Why is food safety more challenging during South Africa’s festive season?
From lively braais to large family feasts, the holiday season means a surge in food production and consumption. This increase brings challenges in managing contaminants like pesticides on fresh produce or residues in packaged meats. Ensuring food safety is vital to protect public health and uphold brand reputation.
Challenges faced by labs during peak testing periods
High sample volumes and diverse food types place huge demands on testing labs. Manual sample preparation can slow down processes and increase errors, risking delays in identifying contaminants and potentially allowing unsafe food products to reach consumers.
How do Agilent LC/MS and GC/MS systems improve contaminant detection?
Agilent’s advanced Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) platforms enable rapid, sensitive detection of pesticides, antibiotics, mycotoxins, and other harmful residues in complex food samples, ensuring accuracy even under pressure.
In one study, Agilent demonstrated its gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) systems achieved “excellent linearity” in testing for over 200 pesticides across a wide dynamic range (0.1 to 5,000 ppb).
Raykol’s automated sample preparation systems help labs handle larger sample volumes consistently and quickly, reducing human error and freeing analysts to focus on data interpretation. This is critical when the pressure is on to deliver reliable results fast.
Raykol Automated Solid Phase Extraction system visual.
Why is real-time monitoring important for food safety during holidays?
Continuous quality control lets producers and retailers react promptly to contamination risks, protecting consumers and maintaining compliance with South African and international food safety regulations, especially critical during holiday spikes in demand.
How can producers and retailers stay compliant and build consumer trust?
Investing in cutting-edge testing technology and automation not only helps companies meet evolving regulatory requirements but also demonstrates a commitment to consumer safety, key for maintaining trust during high-visibility holiday seasons.
To keep holiday tables safe and operations smooth, labs and food suppliers should leverage Agilent’s LC/MS and GC/MS instruments alongside Raykol’s automated sample prep solutions.
Step into a world where precision, performance, and innovation converge. The Chemetrix Industrial & Environmental Spectroscopy Roadshow, in partnership with Agilent Technologies and Veolia, brings together analytical excellence and industrial insight to explore how light – in all its forms – is transforming the way we measure, monitor, and protect our world.
Join leading experts for an illuminating day of discussions and discovery in Atomic Spectroscopy and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis. Learn how these technologies are driving smarter, more sustainable decisions across industries – from environmental testing to industrial process control.
Agenda
Veolia Sievers TOC Analyzers for Industrial & Environmental Applications
Part 1 – Clean Water:
Introduction to the Sievers I&E Product Portfolio
M-Series Technology
Condensate & Boiler Feed Water Applications
Drinking Water & Reuse Applications
Part 2 – Contaminated Water:
InnovOx Technology
Industrial Water Applications
Food & Beverage Applications
Desalination & Brine Applications
Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Solutions for Industrial & Environmental Applications
Part 1:
Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Portfolio Overview
Analysis of Water Samples using Agilent ICP-MS Systems
Overcoming High-Matrix Sample Challenges through Optimized ICP Methods
Part 2:
Unlocking Mining, Food & Environmental Applications with Agilent ICP-OES 5800/5900
Choosing Between Single-Quad ICP-MS and Triple-Quad ICP-MS/MS
Coupling HPLC to ICP-MS for Speciation Applications
Chemetrix Consumables & Sample Preparation
New consumable products to optimise performance and reduce downtime
Practical guidance on sample preparation workflows
Why Attend?
Gain insight into real-world industrial and environmental applications.
Learn from industry and technical experts on how to enhance precision, productivity, and sustainability in your lab.
Network with fellow professionals shaping the future of analytical science.
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.
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Wanted to achieve quicker results (55%)
Saw a demand for superior quality (44%)
Wanted to improve data integrity (43%)
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.
