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Laboratory Focus January/February 2014
Plate reader system Promega Corporation has launched the GloMax® Discover, an integrated multimode detection plate reader system. Together with the company’s cell and biochemical assay portfolio, GloMax Discover offers scientists an integrated system to easily study cell signaling and metabolism, while monitoring cell viability, apoptosis, and cytotoxicity, or to study gene expression with a wide variety of reporter assays. The system offers a broad range for both strong and weak bioluminescence experimental samples, with luminescence sensitivity and low well-to-well cross talk, enabling users to generate more usable data from each experiment. GloMax Discover also provides filters for fluorescence intensity, BRET, FRET, filtered luminescence and UV-visible absorbance measurements. Likewise, the system’s software provides quick and easy navigation through the control options, preloaded assay protocols, and drag-and-drop protocol customization. Exporting results is simple, with a variety of options including exporting to a local data network, external flash drive, internet cloudbased server, and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
web: www.promega.com
UPLC System Waters Corporation introduces its new Waters® ACQUITY UPLC® MClass System, an industry-first nano- to microscale UltraPerformance LC® (UPLC®) system rated for 15,000 psi operation. Coupled to Waters mass spectrometers, the system delivers the sensitivity to quantify and to identify vanishingly small concentrations of key molecules. The ACQUITY UPLC M-Class System is ideally suited for a broad range of applications including proteomics, metabolic profiling, metabolite identification and pharmacokinetic studies. Its new 15k psi-capable ACQUITY UPLC M-Class Columns tap the potential of sub-2-micron particle technology, yielding faster separations, greater peak capacities and increased levels of sensitivity.
web: www.waters.com
Headspace sampler Shimadzu Scientific Instruments has launched the HS-20 Series of headspace samplers. The HS-20 Series consists of two models: a Loop model for the traditional static headspace methods, and a Trap model, which adds the dynamic headspace technique for applications requiring greater sensitivity. The HS-20 Series is ideal for repeatability through its precise control of gas flow rates, and a mechanism that allows a sample vial to enter the oven from the bottom. This technique minimizes heat loss and thermal instability during the equilibration step. The oven can be heated to 300 °C, enabling accurate analysis of higher-boiling compounds. Additionally, both models have been engineered with a short, inert sample pathway to minimize carryover from one sample to the next. The HS-20 Series tray holds up to 90 sample vials. It accommodates both 10-mL and 20-mL headspace vials within the same sequence without the need for special attachments. The open architecture of the HS-20 tray provides easy access to all vials for loading and enables stress-free maintenance from the top of the instrument for improved productivity and minimal downtime. The automated shutdown feature switches the system to standby at the end of a sequence to save on electricity and carrier gas. An optional barcode reader records sample ID for reliable traceability. The HS-20 headspace sampler is also compliant with CFR 21 Part 11 through LabSolutions chromatography data system.
web: www.shimadzu.com
new Products Software The iAutomate™ from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is a self-serve, freeto-use tool designed to reduce the time associated with configuring and trialing an automation set-up. Users can quickly and easily build their own system to meet application or process requirements, or modify an existing system around the Orbitor or Orbitor BenchTrak plate movers, a fully customizable plate mover. This allows for lab- or office-based access for automation optimization and efficient online estimating. When setting up a project, users have complete access to the product catalog through the software, which can be filtered, for example, by instrument type. Once chosen, all products will appear on the main screen and can be assembled via drag-and-drop functionality, where they will automatically snap into alignment around the Orbitor BenchTrak. This can be visualized in 2D or 3D, where a scale model can be inspected in detail from any angle.
web: www.thermoscientific.com/iautomate.
Light scattering detector Wyatt Technology Corporation will be launching the µDAWN™ at Pittcon 2014. The µDAWN is a multi-angle light scattering (MALS) detector that can be coupled to any UHPLC system in order to determine absolute molecular weights and sizes of polymers, peptides, and proteins or other biopolymers directly, without resorting to column calibration or reference standards. Wyatt Technology’s µDAWN connects to the Optilab® UT-rEX™, the first refractive index detector for UHPLC. Refractive index detection is a critical component of any UHPLC-SEC-MALS system, so the µDAWN plus UT-rEX equals a combination that transfers the many benefits of SEC-MALS analysis to the realm of UHPLC. In order to accommodate the narrow peaks produced by UHPLC separation, Wyatt Technology’s µDAWN engineers reduced the conventional light scattering flow cell volume from 63 µL to fewer than 10µL. More importantly, a remarkable improvement was achieved in minimizing interdetector mixing; the band broadening between the µDAWN MALS and Optilab UT-rEX detectors was brought to under 7 µL, while the band broadening between the UHPLC’s UV detector and the µDAWN detector is a mere 2 µL. As a consequence of the reduced cell volume and interdetector band broadening, a µDAWN/UT-rEX system can accurately analyze the molar mass and size of UHPLC peaks without loss of resolution. Further expanding the versatility of the µDAWN is the WyattQELS™ Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) module. This embedded accessory measures DLS in the µDAWN flow cell simultaneously with MALS acquisition, computing hydrodynamic radii “on-the-fly.” And finally, the µDAWN user experience is augmented by its colour touchscreen front panel display which shows the chromatographic conditions, instrument diagnostics, and much more.
web: www.wyatt.com
Powder Characterization Freeman Technology will be exhibiting the FT4 Powder Rheometer® at Pittcon 2014, a device that can be used in many industrial sectors, from pharmaceuticals to bulk powders. The system delivers data that support process and product understanding and the optimisation of powder processes. Particular benefits are seen in applications where traditional powder testing techniques have limitations. An example of this and a thriving area of interest is additive manufacture (AM) or 3D printing. The FT4 Powder Rheometer measures a range of bulk, shear and dynamic powder properties under conditions that reflect a diverse range of process environments. With seven standard test methods capable of measuring powders under consolidated, aerated and even fluidised conditions the FT4 Powder Rheometer allows comprehensive analysis of a number of critical process related powder parameters, such as flowability.
web: www.freemantech.co.uk
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