Tag: Agilent

Detecting PFAS and Other ‘Forever Chemicals’ in SA’s Textiles

Festive fashion, hidden risks

With the holiday season fast approaching, South Africans are gearing up for warm-weather celebrations, stocking up on water-repellent jackets, quick-dry swimwear and stain-resistant tablecloths. But behind the seasonal sparkle lies a silent concern: PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

 

 

Nicknamed “forever chemicals” for their resistance to breakdown, PFAS are commonly used in textiles to enhance durability and repel liquids. However, their environmental persistence and health risks, ranging from hormonal disruption to cancer, have made them a growing concern worldwide.

 

As international regulations tighten, textile retailers, importers and labs in South Africa must prepare to detect and manage PFAS contamination.

🖥️ Watch the Analysis of PFAS: Strategies to Optimise Performance webinar and explore the biggest challenges currently in the analysis of PFAS.

 

Why is PFAS detection in textiles so difficucon

Detecting PFAS in fabric isn’t like testing for surface-level contaminants. These chemicals can:
  • Be present in ultra-trace amounts
  • Be embedded in complex synthetic fibres
  • Require extensive and delicate preparation before testing

 

 

Traditional methods rely heavily on manual prep, increasing the risk of human error. For busy labs and testing facilities, especially in high-demand seasons, this leads to:
  • Delays in turnaround times
  • Inconsistent results
  • Potential non-compliance with regulations

 

📚 Explore the PFAS Analysis in Environmental Samples Ordering Guide, your go-to resource for selecting the right consumables for your PFAS environmental testing needs.

 

Automation is transforming textile PFAS testing

Forward-looking labs are turning to automation to solve these pain points. By integrating Agilent’s LC/MS instruments with Raykol’s automated SPE (Solid Phase Extraction) systems, labs can drastically improve their efficiency and precision.

Benefits of this approach include:
  • Faster processing of large sample volumes
  • Minimised manual intervention
  • Higher consistency and reproducibility
  • Freed-up lab staff for data analysis rather than repetitive prep tasks
This workflow is especially valuable during South Africa’s high-spend festive months, where time and accuracy are critical.

 

How does Raykol’s automated SPE system improve sample prep?

Sample preparation is often the most manual and error-prone stage of PFAS testing. Raykol’s Fotector SPE platform automates this process, reducing variability and increasing throughput.

Key benefits of Raykol’s system include:
  • Reduced contamination risk from human handling
  • Faster preparation times for large volumes
  • Seamless compatibility with LC/MS workflows
  • Improved repeatability and lab efficiency

 

RayKol’s Fotector series Automated Solid Phase Extraction Systems

 

🔍 Explore RayKol’s Fotector series Automated Solid Phase Extraction Systems, designed to meet the requirements of large-scale sample preparation in modern testing laboratories

 

Agilent LC/MS: Trusted precision for PFAS detection

Agilent’s Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) systems are purpose-built to detect ultra-low concentrations of PFAS in even the most complex textile materials.

These platforms help labs:
  • Comply with global regulations (e.g. EU REACH, US EPA, SAICM)
  • Process large test batches without compromising accuracy
  • Stay competitive by delivering reliable, compliant results on time

 

Agilent 6495C LC/MSMS

 

PFAS testing protects more than compliance

While regulation is a key driver, the real value of PFAS detection goes beyond ticking boxes. South African retailers and importers who adopt rigorous testing practices also gain:
  • Consumer trust during peak sales seasons
  • Brand differentiation as safety-conscious and transparent
  • Supply chain resilience against new international bans or restrictions
  • Preparedness for the expanding global push toward PFAS elimination

 

Case in point: A South African home textile importer recently adopted Agilent + Raykol systems and achieved a 60% reduction in turnaround time, enabling full compliance with updated EU restrictions before they took effect.

🔍 Explore Agilent’s PFAS Testing Kits for Environmental Analysis, a comprehensive portfolio of environmental PFAS testing kits designed to comply with stringent testing methods.

 

What’s next? Build a smarter PFAS detection strategy

PFAS are here, regulations are rising, and expectations around chemical safety are increasing fast. Now’s the time to modernise your PFAS testing workflows with automation and precision analytics.

Make your lab smarter, faster, and fully compliant – before it’s mandatory.

 

🖥️ Watch the Simultaneous Measurement of PFAS Compounds in the Environment webinar and discover a robust and sensitive method for the simultaneous quantitation of 53 legacy and new, emerging PFAS covering 14 compounds classes.

Powerful Partnerships, Inspiring Insights.

For over 45 years, Chemetrix has been a trusted partner to laboratories across Southern and East Africa, providing world-class analytical instrumentation and unwavering support.

As the sole authorised distributor of Agilent Technologies’ chromatography, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopy products in the region, we deliver cutting-edge solutions tailored to your laboratory’s unique needs.

Our team of highly qualified professionals—experts in the natural, life, and applied sciences—offer comprehensive support, from technical sales to application insights. We collaborate closely with our clients, ensuring that each solution aligns with their specific objectives.

Beyond our commitment to scientific excellence, Chemetrix is dedicated to social responsibility. Since 2017, we’ve partnered with eDeaf to provide skills development for deaf youth and actively participate in the Yes4Youth initiative, addressing youth unemployment in South Africa.

Whether you’re scaling up operations, navigating regulatory complexities, or seeking to enhance efficiency, Chemetrix stands ready to support your journey.

Let’s advance science together.
Connect with our team to discover how Chemetrix can elevate your laboratory’s performance.

Empowering Science in SA with Pre-Loved Analytical Instruments

In the pursuit of scientific advancement, access to high-quality laboratory equipment is essential. However, for many educational institutions and small research organisations, acquiring the necessary analytical instruments remains a challenge due to budget constraints. Recognising this need, Agilent Technologies has partnered with Seeding Labs, a non-profit organisation dedicated to equipping scientists in resource-limited areas with the tools they need to drive innovation. In South Africa, Chemetrix is proud to be part of this initiative, facilitating the handover of previously used Agilent instruments to deserving universities, technical colleges, and research institutions.

Seeding Labs: A catalyst for scientific growth

Seeding Labs is an award-winning nonprofit that has spent the last 15 years working to overcome a major barrier to global development: the extreme concentration of scientific capacity in just a handful of countries. Since 2008, Seeding Labs has provided scientific institutions in developing countries with access to modern lab equipment and supplies through our flagship program, Instrumental Access.

This initiative has been instrumental in bridging the global equipment gap by collecting and redistributing used but fully functional laboratory instruments to institutions that need them most. It ensures that scientists can continue their research and contribute to scientific progress regardless of financial limitations.

Agilent’s participation in this initiative underscores its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable scientific development. By donating previously used instruments, Agilent not only supports education and research but also promotes a more sustainable approach to laboratory operations by extending the lifecycle of high-quality equipment.

Chemetrix: Facilitating impactful change in South Africa

As a leading distributor of Agilent technologies in Southern Africa, Chemetrix has been entrusted with coordinating the transfer of these essential instruments to local educational and research institutions. With a deep understanding of the needs of the scientific community, Chemetrix is uniquely positioned to ensure that the right equipment reaches the right organisations, where it can have the greatest impact.

Through this initiative, Chemetrix is helping to:

  • Enhance STEM education: By providing universities and technical colleges with advanced analytical instruments, students gain hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment, better preparing them for careers in science and technology.
  • Strengthen research capabilities: Many research institutions struggle with outdated or insufficient equipment. By receiving Agilent instruments, these institutions can conduct higher-quality research, fostering innovation and scientific breakthroughs.
  • Support small enterprises and startups: In addition to academic institutions, small businesses focused on analytical services and product development can benefit from access to these instruments, driving economic growth and technological advancement.

 

Bringing world-class technology to local institutions

The Agilent instruments being donated are meticulously refurbished and tested to ensure their reliability and performance. These include essential laboratory tools such as gas chromatographs (GC), liquid chromatographs (LC), and spectrophotometers, which are widely used in chemical analysis, environmental testing, pharmaceutical development, and food safety testing.

For a university chemistry lab, an Agilent GC system could mean the difference between theoretical learning and practical application. For a research institute working on climate change, an LC system could be the key to analysing environmental pollutants with precision. For a startup developing new pharmaceuticals, these instruments could accelerate drug discovery and testing, providing the foundation for innovation.

A sustainable and inclusive approach to scientific advancement

This collaboration between Agilent, Seeding Labs, and Chemetrix is more than just an instrument donation programme; it represents a long-term investment in scientific capability and education. By repurposing high-quality analytical instruments, the programme not only empowers the next generation of scientists but also supports sustainability by reducing electronic waste and extending the usability of valuable equipment.

Chemetrix’s involvement ensures that the process is efficient, transparent, and tailored to the specific needs of local institutions. With its strong network and expertise, Chemetrix is playing a vital role in ensuring that the donated equipment is deployed effectively, maximising its impact across various scientific disciplines.

📚 Download the Sustainable Alternatives for Acquiring the Latest Technologies infographic and discover how Agilent can help you reach your sustainability goals by keeping useful equipment out of landfills, while maximising your lab productivity. >

Looking ahead: The future of science in South Africa

The demand for skilled scientists and researchers continues to grow, and initiatives like this play a crucial role in developing a well-equipped workforce. By facilitating the donation of Agilent’s previously used instruments, Chemetrix is helping South African institutions build state-of-the-art laboratories, enhance research capabilities, and produce graduates who are ready to contribute to the global scientific community.

As this initiative expands, Chemetrix remains committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, sustainability, and scientific excellence. By supporting education and research, Agilent, Seeding Labs, and Chemetrix are ensuring that innovation is not limited by geography or resources, but instead driven by curiosity, dedication, and access to the right tools.

For more information on how your institution can benefit from this initiative, contact us today.

Boost Your Lab’s Performance with Chemetrix’s Latest Agilent Additions

Every lab wants to know that it’s got tools that are reliable and that have the technology to help achieve it’s goals. Perhaps it’s time to replace the trusted instruments that have been in use for years because more space or efficiency is needed. Perhaps the lab is expanding and needs new instruments to accommodate the additional workload. Whatever your lab’s need may be, we’ve got you covered.

Chemetrix is thrilled to announce the expansion of our portfolio with the latest state-of-the-art instruments from Agilent Technologies. These cutting-edge additions are set to revolutionise laboratory workflows, offering unparalleled performance, efficiency, and reliability.

 

Agilent 8850 GC system: Compact yet powerful

The Agilent 8850 Gas Chromatograph (GC) System is a game-changer for laboratories seeking high performance in a compact design. Tailored for single-channel applications, the 8850 GC is ideal for routine analyses in environmental, food, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Key Features:

  • Compact design: Occupying minimal bench space, the 8850 GC is perfect for laboratories with space constraints.
  • Rapid heating: Equipped with a direct heating oven, it ensures swift temperature ramping, significantly reducing analysis time.
  • User-friendly interface: The intuitive touchscreen interface simplifies operation, making it accessible even for users with minimal GC experience.
  • Energy efficiency: Designed with energy conservation in mind, the 8850 GC consumes less power, contributing to sustainable laboratory practices.

By integrating the 8850 GC into your laboratory, you can expect enhanced throughput, reduced operational costs, and reliable results, making it an invaluable asset for routine GC analyses.

From monitoring air and water quality to detecting contaminants in soil, environmental laboratories require highly sensitive instrumentation. The 8850 GC is an excellent solution for testing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pollutants in environmental samples. It also offers fast and reliable results for characterising crude oil, gas composition, and refining processes for the petrochemical industry and precise analysis of hydrocarbons, fuels, and lubricants.

Agilent 8850 GC System

🖥️ Watch the GC Method Development from Beginner to Expert webinar to discuss what to consider, where to start, and what to optimise – focusing on inlet parameters, column selection, and oven programming. >

 

Agilent Infinity III LC series: A new era of liquid chromatography

Agilent’s Infinity III LC Series is engineered to meet the demands of modern laboratories, providing increased precision, reliability, and flexibility. With new features that enhance workflow efficiency, the Infinity III LC Series sets a new standard for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC).

Key Features:

  • Optimised system performance: The Infinity III LC Series offers improved pressure resilience, higher flow rates, and enhanced detector sensitivity, making it ideal for both routine and complex analytical tasks.
  • InfinityLab technology: Integrated with InfinityLab Assist, this system provides real-time monitoring and diagnostics, reducing downtime and improving instrument longevity.
  • Versatile applications: Designed for seamless integration into regulated environments, it supports pharmaceuticals, food safety, environmental testing, and more.

By incorporating the Infinity III LC Series, laboratories can expect heightened accuracy, faster analysis times, and superior reproducibility—key factors for high-throughput environments.

Agilent Infinity III LC series

📚 Download the HPLC Made For Tomorrow brochure and discover how the Agilent InfinityLab LC Solutions provide the broadest range of liquid chromatography options for any application and budget.

Precision and reliability are essential in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical analysis, where strict regulatory compliance is required. Infinity III is designed for high-throughput drug development, stability testing, and impurity profiling. It offers a cost-effective solution for routine quality control and formulation analysis, making it a trusted choice for pharmaceutical manufacturing. It is also particularly effective in pesticide residue analysis, mycotoxin screening, and nutritional profiling for the food and beverage sector.

 

Transform your laboratory with Agilent and Chemetrix

At Chemetrix, we are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions that empower laboratories to excel. The introduction of the Agilent Infinity III LC Series and 8850 GC System to our portfolio ensures that our clients have access to the latest advancements in analytical instrumentation.

From pharmaceutical quality control and food safety analysis to petrochemical testing and life sciences research, these powerful instruments enhance productivity, accuracy, and efficiency.

Discover how Agilent’s latest innovations can redefine your lab’s potential – contact Chemetrix today for expert guidance and support.

Unlocking the Potential of Automated Imaging Tools in Cell Culture and Assay Development

In the dynamic landscape of cell biology research, advancements in technology continually reshape our understanding of cellular processes and pave the way for innovative discoveries. Automated imaging tools stand at the forefront of this revolution, offering researchers valuable insights into improving routine cell culturing techniques and enhancing the effectiveness and reproducibility of downstream cell-based assays.

Automated imaging tools help researchers learn more about how to make cell culturing better and how to improve the accuracy and consistency of cell-based tests. Unlike traditional manual methods, which are prone to subjectivity and variability, automated imaging offers an objective, quantitative analysis of cellular parameters in real time.

This level of precision and consistency is essential for optimising cell culture conditions, evaluating the efficacy of experimental treatments, and ensuring the reproducibility of results across experiments. Additionally, high-content imaging capabilities enable researchers to multiplex their analyses, simultaneously probing multiple cellular features within the same sample. This holistic approach not only enhances the efficiency of assay development but also allows for a more comprehensive assessment of cellular responses to various stimuli.

Overall, automated imaging tools empower researchers to unravel the complexities of cellular processes with unprecedented accuracy and throughput, driving innovation and accelerating discoveries in cell biology.

 

Enhancing Cell Culturing Techniques with Automated Imaging

Cell culture lies at the heart of many biological studies, serving as a foundational technique for a myriad of applications, from basic research to drug discovery. However, traditional methods of assessing cell health and behaviour often rely on subjective observations and manual interventions, leading to variability and inefficiencies. Enter BioTek’s LionHeart FX, which can revolutionise cell culture workflows by providing real-time, quantitative data on cell morphology, viability, and proliferation. BioTek Lionheart FX allows you to capture, process, analyse, annotate images, and produce videos with ease. By automating image acquisition and analysis, researchers can gain deeper insights into cellular dynamics, optimise culture conditions, and ensure reproducibility across experiments.

Agilent BioTek Lionheart FX Automated Microscope

 

Empowering Assay Development

The effectiveness of cell-based assays hinges on the accuracy and reliability of the data obtained. BioTek’s Cytation emerges as a game-changer, offering high-content imaging capabilities that enable multiplexed analysis of cellular parameters in a single experiment. Digital microscopy and multimode detection deliver both phenotypic data and quantitative data from one instrument, maximising laboratory productivity. With its automated imaging and image analysis features, Cytation streamlines assay development accelerates screening processes and enhances the robustness of downstream assays, ultimately driving efficiency and productivity in research endeavours.

Agilent BioTek Cytation C10 Confocal Imaging Reader

 

Optimising Workflow Efficiency with Integrated Liquid Handling

Liquid handling is a critical aspect of cell culture and assay development, where precision and accuracy are paramount. Manual pipetting procedures not only pose a risk of human error but also limit throughput and scalability. In this regard, BioTek’s MultiFlo FX delivers unparalleled flexibility and efficiency by integrating automated liquid handling with imaging capabilities. Whether dispensing media, performing cell-based assays, or conducting plate washing steps, MultiFlo FX streamlines workflows, minimises hands-on time, and ensures consistent results, empowering researchers to focus on data analysis and interpretation.

Agilent BioTek MultiFlo FX Multimode Dispenser

 

Embracing the Future of Cell Biology with BioTek

In the rapidly evolving field of cell biology, leveraging state-of-the-art technology is essential for driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery.

 

BioTek’s Cell Analysis instruments represent a beacon of innovation, offering researchers a comprehensive suite of tools to elevate their research to new heights.

 

Food Testing Workflows Webinar Series

Ensuring food safety and quality is more crucial than ever. For African countries, where ensuring food safety and quality is paramount for the well being of their citizens and the success of their exports, Agilent expertise can make a difference.

Chemetrix offers Agilent’s comprehensive suite of solutions that helps you identify pesticide residues, verify label claims, and safeguard food authenticity. Now, a new free-to-access series of webinars expands on necessary knowledge for this valuable process that ensures our food is safe and nutritious.

These webinars are designed to help you learn more about the latest trends and technologies in Food Testing Workflows. Agilent experts will present webinars on the latest applications, soil analysis, laboratory performance improvement, time and cost savings opportunities, and much more.

 

 

Webinar 1 – Agilent LC Solutions for Food Testing and Food Fortification

HPLC is a powerful analytical technique widely used in the food industry, research labs and commercial testing labs for quality control, safety assessment, and nutritional analysis

Speaker

Ansuman Mahato
Application Engineer – HPLC
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 2 – Latest Applications and Workflows for the Food Market

Food laboratories find themselves in a frequently changing environment where they need to update their analytical procedures to follow new legislation and upcoming regulations.

Speaker

Cecilia Mazza
Product Specialist, EMEA IDO – Chemistries & Suppliers
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 3 – Sample Prep for Food Analysis: An overview about available techniques

In this presentation we will cover most common Sample Preparation Techniques for Food Analysis and related products, as well as most advanced, specific and unique solutions.

Speaker

Giorgio Ferlat
MSc, EMEAI IDO Product Specialist, Chemistries and Supplies
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 4 – Multiresidue Pesticide Analysis in Food using GC/MS/MS and LC/MS/MS in Accordance with the SANTE 11312/2021 Guideline

Pesticides play an important role in the agriculture and food industries to improve crop yield and food production. However, the quantity of pesticide residue remaining in or on commodities are tightly controlled to avoid contamination of the food chain and the environment. Therefore, regulatory agencies have set maximum residue levels (MRLs) for hundreds of pesticides and their metabolites.

Speaker

Laurent Pascaud
Spécialiste Produits GC & GC/MS
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 5 – Plant and Soil Analysis for the Determination of their Inorganic Content

Testing soils and plants for trace and major elements is important for the development, the growth and the plant metabolism. This is also critical for monitoring the plant nutrients composition and assessing the potential for contamination of food crops.

Speaker

Uwe Noetzel
EMEAI Technical Coverage and Solutions
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 6 – Analysing Trace and Major Elements in Food Samples

To ensure food safety and safeguard human health, the characterization of the elemental composition of a wide range of food types is required. Since the concentration ranges for different elements vary significantly across different foods, various methodes can be used for sample characterization.

Speaker

Uwe Noetzel
EMEAI Technical Coverage and Solutions
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 7 – Better Lab Sample Turnaround – Saving Time and Solvent per run

Nowadays, laboratories have the challenge of becoming progressively more productive as well as focusing on continuous improvements.

Speaker

Giorgio Ferlat
MSc, EMEAI IDO Product Specialist, Chemistries and Supplies
Agilent Technologies

 

 

Webinar 8 – Quantitative Analysis of Mycotoxins in Foods by Triple Quadrupole LC/MS

Pesticides play an important role in the agriculture and food industries to improve crop yield and food production. However, the quantity of pesticide residue remaining in or on commodities are tightly controlled to avoid contamination of the food chain and the environment. Therefore, regulatory agencies have set maximum residue levels (MRLs) for hundreds of pesticides and their metabolites.

Speaker

Henry Russell
LCMS Product Specialist
Agilent Technologies

 

Agilent food and beverage testing products and services keep you at the forefront of the latest trends, ahead of issues, and focused where you need to be to deliver the highest quality and value to your customers.

Join this informative and exciting webinar series that will explore topics such as the latest applications and workflows for the food market, sample prep for food analysis, plant and soil analysis for inorganic content and much much more. The webinar series is free but registration is required.

 

Register now >

 

Modernise Your Lab with Intelligent Software

To move into the digital age, you need software that can help you manage the growing amount of data generated by the modern lab. The right tools help turn that data into actionable insights and keep your lab operating efficiently. Today’s laboratory software solutions need to easily migrate data and methods from aging platforms and simplify data analysis and reporting tasks.

This webinar explores key features laboratory software must have to meet the demands of today’s laboratory. It also discusses the best process to migrate methods and data to the latest software platform. Another touchpoint is how to increase productivity and accessibility of instruments through a modern cloud-based architecture.

 

Speakers

Kathleen O’Dea
Application Engineer
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Kathleen O’Dea has a 20-year history with Agilent’s OpenLab products. As an Informatics Application Engineer, Kathleen has visited customers around the world in a wide variety of market areas, helping them select and implement OpenLab software products.

Register and watch on demand >

 

Enhancing Labs With Digitalisation

This article was originally published by Agilent

The topic of optimising laboratory efficiencies is at the forefront of discussions for many lab managers. With the support of new and improved smarter technologies, previous efficiency- and productivity-related challenges are beginning to dissipate as manual processes are starting to be replaced with automated and integrated applications, helping to pave the way towards a fully digitalised lab as part of the internet of things (IoT) movement.

According to the global advisory firm Gartner, a digitalised lab is one that is using digital technologies to change the way they operate their lab, optimise their business model, and ultimately provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities. In a nutshell, it is the process of moving to a digital business.

The results from a survey of pharma lab leaders support this observation. Responses highlighted the urgency to improve and update laboratory processes. Survey takers said that they:

  1. Wanted to achieve quicker results (55%)
  2. Saw a demand for superior quality (44%)
  3. Wanted to improve data integrity (43%)
  4. Found that their current workflow requires optimisation (83%)

Additional survey results showed that only 4% of lab managers are using utilisation data (a tool to understand how all instrumentation in labs is performing) for decision-making. More astonishingly, on average, some lab instruments were only being used 35% of the time.

 

Goodbye Laborious Systems, Hello Smart Technology

To combat some of the key challenges often faced with existing lab workflows, smart technology is increasingly at the core of change. By helping transform ordinary labs into smart technological labs, companies such as Chemetrix can provide better instrumentation and services to their customers without compromising the quality of results, cost-effectiveness, or laboratory space.

The lab of the future is a concept built on the foundation of digitalised labs. It encompasses smart technological workflow systems that are connected and capable of collecting vast amounts of data via integrated automation. At the Lab of the Future 2020 congress in Cambridge, UK, a keynote speaker at the event was quoted as saying “The lab of the future won’t be bound by walls,” suggesting that the digitalisation of labs will enable more fluidity and interconnectivity between assays and other procedures.

 

Transforming Science With Digitally Connected Labs

A digitalised lab should be considered a more advanced lab as it has more access to data. With data being key to transforming science, increasing amounts of data generated in any lab, let alone a digitally connected lab, could be a game-changer – but only if it’s collected and synthesized into information and knowledge that is useful.

The digital environment (i.e., paperless work in an electronic format) capitalizes on digitalisation. It incorporates all of the necessary instrumentation for complete data analysis, and enables the full value of the data for decision making.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often defined as the ability of a machine to learn how to solve cognitive challenges. However, in the context of scientific methodology and laboratory interconnectivity, AI is starting to be used for capturing data to model human observation and decision-making processes. Taken forward, connecting all instruments in a lab via AI enables the opportunity for an even more astute understanding of the interactions between technology and also users, potentially providing an all-inclusive view of all laboratory operations.

By monitoring and identifying inefficiencies and making recommendations, AI goes beyond data interpretation to the level of suggestive intelligence, which could be used to more effectively manage lab operations, and ultimately accelerate research and discovery.

 

Ai Technology Will Augment Digitalisation Of The Lab

The ability to monitor operations and provide more sophisticated insights is a core reason for introducing AI into the operational lab environment. Accessing this powerful source of information will become a necessary component of scientific productivity. This is an inevitable next step in creating lab management systems that are so efficient and provide knowledge that is so valuable that only AI will be able to produce them.

AI, coupled with universal sensing capabilities to detect and monitor a range of variables, e.g., an instrument’s power draw, enables companies to realize certain operational and financial benefits to their business and plan for the future. Through high-quality and readily available insights, AI enables the simultaneous monitoring of all equipment usage in the lab and holistic capacity tracking.

 

Providing Digitalised Innovations To Address Customers’ Key Challenges

Chemetrix is proud to supply Agilent technologies and platforms that have pushed the boundaries in providing solutions that support the needs of its customers by enhancing the interconnectivity of its instrument products, services, and consumables through:

  • Integrated products and services that advance the digital lab
  • Faster, customer-preferred online interactions that improve the ease of doing business
  • Solutions that increase operational efficiencies

As an example, part of the Agilent CrossLab Group, the Digital Lab Program, is an ecosystem of products designed to complement one another by delivering enhanced digital capabilities to customer end-users, improving their laboratory experience. This initiative has brought certain technologies to life with industry-leading tools in data intelligence to enhance the scientific and economic outcomes of labs worldwide, such as:

  • Asset Monitoring – Agilent CrossLab Asset Monitoring combines advanced IoT sensor technology and data analytics to enable lab-wide visibility. It integrates sensor-based utilisation monitoring with business analytics, allowing you to capture lab-wide instrument utilisation data across all of your workflows, view analytics compiled in dashboards to drive insights for improvements and justify CapEx, OpEx, and productivity decisions using fact-based data.
  • Smart Alerts – Monitoring instrument health and providing email-based alerts, notifying lab operators when to consider replacing key consumables, when to perform preventive maintenance, and when an Agilent instrument stops running anywhere in the lab. Digital lab-wide connectivity lets users remotely monitor all of their Agilent instruments.
  • SLIMS – End-users can effectively track samples as they progress through the laboratory from sample receipt to automated result reporting. SLIMS combines the best of a laboratory information management system (LIMS) with an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) to enable end-to-end solutions and manage the full content and context of your laboratory.
  • OpenLab Software/Cloud Storage – This has become a viable option for virtually every computing workload in the laboratory, from sample management to complex analytics to secure data storage.

 

Staying Competitive In A Competitive World

Globally, scientific innovation is accelerating, so labs need to consider the technology investments required to become digitally enabled in order to keep up and stay competitive. We live in a data-driven world, so scientific laboratories must fundamentally transform how they create, manage, and effectively use all the data that is generated in their lab ecosystem. Achieving and sustaining a competitive edge in a world of constant change will require the continual transformation of lab operations and scientific data management. This will be the first and most important step toward becoming a truly digitalised lab.

 

Jet Fuel by ICP-MS

The measurement of trace metals in petroleum feeds and its derivatives provides vital information required for running sustainable and daily petroleum operations around the world. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is used in different petroleum facilities due to its ability to perform multi-element analyses, covering a broad range of concentrations as well as being robust and reliable. ICP-MS is becoming more integrated into petroleum laboratories due to its maturity and versatility.

This talk will cover Agilent’s efforts towards developing an ASTM Jet Fuel method. Many interesting elements that aren’t commonly requested, including Platinum (Pt) and Palladium (Pd), will be discussed with this new ICP-MS method. Preliminary data from the ASTM pilot study will be shared in this talk.

 

Speakers

Jenny Nelson, PhD
Application Scientist
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

 

Mark Kelinske
Application Scientist
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

 

Register and watch on demand >

 

Nuclear Fusion: A Vision for Clean Energy

On 13 December 2022, the U.S. Secretary of Energy announced a major scientific breakthrough from a Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California has carried out the first nuclear fusion experiment to achieve a net energy gain in the context of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) project.

 

What is nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fusion is a reaction that powers our main source of light and energy: the sun, as well as other stars. In the reaction, two (or more) atomic nuclei – encompassing protons and neutrons – fuse to form larger nuclei while releasing energy. This energy release occurs because the total mass of the resulting nuclei is less than the mass of the original nuclei that were fused. The leftover mass becomes energy that can be used to run a turbine-electrical power generator.

 

Making a star on Earth to create energy

Research scientists are attempting to recreate nuclear fusion – the reaction in which stars of our universe are generated – on Earth because the reaction can create enormous amounts of energy.
For nuclear fusion to occur, stellar-like temperatures (i.e., 100 million+ degrees) must be achieved. This process forces the positively charged nuclei to form plasma within a contained vector, overcome their repulsion by moving independently at speeds of around 1,000 km/s, and fuse.

Theoretically, if the energy generated from lab-controlled nuclear fusion could be harnessed and effectively stored on a global scale, this technology could transform how we fuel our homes, businesses, and vehicle transportation. The reaction is so efficient that 1 kg of fusion fuel could provide the same amount of energy as 10 million kg of fossil fuel.

 

Urgent demand for clean energy

Since the 19th century, Earth’s temperature has increased by approximately 1.1 °C. The amount of carbon dioxide has risen by 50% because greenhouse gases have been released from fossil fuels burnt for energy.

Average temperature increases should not exceed 1.5 °C by the start of the 22nd century, scientists are warning. However, there is an urgent demand for clean energy implementation on a global scale, as a UN report from October 2022 predicts Earth’s temperature will rise by at least 2.4 °C by 2100.4

 

An emerging solution for clean energy

Research scientists in this field highlight the fact that nuclear fusion may be the solution for generating clean energy while mitigating the effects of global warming. The process does not rely on using energy sourced from fossil fuels and does not produce greenhouse gas pollutants or long-lived radioactive waste. Fusion reactor materials can also be recycled or re-used within 100 years.

In essence, nuclear fusion provides a vision toward clean and low-price energy that is within our grasp, and which one day may be able to support our daily lives, economies, and technological evolutions.

 

A milestone achievement at LLNL

On 5 December 2022, the LLNL team at its National Ignition Facility (NIF) conducted a nuclear fusion experiment that resulted in a milestone achievement to date: energy breakeven – meaning that the experiment produced more energy than required to initiate the process.
The breakthrough represents a historic moment; it comes at a much-needed time, as the world faces high and unstable energy prices and unprecedented effects of global warming due to continual, global fossil-fueled energy use.

NIF development and testing spans over 50 years, and the facility leads the international laser fusion scientific community where other experiments operate, such as the Japanese FIREX and SG-III in China.

 

Advancing the research field

Now that LLNL’s research team has successfully demonstrated net-energy gain from a nuclear fusion experiment, there are still some technical challenges to overcome, such as:

  1. Replicating the experiment – if the conditions of the reaction are not favourable, it halts
  2. Further optimisation of all reaction conditions while ensuring that all components are robust enough to withstand the extreme environment necessary for nuclear fusion to occur
  3. Yielding and extracting an even higher energy output from the nuclear fusion reaction

The next R&D phase at LLNL – as well as associated research labs – will most likely involve replication and method development to achieve higher energy gains, and make advancements toward longer-term commercial viability. When it comes to vacuum technology support, Agilent products and expertise will continue to play an important role in advancing this research field.

 

In the meantime, sustainable lab solutions

While work continues to produce clean energy, what we can do now is make better choices that are in line with sustainability goals. Partnered with My Green Lab, Agilent supports scientists in achieving their lab sustainability goals. Several Agilent instruments also carry My Green Lab certification.

The opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of labs through smarter purchases is tremendous. By procuring instruments and products that will reduce waste, reduce energy consumption, reduce solvent/consumable consumption, and last longer (reducing the need to buy and discard more instruments), laboratories can operate in a more environmentally sustainable way.

Speak to a consultant at Chemetrix to learn more about sustainable instruments with technology that can help your lab achieve its sustainability goals. View our products to learn more about technology that’ll save energy and other resources for a more efficient lab.