electrode (Au-RDE).

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of lead and cadmium in metallic materials can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) using ammonium oxalate buffer pH 2.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of chromium(VI) in chromate coating on metallic materials can be carried out by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) using DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid) as complexing agent.

The EU directive on «Restriction of Hazardous Substances» (RoHS) requires the testing of four regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI)) in electrotechnical products. After sample preparation according to IEC 62321 the determination of mercury in metallic materials can be carried out by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at a gold rotating disk electrode (Au-RDE).

The presence of copper in fuel ethanol blends has gained considerable attention since Cu2+ catalyzes oxidative reactions in gasoline leading to olefin decomposition and gum formation. Cu2+ in ethanol can easily be determined using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in ethanol/gasoline blends without any sample pretreatment.

Electroless nickel plating is an important and well established process in the surface finishing industry. In the past, the addition of small amounts of lead has widely been used to stabilize the plating bath. With the increasing number of restrictions in recent years on the use of lead in consumber products, particularly electronics, alternative stabilizers were developed and introduced. One of the stabilizers used as lead replacement is iodate. It can be used as a single additive or in combination with bismuth or antimony. This method allows the determination of iodate directly in the plating bath sample by polarography. The method is simple and fast, however, sensitive and robust.

Electroless nickel plating is an important and well established process in the surface finishing industry. In the past the addition of small amounts of lead has widely been used to stabilize the plating bath. With the increasing number of restrictions in recent years on the use of lead in consumber products, particularly electronics, alternative stabilizers were developed and introduced. Two of the stabilizers used as lead replacement are antimony and bismuth. They can be used as a single additive or in combination with each other or iodate. This method allows the determination of antimony and bismuth directly in the plating bath sample by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). The method is simple and fast, however sensitive and robust

It is crucial to monitor iodide in NaCl brine to prevent membrane fouling during chlor-alkali electrolysis. Stripping voltammetry offers precise iodide analysis.

Aluminum can be determined in drinking water by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at the HMDE using alizarin red S (DASA) as complexing agent. The method is linear up to 35 μg/L. The detection limit for this method is β(Al) = 1 μg/L, the limit of quantification is β(Al) = 3 μg/L. The sensitivity of the method cannot be increased by deposition.

Controlling Au(I) levels in gold plating baths is required for high quality. Voltammetric analysis with the Multi-Mode Electrode Pro is an efficient solution.

Thiourea measurement during copper electrorefining can be complicated by high chloride levels. Voltammetric analysis overcomes this issue, improving copper quality.

The determination of nickel and cobalt in red wine using adsorptive stripping voltammetry can be carried out after UV digestion of the sample.

The determination of suppressor with dilution titration (DT) involves numerous additions with standard solution or sample to reach the evaluation ratio. Usually fixed, equidistant addition volumes are used. With smartDT, variable addition volumes are used that are automatically calculated by the software. At the beginning, the volumes are bigger. Towards the evaluation ratio, the addition volume becomes smaller to guarantee a good accuracy of the result. The operator defines the first and the smallest addition volume to be used. All volumes in between are calculated by the software considering the progress of the determination. Using smartDT with intelligent addition volumes, the determination of suppressor can be significantly accelerated with the same or even better accuracy than with the classic DT. The time saving per determination is between 20 and 40%.

This Application Note describes the polarograhic determination of copper in electroplating baths used in the production of thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells (CIGS cells). The CIGS absorber layer is electrodeposited on a molybdenum-coated substrate.Copper analysis is carried out after dilution of the sample with sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte.

This Application Note describes the polarographic determination of indium in electroplating baths used in the production of copper indium gallium diselenide thin-film solar cells (CIGS cells). The CIGS absorber layer is electrodeposited on the molybdenum-coated substrate. Indium analysis is carried out after dilution of the bath sample with sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte.

This Application Note describes the determination of gallium in electroplating baths used in the production of copper indium gallium diselenide thin-film solar cells (CIGS cells). The CIGS absorber layer is electrodeposited on a molybdenum-coated substrate. Gallium analysis using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) is carried out after dilution of the sample with sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte.

This Application Note describes the polarographic determination of selenite in electroplating baths used in the production of copper indium gallium diselenide thin-film solar cells (CIGS cells). The CIGS absorber layer is electrodeposited on a molybdenum-coated substrate. Selenite analysis is carried out after dilution of the sample with sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte.

This Application Note describes the polarographic determination of cadmium in electroplating baths used in the production of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) or copper indium diselenide thin-film solar cells (CIS). Cadmium sulfide (CdS) from the electrolyte solution is deposited as a thin film on the CIS or CIGS absorber layer via chemical bath deposition (CBD).

This Application Note describes the polarographic determination of thiourea in electroplating baths used in the production of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) or copper indium diselenide thin-film solar cells (CIS). Cadmium sulfide (CdS) from the electrolyte solution is deposited as a thin film on the CIS or CIGS absorber layer via chemical bath deposition (CBD).

This polarographic method uses the Multi-Mode Electrode Pro for simultaneous detection of carbonyl impurities in alcohols, ensuring high product quality and stability.

Arsenic is ubiquitous in the earth’s crust in low concentrations. Elevated levels can be found in mineral deposits and ores. Arsenic from such deposits leaches into the groundwater in the form of arsenite (AsO33–) and arsenate (AsO43–), causing its contamination. In addition to the arsenic originating from natural sources, industry and agriculture contribute to the contamination to a lower extent. The guideline value for inorganic total arsenic in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is set to 10 μg/L. With a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.9 μg/L, anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of arsenic. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetry can be used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field using the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Arsenic is ubiquitous in the earth’s crust in low concentrations. Elevated levels can be found in mineral deposits and ores. Arsenic from such deposits leaches into the groundwater in the form of arsenite (AsO33–) and arsenate (AsO43–), causing its contamination. As(III) is more toxic than As(V) and shows higher mobility in the environment. The selective determination of this species is possible using the method described in this document.With a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.3 μg/L, anodic stripping voltammetry allows speciation, i.e. the specific determination of As(III). While atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) (and competing methods) can only determine the total element concentration, anodic stripping voltammetry is selective to the As(III) oxidation state. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Mercury and its compounds are toxic. The highest risk is posed by chronic poisoning with mercury compounds ingested with food. A significant part of the mercury present in the environment is of anthropogenic origin. Considerable sources are coal-fired power plants, steel, and nonferrous metal production, waste incineration plants, the chemical industry, or artisanal gold mining where the use of elemental mercury for the extraction of gold from the ore is still common. The guideline value for inorganic mercury in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is set to 6 μg/L.With a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 μg/L, anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetry can be used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Higher levels of copper in drinking water are usually caused by corrosive action of water leaching copper from copper pipes. While copper is an essential nutrient for the human organism, ingestion of higher concentrations have an adverse effect on human health. The current World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» recommend a maximum concentration of 2000 μg/L. With a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 μg/L, anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of copper in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetry can be used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Lead is known to be highly toxic to humans as it interferes with enzyme reactions. Chronic lead poisoning can be caused by lead leaching into drinking water from piping systems. The current provisional guideline value in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» sets a maximum concentration of 10 μg/L. With a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.2 μg/L, anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to determine lead in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetry can be used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on a silver film applied to the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Zinc is an essential trace element for humans. Excessive intake of zinc in higher concentrations can be harmful, however. There is no guideline value for zinc in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» because typical levels usually found in drinking water are of no concern. Anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of zinc in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetric determinations can be used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field using with 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Iron is an essential element in human nutrition. It can be present in drinking water as a result of water treatment or from corrosion in the water piping system. There is no guideline value for iron in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» because typical levels usually found in drinking water are of no concern. However, there are national limit values in various countries. The European Union has set a guideline indicator value for iron of 200 μg/L. Voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of iron in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetric determinations can be done used conventionally in the laboratory or alternatively in the field using the with 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out with adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) using 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Nickel is widely used in stainless steel production. At high enough concentrations, it is known to cause allergic reactions when in contact with skin. Drinking water may be contaminated by taps which are made from metals containing nickel. The guideline value for nickel in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is set to 70 μg/L. National limit values of typically lower at e. g. 20 μg/L. Cobalt usually occurs associated with nickel and can be found in smaller concentrations besides nickel. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of nickel and cobalt in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, adsorptive stripping voltammetric determinations can be used in the laboratory or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on a bismuth film applied to the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Bismuth is considered as a metal with a very low toxicity. In high concentrations toxic effects have been described, however. There is no guideline value for bismuth in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» because typical levels usually found in drinking water are of no concern. Anodic stripping voltammetry is a viable, less sophisticated alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the determination of bismuth in drinking water. While AAS (and competing methods) can only be performed in a laboratory, anodic stripping voltammetry can be used in the laboratory or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. The determination is carried out on the scTRACE Gold electrode.

Sodium pertechnetate (99mTc) radiopharmaceuticals are widely used in medical imaging diagnostic procedures to help diagnose a large number of diseases affecting the bones and major organs. These radiopharmaceuticals are usually prepared from cold kits consisting of several ingredients, including a reducing agent. Sn(II) is a typical reducing agent which reduces the Tc(VII) that is added to the cold kit to a lower oxidation state which then forms the stable organic complex.For quality control, the tin content has to be determined in the kit vial. Sn(II) can be selectively determined using differential pulse polarography. Polarography is a straightforward, sensitive, selective, and interference-free method for the determination of mg/L levels of Sn(II) in radiopharmaceuticals.

Testing of in-service lubricating oils for their remaining antioxidant content is critical for capital equipment uptime as well as reducing running costs and repair expenses. Test methodologies such as RPVOT (rotating pressure vessel oxidation test) are time consuming and expensive to perform. Remaining Useful Life is a proven voltammetric method for testing the remaining active antioxidant content in minutes. Depending on the electrolyte, aromatic amine and phenolic antioxidants or hindered phenolic antioxidants can be determined.For the first time, a fully automated system is demonstrated, showing dramatically improved repeatability of data for confidence in reporting. Operator time is saved during sample preparation and irreproducible manual interpretation is eliminated via completely autonomous software processing. The user adds the sample into the vials, then the determination process of the sample series (including sample preparation and result calculations) is carried out automatically. The system is based on methods ASTM D6810, ASTM D6971, ASTM D7527, and ASTM D7590.

To reduce the toxic effects of cadmium on the human body, as well as to limit the neurotoxic effects of lead, the provisional guideline values in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» are set to a maximum concentration of 3 µg/L for cadmium and 10 µg/L for lead. The completely mercury-free Bi drop electrode takes the next step towards converting voltammetric analysis into a non-toxic approach for heavy metal detection. Using this environmentally friendly sensor for anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) allows the simultaneous determination of Cd and Pb in drinking water. The outstanding sensitivity is more than sufficient to monitor the provisional WHO guideline values.

The presence of iron in drinking water can lead to an unpleasant taste, stains, or even growth of «iron bacteria» that can clog plumbing and cause an offensive odor. Over a longer period, the formation of insoluble iron deposits is problematic in many industrial and agricultural applications. To avoid these problems, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for water treatment and processing plants as 0.3 mg/L Fe in drinking water.The voltammetric determination of the iron triethanolamine complex on the non-toxic Bi drop electrode allows both the detection at very low levels (limit of detection of 0.005 mg/L) and measurements in a wide range of concentrations up to 0.5 mg/L.

The main sources of nickel pollution are electroplating, metallurgical operations, or leaching from pipes and fittings. Catalysts for the petroleum and chemical industries are major application fields for cobalt. In both cases, the metal is either released directly, or via the waste water-river pathway into the drinking water system. Therefore in the EU the legislation specifies 20 µg/L as the limit value for the Ni concentration in drinking water.The simultaneous and straightforward determination of nickel and cobalt is based on adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV). The unique properties of the non-toxic Bi drop electrode combined with AdSV results in an excellent performance in terms of sensitivity.

Due to the toxicity and the detrimental effects of nickel and cobalt on human health, their concentrations in drinking water must be controlled. Therefore, EU the legislation specifies 20 µg/L as the limit value for nickel in drinking water. The current provisional guideline value for Ni in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is set to a maximum concentration of 70 µg/L. To monitor the concentrations of Ni and Co with the 884 Professional VA, a method for simultaneous determination on the glassy carbon electrode (GC-RDE) modified with a Bi film is used.

To reduce the toxic effects of cadmium on the kidneys, skeleton, and the respiratory system, as well as the neurotoxic effects of lead, the provisional guideline values in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» are set to a maximum concentration of 3 µg/L for cadmium and 10 µg/L for lead.The powerful anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) technique on the ex-situ mercury film modified glassy carbon electrode is more than sufficient to monitor the proposed WHO guidelines for Cd and Pb in drinking water.

No health-based guideline value exists for zinc. However, to maintain good quality municipal drinking water, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) set a maximum concentration of 5 mg/L as the limit value. Typical concentrations in surface and ground waters are between 10–40 μg/L Zn, with values up to 1 mg/L in tap water. Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) on the ex-situ mercury film modified glassy carbon electrode provides a less complex alternative to atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for zinc determination in drinking water.

The guideline value for chromium in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is 50 µg/L. It should be noted here that chromium concentrations are often expressed as total chromium and not as chromium(III) or (VI). Chromium(VI) is responsible for changes in genetic material, and is found in significantly lower concentrations than Cr(III). Therefore an extremely sensitive method is required to monitor Cr(VI) in drinking water.The powerful adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) technique on the ex-situ mercury film modified glassy carbon electrode using DTPA as complexing agent can be used to determine such low concentrations.

Presence of thallium in surface water is an indicator of industrial effluents and poses a serious health hazard if imbibed. Monitoring of thallium concentration can easily be done with anodic stripping voltammetry on the silver film modified scTRACE Gold. This non-toxic method allows the determination of thallium concentrations between 10–250 µg/L and can be carried out with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer.

The toxicity of antimony depends on its oxidation state: antimony(III) is more toxic than antimony(V). Due to its carcinogenicity, EU legislation specifies 5 µg/L and the World Health Organization (WHO) sets a maximum concentration of 20 µg/L as the Sb(III) limit value in drinking water.Straightforward determination using anodic stripping voltammetry provides a fast (analysis time under 10 minutes) and an ultra-sensitive tool for monitoring the antimony(III) concentration in drinking water. Measurements can be performed in the laboratory with the 884 Professional VA, or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer.

The guideline value for total chromium in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is 50 µg/L. Chromium(VI) is more toxic than its trivalent form (Cr(III)) and is also less abundant. Therefore a robust and sensitive method is required to monitor its concentration in drinking water. The mercury film modified scTRACE Gold can be used to monitor chromium(VI), offering easy handling and a high grade of stability.

The provisional guideline values in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» are set to 3 µg/L for cadmium and 10 µg/L for lead. The anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) technique performed on the ex-situ mercury film modified Metrohm DropSens screen-printed electrode (SPE) can be used to simultaneously detect concentrations as low as 0.3 µg/L for both elements. This is suitable to monitor the WHO guideline values. The main advantage of this method lies in the innovative and cost-effective screen-printed electrode.

EU legislation specifies 20 µg/L as the limit value for nickel in drinking water. The current provisional guideline value for Ni in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» is set to a maximum concentration of 70 µg/L. The adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) technique performed on the ex-situ bismuth film modified Metrohm DropSens 11L screen-printed electrode (SPE) can be used to simultaneously detect concentrations as low as 0.4 µg/L for nickel and 0.2 µg/L for cobalt with a 30 s deposition time.The disposable, maintenance-free sensor can be used conventionally in the laboratory with the 884 Professional VA, or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. This method is best suited for manual systems.

The difference between the toxic and essential levels of selenium to human health are very slight. Therefore, the current provisional guideline value for selenium(IV) in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» and in the European Drinking Water Directive is set to a maximum concentration of 10 µg/L.The anodic stripping voltammetric (ASV) technique performed on the unmodified scTRACE Gold can be used to determine concentrations as low as 0.5 µg/L selenium with a 30 s deposition time. These limits can be lowered even further by increasing the deposition time. The linear range at 30 s deposition time ends at approximately 100 μg/L. The scTRACE Gold electrode does not need extensive maintenance such as mechanical polishing. Measurements can be performed in the laboratory with the 884 Professional VA or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer. This method is suited for manual or automated systems.

Tellurium is one of the elements recently identified as technologically critical for photovoltaic conversion, quantum dots, as well as in thermoelectric technology, and has the potential to become a new emergent contaminant. Until now there is no guideline value in the World Health Organization’s «Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality» and in the European Drinking Water Directive for tellurium(IV) concentration in drinking water.To monitor the tellurium(IV) levels in drinking water, anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) performed on the unmodified scTRACE Gold is recommended. This method allows determination of tellurium(IV) in the concentration range between 1 µg/L and 60 µg/L when using a 90 s deposition time. The scTRACE Gold electrode does not need extensive maintenance such as mechanical polishing. Measurements can be performed in the laboratory with the 884 Professional VA or alternatively in the field with the 946 Portable VA Analyzer.

The toxic element cadmium (Cd) can be found in elevated concentrations with high bioavailability in some soils. Under such conditions, cacao trees can accumulate cadmium in the beans, which are then processed into cocoa. Chocolate produced from the affected beans will contain elevated cadmium levels. Typical limit values in the European Union are between 100 µg/kg and 800 µg/kg (EU Commission Regulation 1881/2006) depending on the cocoa content of the chocolate.Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) can be used to accurately determine trace quantities of cadmium in chocolate down to approximately 10 µg/kg. The method is simple to perform, specific, and free of interferences. Prior to determination the samples are ashed in a furnace at 450 °C.

Monitoring Sb(III) stabilizer levels during electroless Ni plating is critical for high-quality coatings. Anodic stripping voltammetry offers fast, reliable Sb(III) analysis.

Electroless nickel plating ensures low-cost wear and corrosion resistance. Monitoring lead stabilizer levels in Ni plating baths is possible with the Bi drop electrode.

Electroless Ni plating offers superior surface finish and corrosion resistance. Anodic stripping voltammetry allows Bi stabilizer to be monitored in Ni plating baths.

Lithium iron phosphate batteries offer users safety and durability. Polarographic speciation evaluates Fe(II) and Fe(III) in cathode material, useful for several tests.

Accurate iodine determination in thyroid tablets, ensuring treatment efficacy, is achieved using the 884 Professional VA and Multi-Mode Electrode pro per USP guidelines.

Portable Raman is used to characterize the quality of diamond foils made by CVD processes.

Raman spectroscopy at 532 nm excitation is used to study the crystalline and amorphous content of mixed phase silicon films.

The NanoRam handheld Raman, with a TE-cooled spectrometer, and patented CleanLaze technology packaged in a small, touch-screen operating unit, delivers high quality raw material testing capabilities for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Raman spectroscopy is a quick nondestructive method for the direct identification of plastics. It can also be used for the analysis of flame retardants, lubricants and other additives. Coupled with chemometric software, quantitative and advanced qualitative analyses can be performed.

The NanoRam is a state-of-the-art, handheld Raman spectrometer for the rapid identification of chemicals used in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. It has been specifically designed for these applications and is fully compliant with all the major global regulatory, safety, and commercial testing agencies applicable to the pharmaceutical industry.

The raw materials whey, sorbitol, stearic acid, and calcium phosphate dihydrate dibasic all show very distinctive, unique Raman signatures, which indicates that Raman spectroscopy is the ideal technology for identification of these materials. The PCA model-based method provides reliable specificity to successfully identify these nondestructively in plastc samples bags using the NanoRam.

The fundamentals of Raman instrumentation and spectroscopy are presented along with common applications of Raman.

The principles and benefits of Raman are presented in terms of advances that make handheld Raman an integral tool for pharmaceutical manufacturers to comply with incoming material testing requirements. Examples of the NanoRam for positive identification of excipients including celluloses and sugars illustrate the selectivity of Raman.

Raman spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are proving to be invaluable tools in the field of biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Raman systems are also being developed for molecular diagnostic testing to detect and measure human cancer biomarkers. This review highlights two applications realting to breast cancer and pancreatic cancer diagnosis together with examples of the use of Raman spectrometry in biomedical research areas such as the identification of bacterial infections, showing that Raman is an important part of the medical toolbox, as we continually strive to improve diagnostic techniques and bring a better health care system to patients.

Today's Raman instrumentation is faster, more rugged, and less expensive than in the past and the advances in component miniaturization have led to the design of portable devices with extremely high performance designed for field-based investigations. This study focuses on the use of handheld Raman spectroscopy for the characterization and identification of samples encountered in various application areas related to forensic science.

Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool to provide rapid, specific analysis for identification of raw materials, thus reducing the risk of using substandard or incorrect materials in manufacturing. The utility of handheld Raman increases productivity, and the ability to do full testing without creating bottlenecks in the production process. The integration of the Raman data into a company’s data management system provides a secure means of handling data and results, with reduced risk of transcription errors, and data loss.

Small, fast high-performance Raman spectrometers are now readily available. Three real-life Raman quantitative and semi-quantitative analysis applications are discussed. These applications showcase the versatility of Raman spectroscopy and the potential impact that it can make in various industries such as security, pharmaceutical, and plastics and polymers.

Raman spectroscopy is a well suited spectroscopic technique for process development and control within development laboratories in chemical, pharmaceutical, and other industries. This article demonstrates the utility of portable Raman spectroscopy as a simple and versatile tool for in situ monitoring of reactions using univariate analysis techniques such as peak trending, as well as multivariate analysis approaches to predict the end point of chemical reactions.

Patented STRaman technology is a new Raman technique that can identify chemical species nondestructively beneath diffusely scattering packaging material such as plastics or tablet coatings.

Content uniformity of solid dosage forms can be done nondestructively at the process line using the QTRam portable transmission Raman system.

Allowing non-destructive chemical identification through opaque materials, award-winning STRam represents an evolution in Raman technology.

Improve petrochemical quality control with NIRS. Fast, cost-effective, and no sample prep needed. Learn more in our eBook.

Enhance quality control in material and chemical production with NIRS. Fast, cost-effective, and no sample prep needed. Learn more in our eBook.

Efficiently analyze food products with ion chromatography (IC). Discover its robust applications in quality control for beverages, food additives, and dairy.

This e-book explains how Raman and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy enable rapid, nondestructive polymer analysis, ensuring high quality while reducing costs and waste.

The combination of ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP/MS) is ideally suited for the detection of species of arsenic and mercury in their various oxidation levels and forms of chemical bonding. However, some species – as in the case of mercury – are reciprocally converted into one another during sample preparation, thus making a determination of the initial concentrations of the heavy metal species impossible. This article shows how these interconversions can be calculated with isotope dilution analysis and IC-ICP/MS in accordance with EPA method 6800.

This article describes an ion chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of HF, HNO3, H2SO4, short-chain organic acids, and of H2SiF6 in acid texturing baths.

This article describes the coupling of ion chromatography with mass spectrometry (IC-MS) and plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP/MS) for the trace analysis of potentially hazardous compounds in the environment.

The automated combination of pyrolysis and subsequent ion chromatography (Combustion IC) permits the parallel detection of halogens and sulfur in all flammable solid and liquid matrices. The method is captivating, not only because of its outstanding precision and trueness, but also because of the high sample throughput.

This article describes the investigation using ion chromatography and subsequent inductively coupled plasma mass spectronomy (ICP/MS) to determine the extent to which the iron(III) flocculation carried out in the context of wastewater treatment releases toxic gadolinium(III) ions as the result of recomplexing.

The rapid growth of the Earth's population has led to massive increases in the consumption of energy and resources and in the production of consumer products and chemicals. It is estimated that 17 million chemical compounds are currently on the market, of which 100,000 are produced on a large industrial scale. Many of these enter the environment. This leads to a demand for sensitive analytical procedures and high-performance analytical instruments.pH value, conductivity and oxygen requirement are important characteristics in water and soil analysis. The first two of these can be determined rapidly; for the third, the titration that is used is also the one used in numerous single determinations. This article describes several important standard-compliant determinations in water and soil analysis.

On the basis of the experiments that have been performed, it is possible to determine the effectiveness of the ozonization of iodized X-ray contrast media using IC-ICP-MS via the amount of iodate formed. Whereas a 120-minute ozonization guarantees a practically quantitative decomposition of amidotrizoic acid to iodate, approximately 16% of the Iomeprol is still present under the same ozonization conditions. Given that only 14% is present in iodate form in the absence of iodide anions and given that additional, not yet identified peaks occur in the ion chromatogram, the presence of additional decomposition products containing iodine must be assumed. Nonetheless, it is not possible to detect the intact iodized X-ray contrast media with the selected ion chromatographic conditions. Furthermore, the possibility exists of identifying the peak of the unknown decomposition product of the Iomeprol using IC-ESI-TOF-MS.

This article describes the composition of atmospheric inorganic gases and aerosols in the Southeast and Northwest of the United States during a time period of several weeks. The semicontinuous sampling in hourly cycles takes place using the MARGA system from Metrohm Applikon. The temporal resolution of the aerosol and gas composition makes it possible to generate statements regarding the chemical origin and hygroscopicity of the particles. These are fundamental for rating the influence of aerosols on the climate.

Chromate is allergenic, carcinogenic and extremely toxic. It is therefore subject to strict monitoring. It is present in different concentrations in drinking water, toys, textiles, leather and many other materials. Metrohm has developed various methods for ion chromatographic determination of chromium(VI) which, thanks to Inline Sample Preparation, are suitable for a variety of matrices and concentration ranges – from ng/L to mg/L.

This article describes a simple and sensitive method for chromium(VI) determination in children's toys. The solution to be analyzed is prepared in accordance with DIN EN 71. Not only VIS detection but also post-column derivatization using diphenylcarbizide are parts of this method. The procedure described here is suitable for the precise determination of hexavalent chromium in the single-digit ppt range and, in addition, fulfils without difficulty the limit value of 10 ppt prescribed by the EU directive 2009/48/EC.

The present article addresses the theory, practical aspects and troubleshooting of potentiometry.

This white paper presents six technical tips that you should consider before taking a pH measurement.

This Metrohm White Paper presents the important role of electrochemistry in the environmental sciences. The applications have to do with basic research for the fuel cell that yields energy from wastewater, the electrical clean-up of contaminated soil and electrochemical CO2 reduction of greenhouse gases for isolating chemical raw materials.

The shelf life of foods and beverages depends among other things on the packaging material used. Metals are ideally suitable for packaging, as they can be laminated with various passivating and food-compatible layers. Electrochemical measurements such as Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) make it possible to check the layers for damage.

The coupling of ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) leads to a high-performance measurement system that masters several particularly challenging analyses. It enables for example reliable determination of element compositions, oxidation states and chemical bonds. This information is used, for example, for assessing the toxicity of medications, environmental and water samples as well as foods and beverages.

This article describes a simple method for the determination of seven standard anions (fluoride, chloride, nitrite, bromide, nitrate, phosphate and sulfate) in accordance with US EPA Method 300 Part A. An IC system is extended to include Inline Ultrafiltration and Inline Eluent Preparation for the analysis.

For the first time, glyphosate determination and that of its primary metabolite AMPA in drinking water using IC with pulsed amperometric detection (flexIPAD) in the low µg/L range are shown. Compared to HPLC analysis with a mass-selective detector, it is a very cost-effective method for determining the glyphosate and AMPA content in water and foodstuffs. With a detection limit at approx. 1 µg/L, compliance with limit values for glyphosate can be monitored in the USA, Canada, and Australia, among others.

More strict regulations paired with more complex products have increased testing complexity in the paint and coating industry. Therefore, producers ask for more powerful, safe and sustainable analytical methods. Testing by Vis-NIR spectroscopy is a sustainable and costefficient alternative to many wet chemical methods. This white paper describes how Vis-NIR spectroscopy improves testing procedures for various analyses during the formulation and production of paint and coatings in an economic and ecological way.Key words: testing, sustainable, VOC, paint, coating, binders, resins, additives, pigments, solvents

Many refiners look at discounted opportunity crudes as a means to improve their margin spread. The varieties of these cheap crude oils on the market are growing in number, but they have hidden risks for the purchaser caused by factors such as high naphthenic acid and sulfur content. Sulfur compounds and naphthenic acids are among the substances that contribute to the corrosive nature of crude oils and petroleum products. This is why the risk of corrosion is increased when processing crude oils with high naphthenic acid and sulfur content. The refiner must balance the cost benefit versus the risk and the cost of corrosion control when processing these crudes. A reliable acid number determination is a crucial part of corrosion control. Guest authors Bert Thakkar, Bryce McGarvey, and Colette McGarvey of Imperial Oil and Larry Tucker and Lori Carey of Metrohm USA were involved in the development of the new ASTM Method D8045 for acid number determination. Here, they report on the method and how it came to be.

Brad Meadows is Vice President and Lab Director at the US company BSK Labs, which runs a number of environmental laboratories and service centers. Brad is an analytical chemist and has been working in the management of analysis laboratories for 15 years. He shared his experiences with Metrohm ion chromatography with us in the form of some concrete facts and figures.

The pharmaceutical industry is very likely more comprehensively regulated that any other branch of industry. It therefore requires analytic methods that meet the requirements of regulations while at the same time being practical. This applies in particular for large sample quantities, such as are encountered with incoming goods inspections, for example. It is here that particularly rapid and simple analysis methods are called for which make routine analyses simpler and more efficient. This White Paper describes some of the most important regulations in the pharmaceutical analysis and shows how Vis-NIR spectroscopy can solve analytic problems in the pharmaceutical industry in accordance with regulations.

This Metrohm White Paper shows the requirements demanded of the pharmaceutical industry by the FDA with respect to software products. Implementation examples of the regulations formulated by the FDA in 21 CFR Part 11 are presented using Vision Air Pharma Software.Key words: electronic signatures, audit trails, user management, documentation

Ion chromatography is a flexible technique with a large selection of intended uses in the pharmaceutical industry. – A few development trends and the latest advances are displayed here.

This White Paper compares the two most commonly used technologies in near-infrared spectroscopy: Predispersive monochromator technology and Fourier transformation technology. In addition to measurement speeds and captured spectral ranges, the noise levels and the signal-noise ratios associated with them are also contrasted with one another.

Heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury find their way into the ground water in many regions of the world, either through natural processes or as the result of human activities. Limit values are exceeded many times over, particularly for arsenic in drinking water, in many areas. This calls for a rigorous monitoring of water quality. The present whitepaper focuses on field determinations of arsenic, mercury, and copper – directly at the sampling site.

In this work, time resolved Raman spectroelectrochemistry measurements with screen printed electrodes are shown. The instrument used combines in a totally integrated box: a 785 nm laser source, a high resolution Raman spectrometer and a bipotentiostat/galvanostat. Experiments are controlled with an excellent spectroelectrochemical software which allows real time data collection and useful data treatment.

Metrohm has shaped moisture analysis for more than half a century. Find out about new developments in water analysis and learn how near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with Karl Fischer titration can increase your sample throughput and boost your productivity.

This white paper differentiates between methods for identification of unknowns and verification of known materials. The goal of this publication is, ultimately, to inform the user of the capabilities of the handheld Metrohm Raman Mira P system. Best practices for building robust training sets for materials verification with Mira P can also be found here.

Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering or SERS is an anomalous enhancement of Raman scattering when molecules are adsorbed to gold or silver nanoparticles – this enhancement can be as large as 107. The advantage of SERS for the analytical chemist lies in its ability to detect analyte concentrations of parts per million and even parts per billion levels, while classical Raman is limited to parts per thousand. Metrohm Raman produces P-SERS assays in the form of nanoparticles printed onto substrates using inkjet technology. This method produces inexpensive test strips that exhibit exceptional stability and sensitivity. There are two markets that can be easily addressed with P-SERS: forensic analysisand food safety. This white paper explains the mechanism of SERS and how it can be applied to handheld Raman analysis with Metrohm Raman Mira systems.

An analytic chemist in your back pocket. A forensic laboratory in a suitcase. A HazMat team in the trunk of your car. First responders need all the help they can get when faced with potentially dangerous substances. Mira DS from Metrohm Raman is a sophisticated chemical analyzer that replaces the specialist with automation. The push of a button initiates proprietary Smart Acquire routines to optimize acquisition parameters and collect the highest quality spectra. These spectra are automatically subjected to library search and Mixture Matching routines capable of identifying up to three components of a mixture. When hazardous substances are detected, the user is alerted to immediate action with color-coded warnings.

Metrohm Raman presents a unique handheld materials identification system designed to meet the needs of defense and security professionals. Meet Mira DS, the most adaptable Raman analyzer available today. Mira DS was developed directly in response to requests from first responders in the field for a small, rugged, automated materialsidentification system that ensures the safety of the user in any situation.

Near-Infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a widely used analytical technique for quantitative analysis of various products in research and industrial applications. This white paper summarizes the workflow of the development of quantitative methods according to ASTM E1655.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a widely used analytical technique for qualitative and quantitative analysis of various products in research and industrial applications. Because of different reasons it might be necessary to transfer analytical methods from one NIR analyzer to another one. This white paper summarizes the workflow of such method transfer.

Chemometrics is a powerful tool widely used for method development in the pharmaceutical industry. This whitepaper describes the lifecycle of multivariate models and summarizes the workflow of the development of chemometrical models according to the new USP chapter <1039>.

Detection of threatening materials requires robust and sophisticated instruments capable of safe, instantaneous field-analysis of unknowns. In an environment where there is an ever-evolving threat of explosives made from commonlyavailable chemicals, explosive libraries must be customized constantly to include newly targeted materials. Mira DS from Metrohm Raman is the perfect solution for detection of explosives in the field. This handheld Raman instrument is equipped with sophisticated analysis algorithms and a suite of safety features for first responders who need the identity of a potential hazard... NOW! Mira DS and its software can be customized to respond to emerging hazards: this note describes procedures for creating custom libraries of binary explosive precursors to be used in library comparison and mixture matching routines on Mira DS. With these tools, unknown substances can be identified with color-coded warnings for fast action in critical situations.

A person suspected of possessing a narcotic can be charged with a crime only after the identity of the illicit substanceis confirmed. This confirmation is typically provided by analytical chemists in forensic laboratories and requires highly technical separation and detection methods. Unfortunately, such labs often have deep caseloads that lead to delays in testing. Handheld Raman analyzers bring the reliability and accuracy of lab analysis to first responders in the field, allowing for rapid and accurate identification of street drugs with a white powder appearance. With such tools, demand for forensic analysis can be reduced and enforcement agencies can enforce drug policies with greater safety, speed, and precision.

Printable Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (P-SERS) silver substrates were used with Metrohm Raman’s Mira DS handheld Raman analyzer to successfully detect heroin in 18 crude street heroin samples. Detection of heroin with P-SERS was accomplished easily and very quickly, with minimal sample clean-up. Solvent studies were also implemented to determine the optimal solvent for crude sample extraction, with results included here.

Edible oils comprise a significant portion of any diet, and they also have important roles in the production of foods, cosmetics, and skincare products. For these reasons, a convenient and accurate method for materials identification of a variety of fats and oils is highly desirable. Historically, authentication of fats and oils was performed through intensive laboratory techniques involving chromatographic methods. Here, Raman spectroscopy combined with Principle Component Analysis (PCA) has been used for materials identification with 16 different edible oils, with excellent results. Raman is an ideal technique for evaluation of fats, as carboncarbon double- and single-bonds give strong Raman signals. PCA analysis in combination with Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for qualification and verification of different fats and oils, as there are few visual differences between spectra of edible oils.

Chemical manufacturing such as polyurethane production is characterized by a cost intensive production process combined with a negative ecological impact. These adverse effects can be significantly improved by using vibrational spectroscopy. This analytical technique can assist the operator of the plant to reduce costs and minimize the impact onthe environment as is demonstrated in the present white paper.

Quality control is impacted by multiple challenges, which can have an influence on the functioning of the QC lab. The present White Paper provides approaches, how to simplify the daily quality control using near-infrared spectroscopy combined with a dedicated smart software like Vision Air.

Norms and Standards 21 CFR Part 11 is the FDA rule relating to the use of electronic records and electronic signatures.Recognizing the increasing impact of electronic media on critical data in regulated environments, the FDA met with members of the pharmaceutical industry in the early 1990s. The pharmaceutical industry and the FDA were interested in how they could accommodate paperless record systems and ensure the reliability, trustworthiness, and integrity of electronic records.

The analytical challenges of environmental analysis increase in difficulty from year to year. As well as analysis of particularly toxic types of metals such as chromium(VI), highly diverse and partially persistent organic fluorine compounds (e.g., trifluoroacetic acid) are presently in focus. The analysis of toxic oxohalides such as bromate and perchlorate is also a current subject of investigation.

Analyzer systems monitoring product quality can offer substantial advantages when organized in a client-server network compared to the more traditional local installation. This white paper presents different client-server setups and their benefits. Security aspects that need to be considered are discussed based on the example of the client-server Vis-NIR (visible near-infrared) spectroscopy software Vision Air, widely used for quality control in the chemical, polymer, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical industry.

Data Integrity is currently a hot topic issue that has created much attention and has raised concern within companies working in regulated environments. This White Paper explains some of the key terms used in the context of Data Integrity and outlines how the requirements of Data Integrity can be understood and implemented.

Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ) according to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) ensures that instruments perform as intended and users may have confidence in data quality. As the Pharma industry adopts handheld Raman instruments for incoming materials identification and verification, producers of such systems must provide suitable calibration and validation routines. Upon completion of these tests, end users are assured that all measurements are in accordance with agreed standards at Metrohm Raman, we have sophisticated AIQ routines in place to confirm the quality of your results.

Free white paper describes the effective use of electrochemical techniques to measure corrosion and the effectiveness of inhibitors.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Ion Chromatography (IC) are commonly used in the pharma, food, and environmental sectors to analyze samples for specific components and to verify compliance with norms and standards. However, users of HPLC may run into the limitations of this technique, e.g., when analyzing standard anions or certain pharmaceutical impurities. This white paper outlines how such challenges can be overcome with IC.

NIR spectroscopy has been traditionally limited due to the water absorption in this spectral range. In this way, the well-known water restriction has limited the development of new applications for NIR spectroelectrochemistry. In this work, several interesting alternatives are proposed in order to minimize or even to remove the aqueous contribution in this spectral range.

This White Paper explores the critical role of advanced online and inline process analysis in brine chlorine operations, emphasizing their advantages over traditional methods.

Propylene oxide (PO) is a major industrial product used in assorted industrial applications, mainly for the production of polyols (the building blocks for polyurethane plastics). Several production methods exist, with and without co-products. This white paper lays out opportunities to optimize PO production for safer and more efficient processes, higher quality products, and substantial time savings by using online process analysis instead of laboratory measurements.

Polymeric sample vials are frequently contaminated with leachable organic or inorganic ions, which originate from the production process or the raw material. These substances can falsify measurement results. The study at hand compares the leaching properties of several vial types from different manufacturers, showing considerable variations in quality and proving the importance of the right choice of vials for ion chromatography (IC). This white paper also provides recommendations and precautions to further reduce leachable contaminants for IC trace analysis.

This white paper summarizes the advantages and benefits of automated titration in comparison to manual titration. The increase in accuracy and precision of measurements as well as significant time and cost savings are discussed.

For the past three decades, Cyclic Voltammetric Stripping (CVS) has been the standard practice for analyzing organic additives in electroplating copper baths in the circuit board and wafer plating industries. The variations in the compositions of such baths have created a need for more optimized method development routines. New advancements in the hardware and software protocols for CVS have simplified the overall process of method optimization to a great extent. In this study, the process of method optimization is discussed in conjunction with these protocols.

The commercialization of Li-ion batteries in 1991 was the culmination of in-depth R&D conducted by scientists and engineers around the globe over the preceding few decades. Further development of Li-ion batteries and alternative rechargeable batteries has continued until today. As the world is rapidly moving towards a new era defined by green technologies, more practical and accurate R&D is required in order to meet the increasing demands for energy storage systems, specifically from the automotive industry. This white paper presents the basics of the Li-ion battery technology and guides the reader through the relevant techniques and terminologies in Li-ion battery research.