As interest in microplastics in the environment and food chain grows, so does the interest in the potential impacts on environmental and human health. This, coupled with strong public attention, has led to various organizations worldwide looking towards the potential for regulations. For example, the European Chemical Agency is currently considering restrictions on the use of microplastics in the form of microbeads in personal care products. Furthermore, the first ISO standard document with general guidelines will be published this year. It can be expected that this will directly impact both official and contract laboratories and producers of drinking water, food, and other relevant products, which will need to better understand the amount, number, size, and ID of microplastic particles in their products. Alongside this broad approach, several countries are developing the standard testing methodology for microplastics in water, and the environment and organizations have been conducting interlaboratory studies as a step towards harmonization of testing methodologies to ensure the comparability of results.
During this webinar, we will explore the development of these standard methodologies and some of the key challenges faced in their implementation.
What will you learn
What progress has been made in the development of standardised methodologies for microplastics?
What are some of the key challenges that remain in implementing these methodologies?
How might these developments impact other areas and the potential for implementing regulations?
Who should attend this webinar
Microplastics researchers
Microplastics analysts from commercial, QA, or research labs who seek to understand how their methods might be compatible with developing standardised methodologies
Those interested in the contamination of wastewater, seawater, freshwater, air, sediments, and food (such as fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and bottled water)
Speaker
Dr. Anja Sokolowski Senior Project Manager
DIN Standards Committee Water Practice
Dr. Andreas Kerstan
Product Specialist
Agilent Technologies
The vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folate, and the minerals selenium, zinc, copper, and iron, are essential for normal immune function. Dietary supplements are highly in demand to boost immunity and prevent deficiencies in these nutrients. Dietary supplements and their raw materials are diverse, from an extract in a tablet to a tea packet, milk, or oil bottle in the kitchen. Producers and regulators ensure that active compounds are present in these supplements at the levels expected.
Geographic origin, freshness, and production-type can affect health benefits and also require testing. LC and GC methods focus on known compounds of importance with many outlined by reference bodies like IOC, ISO, FSSAI, and USP. Agilent Technologies is excited to be holding the Food Quality Analysis Program, in collaboration with FSSAI.
Join our webinars to learn about workflow solutions for analysis of nutritional parameters in food, through faster identification and detection at low levels.
Whether you are new to practicing GC chromatography, or would like a refresher, the installation and care of your GC column is of the utmost importance.
Join us as we discuss proper column installation and handling for all Agilent GCs including the Intuvo 9000. We will also address the common modes of column degradation and some of the misconceptions that people have concerning column degradation. Lastly, we will discuss ways that you can protect and maintain your column’s lifetime and performance while minimising instrument downtime.
Speaker
Mark Sinnott Application Engineer Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Mark Sinnott works for Agilent Technologies as a Technical Support Engineer in the Consumables and Supplies Division (CSD) at the capillary column manufacturing facility (the “J&W Scientific” location). In his position at Agilent, Mark performs technical support and applications assistance to gas chromatographers worldwide. He has more than 22 years of experience in gas chromatography, including environmental analysis of compounds in air, soil and water matrices, including dissolved gas analysis for the electrical industry. Mark holds a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from California State University, Sacramento, and currently resides in Sacramento.
Ryan Birney
Application Engineer Agilent Technologies, Inc.
In Ryan’s current role at Agilent, he provides application assistance and technical support for GC and Spectroscopy. He has been supporting Agilent in technical and sales roles for the past seven years. Ryan came to Agilent from industry, and has an BS degree in Biochemistry.
Every single food item we purchase in a store has a label or two. While we can sometimes overlook the labels, they are doing a vital job. Food labelling helps to promote consumer confidence and trust in the food industry by providing them with the information they need to make informed decisions about the foods they eat. It also helps to promote transparency, safety, and fair trade practices in the food industry.
But what does it all really mean for consumers, how does it affect consumers and why should consumers be aware of the laws relating to food labelling? It is because there is expectation and trust on the part of the consumer. The consumer expects a supplier of foodstuffs to comply with the relevant laws relating to their product and trust that the manner in which the foodstuff is handled, and the information that is presented to the consumer regarding a product, is true and not misleading. From allergen declarations, the amount of sugar present in a product right down to the storage instructions of a foodstuff, consumers are fast becoming more conscious of what is in their foodstuffs.
Food labelling in South Africa
In South Africa, food labelling is regulated by the Department of Health through the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act (Act 54 of 1972) and the Regulations Relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs (R146). The regulations also require that labels be written in English, but may also include one or more of the other official languages of South Africa, such as Afrikaans, isiZulu, or Sesotho.
All food products sold in South Africa must have labels that include certain mandatory information such as the product name, ingredients list, net quantity, country of origin, and the name and address of the manufacturer or importer. Common allergens must be declared on a label and the manner in which allergens must be declared is regulated by R146.
Date marking is a piece of mandatory information on a label. It must be indicated on the label and in the following manner: “best before”, “BB” and/or “use by” and/or “sell by”. Any person is prohibited from removing or altering the date marking. However, it is important to note that when the “best before” dates have been reached, it does not mean that the food is unsafe, but that it may be past its best. “Use by” is somewhat more instructive and often applies to refrigerated items where the risk of microbiological spoilage can be expected to increase after a given date. “Sell by” is a store guideline to ensure that goods still have a reasonable shelf life after sale.
If there are claims made on a label, such as “High in fibre” it is mandatory to have a nutritional table on the label. If the nutritional table has been indicated on the label, whether voluntarily by the manufacturer or due to the fact that a claim has been made on the label, the Regulations relating to the Foodstuffs Act (R146) prescribes a very specific format in which the nutritional information must be presented. Amongst other requirements, the nutritional information must be presented in the tabular format, energy content must be declared in “kilojoules” or “kJ”, and the amount of each nutrient present in the foodstuff must be expressed per 100 g/ml and per single serving.
South Africa has also done some pioneering things in terms of food manufacturing and food labelling. South Africa was the first country in the world to require mandatory fortification of staple foods with vitamins and minerals, including wheat flour, maize meal, and rice. The fortification of these foods is aimed at addressing the country’s high levels of nutrient deficiencies. In 2018, South Africa also implemented a new regulation requiring the warning label “high in sugar” on food and drinks with more than 17.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres. This regulation is aimed at addressing the country’s high rates of obesity and related health problems.
Importance for suppliers
Labelling legislation in South Africa is complex and must be looked at as a whole and not each part in isolation. In addition to the multitude of legislations pertaining to food labelling, there is also no single regulatory authority on labelling of foodstuffs. Bearing all this in mind, and although it can be a bit overwhelming, consumers must be aware of their rights and where to go should they have a complaint.
Suppliers and retailers must also take note of the many food labelling legislations which will impact their marketing, designing of labels and ultimately their relationship with the consumer. With new labelling Regulations in the pipeline gearing to replace R146, understanding the complex nature of our South African labelling legislation has never been more important.
(This article contains information originally published by the Food Advisory Consumer Services)
This on-demand webinar is a comparison of headspace and SPME-arrow injection techniques for the analysis of terpenes in cannabis cultivars.
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Götz Schlotterbeck
Dean Study Program Chemistry / Bioanalytics & Cell Biology and Analytical Chemistry FHNW (University of Applied Sciences and Arts), Muttenz, Switzerland
The cannabis and hemp markets are thriving around the world. South Africa is an emerging cannabis economy that is poised to become a major player in the global industry because of our favourable climate, the depth of our agriculture experience, and abundant viable land for farming. There is still a myriad of legislative and regulatory challenges to navigate and clarify, but great opportunities exist for businesses of all sizes to participate in the future growth of the cannabis sector.
The creates a need for cannabis testing and analysis, particularly potency testing. The high costs of setting up a cannabis and hemp testing laboratory and the wide array of choices can sometimes lead lab owners to make short-term, low-cost purchasing decisions. It is important to consider the long-term operations of the lab and define clear criteria for the choice of instrumentation.
Things to consider
Think in terms of ABLE methods: affordABLE, achievABLE, reliABLE, and repeatABLE when considering the instrument purchase. Other important decisions include the bench space in your lab and the footprint of the equipment, data processing, consumables, scientific consulting, education, and ongoing support. Finally, laboratories need to trust their instrumentation partner Chemetrix to support them with expertise and consultancy.
There is a bewildering range of testing equipment choices for the analysis of cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp products. How do you choose what’s right for you? Should you opt for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), or do your needs align better with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS)?
Setting up a cannabis testing laboratory involves several significant decisions, and instrument selection for total cannabinoid analysis (potency testing) is one of the most important ones. Potency specifically refers to the amount of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the sample, but other cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN, and others must be measured and reported as well.
Criteria for selecting instrumentation
The testing technology and equipment you select are dependent upon your commercial model, business goals, and type of laboratory set-up you have.
If you are a start-up cannabis and hemp testing laboratory, grower, extractor, or manufacturer with small batch-processing needs, you require entry-level testing equipment that yields repeatable and reliable results. HPLC is the most widely used technology for this use case, and the Agilent 1220 Infinity II LC is ideal for your purpose. Capable of processing about 100 samples per day, it is perfect for routine testing. The Agilent 1220 Infinity II HPLC is a self-contained system with a small footprint and reliably tests 11 of the major cannabinoids. Agilent 1220 Infinity II LC
An alternative to the 1220 system is the Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC. The 1260 platform is modular, flexible, upgradable, and can grow with your cannabis and hemp lab’s needs. High-throughput laboratories, cannabinoid researchers, forensic and criminalistic labs, and cultivar R&D may need to identify hundreds of cannabinoids and many other endogenous chemicals in cannabis and hemp. For these situations LC/MS is the answer. Agilent 1260 Infinity II LC
The Agilent Cary 630 FT-IR spectrometer is a type of equipment that is used for relatively simple testing of the four major cannabinoids with processed samples.
If your lab is pivoting to include cannabis potency testing in its service offering, speak to your Chemetrix sales representative who can advise if any upgrades or instrument acquisitions are required to ensure the lab can meet regulatory guidelines. If you’re newly venturing into this sector, Chemetrix is able to advise a complete solution that can ensure your lab can deliver results with a good return on investment from your analytical instrumentation.
To delve further into cannabis potency testing, read this article by Agilent Technologies that further explores the recommended testing technology and why they are best suited to the methodology required.
Watch this webinar to learn how dedicated UHPLC instrumentation and chromatography columns can help overcome the hurdles of compromised sample integrity and surface interaction.
The Deaf community is one of the most marginalised groups in South African society today. Over 80% of Deaf youth are unemployed and one organisation is working tirelessly to shrink this number, despite tough social and economic challenges.
About eDeaf
eDeaf is South Africa’s leading Skills Development training provider for Deaf youth. It is a BBBEE Level 2 company, with a Deaf CEO at the helm. The organisation strives to improve the social and economic lives of the Deaf community through a variety of empowerment and skills development programmes.
By adding value, not only to the individuals they train, eDeaf creates employable Deaf individuals who are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the economy. Their successful programs reduces the reliance on social grants and provides a boost to the economy.
An inspiring partnership
Chemetrix has partnered with eDeaf since 2017. Over the years, Chemetrix has sponsored 34 unemployed Deaf school leavers, as well as provided project funding. The team has been sincerely invested in the lives of the Deaf community and committed to making a difference, not only to individuals, but also as a contribution to the improvement of the country.
A big part of eDeaf’s mission is to sensitise the “hearing” community and help more of us see what life is like for Deaf persons. The organisation’s facilitators are Deaf which ensures learners are taught in their first language, South African Sign Language. This results in a greater success rate and better-prepared young adults who are entering the workforce.
Just like eDeaf, Chemetrix believes that we are stronger together. Great partnerships and supporting solutions that ensure everyone thrives are at the heart of future success for both organisations. It is our honour to be associated with an organisation doing remarkable work and we encourage our industry at large to support eDeaf’s work as well as greater inclusion of the Deaf community.
Organic solvents constitute a major fraction in the synthesis of pharmaceutical products. The manufacturing process for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) may contribute to residual solvents remaining in the final product. Producers need to monitor and control the levels of residual solvents for several reasons—including safety, effect on crystalline form, solubility, bio-availability, and stability.
Therefore, all products must be tested to assess whether the solvents used during the manufacturing processes are within the accepted limits. Quality assurance laboratories routinely use the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Method <467>.
Procedures for identification and quantification
The USP <467> monograph specifies the different classes of solvents per their toxicity, sets the concentration limits according to their health hazard, and describes the assay procedure for the solvents. A complete list of all the solvents that may be used in manufacturing processes is not mentioned under these classes. Therefore, the final products should be screened according to the solvents used during their specific manufacturing process.
The method is composed of three analytical procedures for identification and quantification.
Procedure A: Identification and limit testing. Uses a G43 phase (624-type column).
Procedure B: Confirms whether or not an identified solvent is above the regulated limits. Uses a G16 phase (WAX-type column).
Procedure C: Quantitative test using a G43 phase or G16 phase, depending on which produced fewer coelutions.
USP <467> analytical flowchart for residual solvent analysis.
Columns for excellent performance
Agilent J&W DB-Select 624 UI columns have shown excellent performance for residual solvent analysis according to USP <467> Procedure A. Repeatability was generally better than 2.5% RSD for Class 1, Class 2A, and Class 2B solvents. Once a residual solvent was identified above the permitted daily exposure (PDE) limit, Procedure B is performed to confirm analyte identity. The Agilent J&W DB-WAX UI GC column has been successfully used as a confirmation column, because it yields an alternate selectivity compared to that of a G43 column.
For this method, Chemetrix can recommend state-of-the-art analytical instruments. With best-in-class technology and powerful software, the Agilent 7697A headspace sampler is packed with the latest productivity-boosting features. It’s unique sampling design allows you to use hydrogen as a carrier gas, delivering optimal chromatography and helping to future-proof your lab.
Based on the Agilent Intuvo 9000 GC system, Agilent Residual Solvent Analyzers are factory pretested and preconfigured to deliver results, fast, while saving precious startup time. What’s more, their analytical precision exceeds USP method requirements for the three classes of residual solvents. It’s chemically tested to ensure optimal analysis of class 1 and class 2A/B solvents and labs can begin system calibration and validation immediately following installation.
Residual Solvent Analysis is a must in any manufacturing environment where solvents form part of the production process. Because this process is so critical, using the correct instruments suited for the lab requirements can save time and boost accuracy.
Quality control at the heart of it all
At every stage of the quality control process, Chemetrix can assist labs with full end-to-end solutions for your residual solvent analysis. Our team of qualified professionals can share a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including different instrument models, software and consumables, that work together to provide accurate and reproducible results.
In this presentation, we will present the relevant GC/FID and GC/FID/MS based analytical strategies to confidently detect and quantify Class 1, 2, and 3 as well as unknown solvents in drug products. Learn how taking advantage of dual channel configuration and Agilent’s Smart, Connected, and Self-Aware systems can help you successfully meet your requirements for residual solvent analysis and ensure your testing is right first time and every time.
What will you learn
Understand what residual solvent impurities are and why it’s important to characterise and quantify them, even when present in trace amounts
Understand the current regulatory guidelines for residual solvent analysis in drug substance and product
Learn about the approaches for the confident identification and quantification of residual solvents
Who should attend this webinar
Laboratory managers
Chromatographers
Analytical chemists and scientists
New product developers
Pharma quality control managers
Speaker
Ian Eisele
Applications Chemist,
Gas Phase Separation Division,
Agilent Technologies
Youjuan Zhang
Applications Chemist,
Gas Phase Separation Division,
Agilent Technologies
