Lab Product News February 2014

6 >>>

>>>

SYSTEM IMPROVES SIZE ANALYSIS 12

>>>

IMPROVING NANO-SCALE IMAGING 13

>>>

FEBRUARY 2014

labcanada.com

under the microscope

Dr. Peter S. Ross photo credit: Vancouver Aquarium

OCEAN POLLUTION

CAPTURING AROMA IN SCOTCH WHISKY 8

Quality

in product

precision in process

strength in people

• Extensive application experience.

• Laboratory layout, design and planning capabilities.

• Excellent on time delivery performance.

• Extensive line of high quality flexible, mobile & fixed laboratory furniture systems.

• Standard, “high performance” & custom fume hoods all designed for wide variety of laboratory applications.

• Ability to meet customers’ exact needs including special requirements.

• Canada wide coverage. mADE IN CANADA

...more than just laboratory furniture

So when you require a solution to your laboratory needs ... think of...

5230 south service road, Burlington on l7l 5K2 phone: (905) 331-1877 3110 avenue Francis-hughes, laval, Quebec h7l 5a7 phone: (450) 663-2525

www.mottlab.com

In This Issue 3

INDUSTRY NEWS

>>> >>> >>> >>>

6

COVER STORY

7

QUALITY CONTROL

8

FOOD SCIENCES

>>> >>> >>>

12

CLINICAL & LIFE SCIENCES

13

NANOTECHNOLOGY

16

PITTCON PREVIEW

page 3

Industry News

EPIC NEW BURGESS SHALE SITE FOUND IN BC

FOSSILS BEING COLLECTED. Image courtesy of Gabriela Mangano.

Yoho National Park’s 505-million-year-old Burgess Shale – home to some of the planet’s earliest animals – is one of the world’s most important fossil sites. Now, more than a century after its discovery, a compelling sequel has been unearthed: 42 km away in Kootenay National Park, a new Burgess Shale fossil site has been located that appears to equal the importance of the original discovery, and may one day even surpass it.

The find was made in the summer of 2012 by a team from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM, Jean-Bernard Caron), Pomona College (Robert Gaines),

>>>

the University of Toronto (Jean-Bernard Caron, Cédric Aria),

February 2014

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

Evaluate, Educate, Explore

Pittcon is the leading conference and exposition for the latest advances in Laboratory Science. Attending Pittcon gives

March 2-6, 2014

you a unique opportunity to get a hands-on look at cutting-edge product innovations from leading companies. Participate in any of the more than 2,000 technical presentations to learn about recent discoveries from world-renowned members of the scientiďŹ c community. Improve or develop your skills by taking a short course taught by industry experts.

www.pittcon.org

For more information on technical sessions, exhibitors and short courses, visit www.pittcon.org.

Chicago, Illinois

Follow Us for special announcements

Pittcon Ad - LPN - Emagazine - OctDecFeb Issues.indd 1

FOOD SCIENCES

>>>

9/18/2013 11:24:53 AM

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

page 4

industry Industry news News & events

GENERAL AREA OF THE NEW BURGESS SHALE SITE. Image courtesy of Robert Gaines.

the University of Saskatchewan (Gabriela Mángano) and Uppsala University (Michael Streng).

A paper published this month in the journal Nature Communications describes the new ‘Marble Canyon’ fossil beds for the first time.The authors suggest that the area and its extraordinary fossils will greatly further our understanding of the sudden explosion of animal life during the Cambrian Period.

The new fossil site is protected by Parks Canada, with the exact location remaining confidential to protect its integrity.

“This new discovery is an epic sequel to a research story that began at the turn of the previous century, and there is no doubt in my mind that this new material will significantly increase our understanding of early animal Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

>>>

RUST-FREE, METAL-FREE PRODUCTS setting the standard in demanding environments NuAire® Polypropylene Fume Hoods and Casework are constructed from primarily stress relieved, fully seam-welded, and reinforced white polypropylene.

NuAire® polypropylene products are the perfect choice for long-lasting, highly corrosive-resistant, metal-free applications.

• Highly corrosive resistant with high temperature and tensile strength • Chemical resistance to organic solvents and degreasing agents as well as electrolytic attack

PI

TTC ON

H BOOT

• Lightweight, stain resistant with a low moisture absorption rate

2817

Find your perfect piece of polypropylene laboratory equipment visit www.nuaire.com/05118 ®

/nuaire

@nuaire

/nuaire

/nuaire

2100 Fernbrook Lane | Plymouth, MN 55447 | U.S.A. | 763.553.1270 | WWW.NUAIRE.COM Copyright © 2012 NuAire

February 2014 NuAire_Poly_LPN_Feb_2014_v1.indd 1

FOOD SCIENCES

>>>

2/3/2014 11:57:45 AM

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

page 5

industry Industry news News & events

evolution,” says Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron, curator of invertebrate paleontology at the Royal Ontario Museum, associate professor at the University of Toronto and the study’s lead author.

The new finding is the latest in a recent string of Burgess Shale discoveries, including confirmation that Pikaia, found only in Yoho National Park, is the most primitive known vertebrate and therefore the ancestor of all descendant vertebrates, including humans.

In over 100 years of research, approximately 200 animal species have been identified at the original Burgess Shale discovery in Yoho National Park in over 600 field days. In just 15 days of field collecting, 50 animal species have already been unearthed at the new Kootenay National Park site.

Some species found at the new Kootenay site are also found in China’s famous Chengjiang fossil beds, which are 10 million years older.This contributes to the

Watch news about the finding on VIDEO

pool of evidence suggesting that the local and worldwide distribution of Cambrian animals, as well as their longevity, might have been underestimated.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

www.goodfellow.com

Metals and materials for research 70 000 PRODUCTS

SMALL QUANTITIES

Goodfellow Cambridge Limited Ermine Business Park Huntingdon PE29 6WR UK Tel: 0800 731 4653 or +44 1480 424 800 Fax: 0800 328 7689 or +44 1480 424 900 info@goodfellow.com

FAST DELIVERY

CUSTOM FABRICATION

ON-LINE CATALOGUE

February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Industry News

DR. PETER ROSS INSIDE A LAB AT VANCOUVER AQUARIUM. Photo credit Vancouver Aquarium.

OCEAN POLLUTION under the microscope

D

r. Peter S. Ross, a world expert in the field of ocean pollution and the only marine mammal toxicologist in Canada, has joined Vancouver Aquarium as senior scientist and founding director of a new program devoted to

studying ocean pollution.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 6

Dr. Ross has more than 25 years of experience in marine pollution research.

Until recently, he was a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as part of a nationwide team of pollution specialists.

“Threats to ocean health include urban and industrial effluents, runoff from forestry and agriculture, oil and gas shipping and exploration, plastics and debris, and climate change,” he says.“Understanding the nature and extent of these threats provide a crucial basis for policies and practices that will protect ocean health for future generations. Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Pollution Science Program will conduct international-calibre scientific research on ocean pollution—and provide comprehensive and authoritative information for individuals, communities and countries.”

“This is an area of study that must not be overlooked,” he adds.“By launching this program, we’re meeting immediate scientific, conservation and education needs. The aquarium is stepping up to the plate on an issue that is often vexing and complex but also worthy of dedicated research.”

State-of-the-art equipment for measuring and assessing the impacts of ocean pollutants will be housed in a new laboratory at Vancouver Aquarium.The program will launch new studies and build on past research led by Dr. Ross.

“The program will benefit from active collaborations with those programs, including the aquarium’s Marine Mammal Research Program and Howe Sound Research Program,” says Dr. John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium president and CEO.“It will also enable us to further examine the impacts of ocean pollutants and provide recommendations to the wider scientific community on how to protect our waterways.” LPN February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Quality Control

Analyzer Automates

QC FUNCTIONS

V

ictorinox, maker of the legendary Swiss Army knife, needed to automate its production quality control process. The process is part of a factory automation system in which only one non-specialist worker runs the entire moulding operation. The automation system required a moisture analyzer to check the plastic granulates used to mould components of the products being made. For this purpose, the company chose and recently installed a Mettler Toledo Professional moisture analyzer equipped with a OneClick user interface.

Victorinox’s quality control experts have pre-programmed the equipment with six shortcut keys; one for each of the plastic granulates in use. This ensures that the operator simply has to load a sample and press a clearly labelled shortcut key; the assigned drying method then starts automatically.

Measurement results, displayed by an instrument on the factory floor, can be sent directly to a regular A4/letter printer anywhere on the company network, for example in the quality control office. The same data may also be transferred to a file server as a PDF for on-screen viewing and electronic archiving, as well as in standard CSV or XLS format for interchange with laboratory and office software.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 7

Professional moisture analyzers are tested as well with SmartCal to verify the performance of the instrument’s overall functionality.

After following simple instructions, normalization for ambient conditions is automatic due to a plug-in humidity and temperature sensor.

Reports are generated in A4 or strip printer format as well as PDF or CSV files.

“Whether the new Mettler-Toledo Professional moisture analyzer instrument is being used in a laboratory or on the factory floor, it achieves highly reproducible results while full network support and USB connectivity simplifies data transfer and ensures convenient and secure reporting,” said Kathrin Annaheim, product manager, Mettler-Toledo Laboratory Weighing.“With OneClick graphical user interface also SmartCal tests can be started with one click.

Once the test has started, the user is guided step by step through the test.”

The goal at Victorinox is to ensure that materials are matching the quality requirements at goods receipt and during the production process. Since the moisture analyzer went into service the company says it has been able to eliminate product errors and to speed up the moulding process by as much as five to ten percent. LPN February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Food Sciences

CAPTURING AROMA IN

SCOTTISH WHISKY

BY DAVID SCOTT, PERKINELMER INC.

The production of whisky requires maturation in wooden casks for the full development of the finished product’s character. Subtle differences in the casks’ conditioning can produce quite different flavours and aromas that require skillful blending to achieve a consistent product. This article explores an effective means of identifying low concentration volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in potable spirits.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 8

M

anufacturing whisky is a lengthy process due to Scottish law, which mandates that the distilled spirit be matured in oak casks for a minimum of three years and one day before it is bottled. During the maturation process the spirit takes on a distinct character in each cask, which must then be blended to give the recognized finished product. Much of the blending is performed by the master blender, a craft that can take 12 years in apprenticeship.

Functional groups that give character to whisky include alcohols, esters, acids and carbonyls, and the odour thresholds of these analytes of interest vary greatly by each group.

Work by Salo1 et al. explained that the majority of whisky’s odour contribution comes from carbonyl compounds. Yet it is interesting to note that, while carbonyl compounds are the most prevalent odour components, of the compounds present they have the smallest combined mass with alcohol being a major component as whisky is legally required to be a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume.

There is usually some discussion among consumers as to the correct way to enjoy whisky. The range of opinions include: neat from the bottle with no change, in a chilled glass, over ice to chill the spirit or with the addition of some volume of room temperature water. The most common comment about ice is that the ice will melt adding water to the whisky.

Not unsurprisingly the effect of temperature on the partitioning of flavour components into the headspace above the spirit is rarely discussed.

When attempting to determine water’s influence on the consumer >>> February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Food Sciences

experience, headspace sampling provides the capability to capture those headspace components and closely mimic the customer experience as they were enjoying a dram. After GC separation, a mass spectrometer can identify those components that the consumer experiences at an olfactometry port enabling a detailed analysis of the direct customer experience.

One of the unique challenges with headspace sampling versus the human interaction is determining the sample volume. Given the many compounds and the wide variation in their odour thresholds, to compare the headspace results with the direct sampling of the human nose from the glass a large injection of vapour is desirable. To achieve that goal the headspace vapour is collected on an absorbent trap using a PerkinElmer TurboMatrix headspace trap system coupled with a Clarus SQ 8 GC/MS and SNFR olfactory port.

In this application note, the VOCs in single malt whisky were investigated. Sample preparation simply involved dispensing a fixed volume of whisky into a sample vial and sealing it. The headspace vial was then sampled for GC separation with MS and olfactometry detection (Figure 1).

Experimental conditions The TurboMatrix HS trap increases the headspace volume that can be sampled by evacuat-

Figure 1

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 9

ing the entire sample vial onto an adsorbent chemical trap. A significant advantage of the HS trap is the capacity of the trapping material, which is greater than that yielded by other techniques such as SPME.The selected trap is an air monitoring trap, which has excellent trapping properties for a wide variety of compounds from different functional groups.The trapping material is also hydrophobic, which assists with water management from the sample.

This sample preparation consisted of 3 mL of sample pipetted into a vial and capped. The vials were thermostatted at 35째C to mimic being held in a manner consistent with a consumer.

Swafer micro-channel flow technology The S-Swafer employed here allows for the manipulation of the column flow rate and sample separation without impacting the active split between the mass spectrometer and olfactory port. Split ratios and flows are results of the selected transfer line geometries and carrier gas pressure(s).

The addition of the second pressure source regulates the splitting and maintains the engineered configuration independent of the column head pressure and maintains a stable flow into the MS detector and olfactometry port. Independence from the column head pressure increases the flow rate options available to a chemist in the separation. The separation is critical from both an identification and a human interaction standpoint.

It can be desirable to have a greater separation than is typical for GC to give a human analyst the opportunity to identify what they are experi>>> encing as certain components are persistent and can mask other February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Food Sciences

Figure 2

Figure 3

more subtle scents of less intense compounds. Therefore, a 60 m x0.32 id wax column was used with a GC oven program starting at 40째C and ramping 4째C/min to 240째C (hold for 8 minutes).

Swafer utility software shown in Figure 2 details the dimensions and calculated flow rates that were employed in the study.

The screen capture in Figure 3 demonstrates that changing the column head pressure from 50 psig to 40 psig adjusted the analytical column flow rate but had no impact on the flow rates to both detectors, and thus no impact on the split ratio between the detectors.

Results The chromatogram in Figure 4 shows the comparison of a neat 12-yearold single malt Glenlivet scotch and the same scotch with water added.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 10

There are obvious differences in the alcohols and ester concentrations in the headspace.

The ethyl decanoate has a fruity fragrance, with a more subtle fruity odour and a somewhat waxy odour as well.

Characteristic whisky odour is Figure 4 3-methylbutan-1-ol with 2-methylpropan-1-ol, which has a malty odour.

The addition of water to neat whisky has a significant increase in those compounds in the headspace. The addition of increased volumes of water, in this case 2 mL, Figure 5, furFigure 5 ther highlights the impact on the selected odour compounds. Ethyl octanoate, ethyl decanoate and 3-methylbutyl acetate show increased concentration in the headspace (all of which have fruity odours), whereas the alcohols are decreased in concentration as the partition changes to flavour the whisky with water. Such changes make the whisky smell fruitier.

February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Food Sciences

Another interesting observation is that alcohol can desensitize the nose and can be recognized as a tingling sensation.

Reducing the ethanol in the headspace then limits the deFigure 6 sensitization further allowing enjoyment of the compounds present in the case of blended whisky there are also changes to the headspace due to the addition of water (see Figure 6).The changes are primarily the inFigure 7 crease of analyte concentration in the headspace but the compounds at 33.98 and 34.94 minutes decrease in the headspace.The balance of flavours and odour compounds is changed by the addition of water.

A comparison of Glenlivet Figure 8 with Dewar’s and Jim Beam brands (Figures 7 and 8, respectively) shows the distinct qualitative and quantitative differences between samples.

Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 11

Conclusion The addition of water to whisky changes the partitioning of the odour compound(s), which changes their concentration in the headspace and, by extension, in the liquid. Remaining compounds will impact the “mouth feel” and balance of the finished product and as such, the addition of water becomes very much a matter of taste.

Given the different starting materials and the fact that the ‘magic’ of aging whisky differs from brand to brand, a consumer may add more water to some whiskies than to others. LPN References 1. P. Salo, L. NyKanen, and H. Suomalainen, J. Food Sci., 1972, 37, 394.

FreeStyle ( Bee Free! ) Let FreeStyle Automated Sample Clean-up system do all the busy work.

SPE, GPC, Immunoaffinity Columns, Concentration & Fractionation. Flexibility in the lab that frees-up time for you! www.pickeringlabs.com

CATALYST FOR SUCCESS

February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Clinical & Life Sciences

Dr Petra Hirsova of the Mayo Clinic with the NanoSight NS300 system for the study of extracellular vesicles.

SYSTEM IMPROVES SIZE ANALYSIS

T

he research laboratory of Dr Gregory Gores at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN does basic research into liver disease. One of the main research areas of interest is lipotoxicity and its role in development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a common feature of metabolic synVisit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 12

drome or obesity. The group has developed the hypothesis that lipotoxicity induces the release of extracellular vesicles (exosomes and microvesicles) from the liver cells. They speculate that these extracellular vesicles are involved in immune cell recruitment and activation, resulting in liver inflammation.

Choosing Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) enables Dr Gores’ team to precisely measure the size distribution and quantity of the extracellular vesicles in samples. This is a crucial requirement of their research. With NTA technology, they are also able to measure vesicles immediately after their isolation, which allows their use at defined concentrations in subsequent experiments the very same day.

Prior to using the NanoSight system, the group used scanning electron microscopy to visualize and measure size of particles and basic absorbance to measure protein amount for inaccurate measurements of vesicle numbers. Since having the NanoSight NS300 instrument, they only use NTA to measure size distribution and quantity of their vesicles.

Speaking about the NS300, research fellow Dr Petra Hirsova, says “There really is no comparison with other techniques; being able to see, count and measure size of the particles in real time is a huge advantage over other techniques that we have used. Compared to scanning electron microscopy, preparing the sample and obtaining the results is much easier and faster with NTA. NTA provides a much more precise assessment of extracellular vesicle amount compared to measurement of total protein of the vesicles.” LPN February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Nanotechnology

IMPROVING NANO-SCALE IMAGING Negative-stiffness vibration isolators can easily support the heavy weight of a combined AFM/micro-Raman system, and isolate it from low frequency vibrations more effectively than high-performance air tables or active isolation systems.

BY JIM MCMAHON

T

he need for precise vibration isolation with scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) systems is becoming more critical as resolutions continue to bridge from micro to nano. Whether used in academic labs or commercial facilities, SPM and NSOM systems are extremely susceptible to vibrations from the environment. When measuring a very few angstroms or nanometers of displacement, an absolutely stable surface must be established for the instrument. Any vibration coupled into the mechanical structure of the instrument will cause vertical and/or horizontal noise and bring about a reduction in the ability to measure high resolution features – the vertical axis being the most sensitive for SPMs, but they can also be quite sensitive to vibrations in the horizontal axis.

Traditionally, high-performance air tables have been the vibration isolators most used for SPM and NSOM work. The ubiquitous passive-system air tables, adequate until a decade ago, are now being seriously challenged Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 13

The MicroView4000 platform from Nanonics Imaging is the basis for AFM-Raman integration.

Minus K – Nanonics MultiView 4000 MultiProbe system for scanning probe microscopy permits full integration with optical techniques such as Raman using negative-stiffness vibration isolation.

by the need for more refined imaging requirements. Bench-top air systems provide limited isolation vertically and very little isolation horizontally. Also at a disadvantage are the active isolation systems, known as electronic force cancellation, that use electronics to sense the motion and then put in equal amounts of motion electronically to compensate and cancel out the motion. Active systems are adequate for applications with lasers and optics, as they can start isolating as low as 0.7 Hz, but because they run on electricity they can be negatively influenced by problems of electronic dysfunction and power modulations, which can interrupt scanning.

Lately, the introduction of integrated microscopy systems employing multiple microscopes is enabling more complex optical measurements,

>>>

February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Nanotechnology

but these systems are also much heavier, and there has been little vibration isolation technology available for such heavy instrumentation.

Negative-stiffness-mechanism vibration isolation is well adapted for SPM and NSOM systems, particularly in applications using atomic force microscopy (AFM) integrated with micro-Raman spectroscopy. In fact, it is the application of negative-stiffness isolation that has enabled AFMs to be truly integrated with micro-Raman into one combined system. Negativestiffness isolators can handle the heavy weight of the combined AFM/micro-Raman system, as well as isolate the equipment from low frequency vibrations, a critical set of factors that high-performance air tables and active systems cannot achieve.

AFM integrated with micro-Raman The integration of AFM with micro-Raman enables a sizable improvement in data correlation between the two techniques and expanded Raman measurement and resolution capabilities. Micro-Raman is a spectroscopic NSOM technique used in condensed matter physics and chemistry to study vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes in a system. It relies on scattering of monochromatic light, usually from a laser in the visible, near infrared or near ultraviolet range. The laser light interacts with phonons or other excitations in the system, resulting in the energy of the laser photons being shifted up or down. The shift in energy gives information about the phonon modes in the system.

Scanning samples in a micro-Raman system, however, suffer from several problems. As a sample is scanned, even a very flat sample, it is hard Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 14

to keep the distance of the lens to the sample constant. Thus, as one goes from pixel to pixel under the lens of a Raman, a mixture of sample and air is sampled in the voxel (volumetric picture element) that is illuminated.

This causes intensity variations in the Raman that are unrelated to the chemical composition of the sample and are artifactual.

The atomic force microscope, being a very high-resolution type of scanning probe microscope, has demonstrated resolution of fractions of a nanometer, making it one of the foremost tools for imaging, measuring and manipulating matter at the nano-scale. The AFM consists of a microscale cantilever with a sharp tip (probe) at its end that is used to scan the specimen surface. When the tip is brought into proximity of a sample surface, forces between the tip and the sample lead to a deflection of the cantilever. Resultant characteristics, such as mechanical, electrostatic, magnetic, chemical and other forces are then measured by the AFM using, typically, a laser spot reflected from the top surface of the cantilever into an array of photodiodes.

Most systems employing AFM in concert with Raman perform separately, executing either an AFM scan or a Raman scan independently. The recently developed direct integration of Raman spectroscopy with AFM technique, however, has opened the door to significantly improved technique and sample analyses.

Micro-Raman is a micro-technique, but when AFM is added, it becomes a nano-technique. It allows the AFM structural data to be recorded online and improves the resolution of the Raman information when the >>> nanometric feedback of the system adjusts, with unprecedented preFebruary 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Nanotechnology

cision, the position of each pixel of the sample relative to the lens. Also the small movements of the AFM stage provide oversampling which is a well-known technique for resolution improvement.

One integrated AFM-Raman system developed by Nanonics Imaging in association with major Raman manufacturers such as Renishaw, Horiba JY and others provides simultaneous and, very importantly, online data from both modalities. This advantage addresses critical problems in Raman including resolution and intensity comparisons in Raman images while permitting online functional characterization such as thermal conductivity, elasticity and adhesion, electrical and other properties.

Negative-stiffness vibration isolation Underlying this integration of AFM with micro-Raman is negative-stiffness vibration isolation, developed by Minus K Technology. It provides improved transmissibility of a negative-stiffness isolator – that is the vibrations that transmit through the isolator relative to the input floor vibrations.

Negative-stiffness isolators employ a completely mechanical concept in low-frequency vibration isolation. Vertical-motion isolation is provided by a stiff spring that supports a weight load, combined with a negative-stiffness mechanism. The net vertical stiffness is made very low without affecting the static load-supporting capability of the spring. Beam-columns connected in series with the vertical-motion isolator provide horizontal-motion isolation.

The horizontal stiffness of the beam-columns is reduced by the “beam-column� effect (A beam-column behaves as a spring combined with a negative-stiffness mechanism). The result is a compact passive isolator capable Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 15

of very low vertical and horizontal natural frequencies and very high internal structural frequencies. The isolators (adjusted to 1/2 Hz) achieve 93% isolation efficiency at 2 Hz; 99% at 5 Hz; and 99.7% at 10 Hz. “Before negative-stiffness vibration isolation was employed, AFM used in conjunction with micro-Raman systems could not maintain adequate imaging integrity while measuring at the nano-scale level,” says Aaron Lewis, president of Nanonics Imaging.“Vibration isolation is absolutely necessary for the system’s successful performance, and negative-stiffness isolation has enabled AFM and micro-Raman to function as a truly integrated platform.” LPN About the author: Jim McMahon writes on instrumentation technology.

AFM NOISE TEST

A well-know noise test in atomic force microscopy (AFM) systems is based on imaging atomic steps in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate. The test measures single (0.34nm) and multiple steps of carbon atoms on the surface while monitoring the peak to peak noise.

The above test has been implemented on in an AFM/Raman system and two AFM scans were performed in two scenarios when the AFM head was mounted on Minus K vibration isolation platform (left image) and when mounted on optical non-floating table (right). Both images were taken when the Raman was in operation.

February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Pittcon Preview

SEC-MALS detector for UHPLC provides excellent sensitivity

Reduction in the cell volume of a MALS system can create technical difficulties due to the increased proximity of the laser beam to cell/ sample interfaces, which leads to higher levels of stray light and can compromise instrument sensitivity. The µDawn SEC-MALS detector for UHPLC maintains the sensitivity. Its light-scattering flow cell volume is less than 10 µL, and the device can be coupled to any UHPLC system.

Wyatt Technology www.wyatt.com

High-pressure reactor suits small batch reactions

A high-pressure reactor for small batch reaction chemistry, the HPR-Micro Reactor comes standard with a 10 mL Iconel 625 stainless steel reactor vessel for operation up to 10,000 psi, inlet and outlet valves and a pressure gauge. Operation from -40°C to 150°C is possible. Multiple inlet ports are included for addition of solvents reagents or gases. Suitable for early exploratory research.

Supercritical Fluid Technologies www.supercriticalfluids.com Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 16

Water-quality meter is Smartphone-compatible

Smartphone-compatible sensors can simplify field work.

The SAM-1 Smart Aqua Meter is compatible with both iOS and Android smart devices. The water-quality meter simply plugs into the headphone jack of a Smartphone or tablet, and easily measures and records pH, ORP or conductivity values. The SAM-1 app is available for free download and provides an easy-to-use interface for taking measurements and managing data.

Sensorex www.sensorex.com

Pipette dispenses up to 100 times without refill

The Repeater M4 pipette is designed to minimize the time and effort required for precise and accurate repeat dispensing tasks. A built-in sensor detects the Combitips automatically, which shows the tip volume on an easy to read display and eliminates the need for manual volume calculations. Central ejector supports one-handed operation for contact-free tip ejection that avoids any risk of contamination.

Eppendorf www.eppendorfna.com/repeaterm4 February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Pittcon Preview

Setting the standard for demanding environments

Conventional, by-pass and vertical laminar flow fume hoods provide quality personnel protection.

Constructed of 100% polypropylene, they are an excellent choice for long lasting, highly corrosive resistant, metal-free applications. Designed and tested to meet the performance criteria as established by the NSF Standard #4, Federal Standard 209d, Class 10 Air Quality conditions, meeting both SEFA-1-2006 and ASHRAE 110-1995 Standards. All casework is manufactured using stress-relieved, fully seam-welded polypropylene.

NuAire http://www.nuaire.com/05119

High-performance pumps offer long service life

Proper bearing protection can increase the service life and uptime of a pump. The Turbovac i line of turbo molecular pumps have ceramic bearings that are protected against heat and contamination. Suitable for ultra-high vacuum applications and integration within compact pump system solutions. They provide high gas throughput, fast run-up time and insensitivity to particulates.

Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum www.oerlikon.com/leyboldvacuum Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 17

Evaporator easily integrates with liquid-handling robots

The turn-key UltraVap Mistral robot-compatible automatic dry down station works with robotic liquid-handling systems from many third-party suppliers. It features a new shuttle design that can serve and retrieve microplates to and from the robot deck without further need for off-deck handling. It has a built-in colour TFT display and easy-to-use graphical interface, as well as an integrated method storage for 32 protocols.

Porvair Sciences www.porvair-sciences.com/en/services-menu/ equipment/ultravap-rc-microplate-evaporator/

Fume hood offers great containment performance

The RFV2 (Reduced Face Velocity) fume hood offers excellent containment performance and energy efficiency at lower face velocities than conventional fume hoods. This fume hood has been tested to both standard and modified ASHRAE procedures at face velocities as low as 50 fpm. The hood design provides the fume hood operator with a secure and reliable operating environment while providing considerable capital and operating cost savings.

MottLAB www.mott.ca/fume-hoods/rfv2-high-efficiency.aspx February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

Pittcon Preview

Capillary glass tubes available in multiple shapes, sizes

Capillary tubes are needed for many applications in liquid measurement, liquid transfer, flow restrictors, fibre optic components, laser technology, x-ray diffraction analysis and thermocouple assemblies. A new line of high-precision glass capillary tubes are available with inner diameters as small as 0.005 mm and in a range of materials including soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, quartz and sapphire.

Goodfellow www.goodfellow.com

Ammonia analyzer based on coulometric titration

The AT-2000 Ammonia Analyzer is based on coulometric titration technology and can measure NH4-N swiftly, accurately and easily without any specific skill by the end-user. The meter has a wide measurement range from lowto high-end with accurate measurement and is not interfered by turbidity or colour of the sample.

It has a short measurement time of typically one minute.

JM Science www.jmscience.com Visit us online www.labcanada.com INDEX

INDUSTRY NEWS

COVER STORY

QUALITY CONTROL

>>>

page 18

Fitting is for small fluid connections

The 6-40 Click-N-Seal Micro fitting is designed for diagnostic, analytical and medical applications requiring smaller fluid connections. It easily connects a 1/16” tube into 6-40 threaded ports using special torque limiting technology to eliminate under- or over-tightening and ensure a proper seal. Ferrule options are available for both conical and flat bottom ports. Flared tube and fittings are also offered for flat bottomed ports.

Diba www.dibaind.com

FT-IR spectrometer has a single chip

With a single-chip MEMS based monolithic Michelson interferometer, innovative dedicated circuitry, and versatile software, SWS’ MEMS FT-IR spectrometer is the world’s first single-chip FT-IR spectrometer. The miniaturized, low cost module can be integrated into a wide variety of systems for applications that require qualitative and/or quantitative material analysis.

Si-Ware www.si-ware.com/sws62211-p/ February 2014 FOOD SCIENCES

CLINICAL LIFE SCIENCES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

PITTCON PREVIEW

>>>

industry news & events Pittcon Preview

page 19

System accelerates amino acid analysis

New methods, using the Pinnacle PCS post-column derivatization system, help to accelerate amino acid analysis while at the same time maintaining the high reproducibility and sensitivity laboratories expect from Ninhydrin derivatization. A new white paper from Pickering Instruments presents new accelerated amino acids analysis methods for both physiological and protein hydrolysate samples.

Pickering Laboratories http://www.bizinfogroup.ca/MktgImages/LPN102313/ 201310231207120cwl2bf23bk0u3a55b5lfor45.pdf

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Leslie Burt lburt@labcanada.com STAFF WRITER

Rebecca Reid ART DIRECTOR

Sandy MacIssac CIRCULATION MANAGER

Anita Madden EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER

Tim Dimopoulos

80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Fax (416) 510-5140 Telephone direct (416) 510-6835 LAB PRODUCT NEWS is published by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. BIG Magazines LP is a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS/EMAIL: Please call (416) 442-5600, ext 3548 or email mmarasigan@bizinfogroup.ca for changes and updates to your subscription.

Laboratory Product News assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported.

From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose products or services may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-668-2374; Fax: 416-442-2191; E-Mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca; Mail to: Privacy Officer, Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Produced in Canada.

VICE-PRESIDENT, CANADIAN PUBLISHING

Alex Papanou PRESIDENT, BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP

Digital edition: ISSN 1923-3043 Member of the Member/Canadian Canadian Business Business Press Press

Bruce Creighton

Visit us on line www.labcanada.com INDEX

February 2014

>>>