Sample Preparation Archives - Chemetrix https://chemetrix.co.za/tag/sample-preparation/ Powerful Partnership, Inspiring Insights Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:57:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.7 Lab Automation in South Africa: Boosting Throughput for Festive Season Demand https://chemetrix.co.za/lab-automation-in-south-africa-boosting-throughput-for-festive-season-demand/ https://chemetrix.co.za/lab-automation-in-south-africa-boosting-throughput-for-festive-season-demand/#respond Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:51:44 +0000 https://chemetrix.co.za/?p=7091 Continue reading "Lab Automation in South Africa: Boosting Throughput for Festive Season Demand"]]> Why does December create a surge in lab workloads across South Africa?
December marks the busiest time of the year for South African laboratories. Whether testing food safety ahead of holiday feasts, screening textiles for contaminants, or analysing water quality, labs face a dramatic increase in sample volumes. This spike results from heightened consumer demand, regulatory pressures, and export deadlines. Managing this surge efficiently is essential to ensure timely and accurate results.

 

🖥️ Watch the Automated Protein Sample Prep in Labs Just Got Easier webinar to learn how a wide variety of sample prep workflows can be addressed with a small footprint automation platform.

 

What challenges do manual workflows present during peak testing periods?

Manual sample preparation can become a significant bottleneck during high-demand periods. It involves repetitive, time-consuming steps prone to human error, leading to longer turnaround times and inconsistent results. Overworked staff may face fatigue, increasing the risk of mistakes. These challenges compromise lab efficiency and can delay critical decisions by producers and regulators.

 

 

How can automation help labs overcome throughput bottlenecks?

Automated systems like Raykol’s advanced Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) equipment drastically reduce manual intervention in sample prep. Automation enables rapid processing of large sample batches with consistent precision. This not only speeds up workflows but also improves reproducibility and data quality. Scientists are freed from repetitive tasks and can focus more on data analysis, troubleshooting, and method development.

 

 

Why is automation crucial for South Africa’s diverse testing requirements?

South African labs serve a broad spectrum of sectors, including agricultural exports, textiles, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Each sector demands tailored analytical workflows and compliance with strict regulations. Automation allows labs to scale up quickly without sacrificing accuracy, making it a vital investment to remain competitive and meet both local and international standards during festive season peaks.

 

🖥️ Watch the Decoding Automation of Metabolite and Lipid Extraction Workflows webinar to understand key automation developments for handling organic solvents, pipetting precipitates, employing filtration for solid phase extraction, and targeting high recovery from small samples. 

 

What are the specific benefits of Raykol’s automated SPE systems during festive peaks?

Raykol’s systems streamline complex sample prep steps, cutting down hands-on time and reducing human error. Labs can increase throughput significantly, maintaining fast turnaround times without compromising data integrity. This ensures faster reporting to clients and regulators, enhances lab productivity, and supports better resource allocation during the busiest times of the year.

 

Raykol’s automated SPE systems

Ready to transform your lab’s festive season workflow?

South African laboratories aiming to stay ahead of demand spikes should explore automation solutions today. Implementing Raykol’s automated SPE systems can optimise workflows, reduce bottlenecks and uphold testing accuracy when it matters most.

 

✅ TL;DR – Key Takeaways

  • December is the peak testing season for South African labs across multiple industries.
  • Manual prep workflows cause delays, errors, and staff fatigue during high volumes.
  • Automation with Raykol SPE systems accelerates prep, boosts throughput, and ensures consistent results.
  • Lab automation frees scientists to focus on data interpretation and innovation.
  • Essential for labs handling diverse testing needs to stay competitive and compliant.
]]> https://chemetrix.co.za/lab-automation-in-south-africa-boosting-throughput-for-festive-season-demand/feed/ 0 Detecting PFAS and Other ‘Forever Chemicals’ in SA’s Textiles https://chemetrix.co.za/detecting-pfas-and-other-forever-chemicals-in-sas-textiles/ https://chemetrix.co.za/detecting-pfas-and-other-forever-chemicals-in-sas-textiles/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:44:05 +0000 https://chemetrix.co.za/?p=7085 Continue reading "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.

]]> https://chemetrix.co.za/detecting-pfas-and-other-forever-chemicals-in-sas-textiles/feed/ 0 New to HPLC? Tips for Avoiding Beginner Pitfalls https://chemetrix.co.za/new-to-hplc-tips-for-avoiding-beginner-pitfalls/ https://chemetrix.co.za/new-to-hplc-tips-for-avoiding-beginner-pitfalls/#respond Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:20 +0000 https://chemetrix.co.za/?p=5330 Continue reading "New to HPLC? Tips for Avoiding Beginner Pitfalls"]]> Operating an HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) system can be overwhelming for a new user. There are numerous pitfalls or “gotchas.” Even the matter of which tubing and fittings are compatible, and which are not, can pose a serious impediment to successfully operating the HPLC.

In this discussion, we will cover:

  • The significance of connections
  • Considerations for the mobile phase
  • Quality considerations
  • Preventing microbial growth
  • Compatibility of sample and solvent
  • Characteristics of the column; their significance and limitations
  • The importance of sample preparation

 

Speakers

Rita Steed
Application Engineer
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Rita Steed began supporting the LC column line for Agilent in 1999. As a Chromatography Specialist (first with Chromatography, Inc., then directly for Agilent), Rita worked on-site with researchers in Pharmaceutical and other industries presenting technical seminars and assisting researchers with troubleshooting and method development. Rita has over 20 years of Chromatography experience in the Biotechnology, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical industries. She has held positions in Research, Sales, and Technical Service. Rita has earned degrees in Microbiology and Life Sciences/Biochemistry. In her current position, she is an inside Application Engineer supporting LC columns.

Register and watch on demand >

 

]]> https://chemetrix.co.za/new-to-hplc-tips-for-avoiding-beginner-pitfalls/feed/ 0 Decoding Automation of Metabolite and Lipid Extraction Workflows https://chemetrix.co.za/decoding-automation-of-metabolite-and-lipid-extraction-workflows/ https://chemetrix.co.za/decoding-automation-of-metabolite-and-lipid-extraction-workflows/#respond Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:47 +0000 https://chemetrix.co.za/?p=5218 Continue reading "Decoding Automation of Metabolite and Lipid Extraction Workflows"]]> Technology improvements in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry have enhanced the detection and identification of metabolites and lipids from complex biological samples. As metabolomics and lipidomics measurements become increasingly valued, there is a growing need to automate sample preparation workflows.

Specifically, Agilent automation offers intuitive workflows that provide high data reproducibility and increased throughput while reducing hands-on time. In this webinar, we describe key learnings revealed during the automation of several workflows that extract metabolites and/or lipids from plasma and mammalian cell samples.

 

Speakers

Genevieve Van de Bittner, Ph.D.
R&D Researcher
Agilent Research Laboratories
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

 

Register and watch on demand >

 

]]> https://chemetrix.co.za/decoding-automation-of-metabolite-and-lipid-extraction-workflows/feed/ 0 Sample Preparation https://chemetrix.co.za/academy-sample-preparation/ https://chemetrix.co.za/academy-sample-preparation/#respond Fri, 06 Nov 2020 06:31:11 +0000 http://chemetrix.co.za/?p=175 Continue reading "Sample Preparation"]]> The success of any analytical laboratory technique, lies first and formemost with the integrity of the sample and secondly with sample Preparation. Learn the fundamentals and solutions Chemetrix provised to ensure analytical success

 

Chromatograpahy & Mass Spec

Since most samples encountered in a chromatography laboratory are not in a form to be directly placed into the analytical instrument, some form of preparation is required for nearly every sample. The sample preparation could be as simple as “dilute and shoot” or as complex as multistage sample handling. The aim of sample preparation is to provide a sample aliquot that (a) is relatively free of interferences, (b) will not damage the column or instrument and (c) is compatible with the intended analytical method. In chromatography, the sample solvent should dissolve in the HPLC mobile phase or be injectable into a GC column without affecting sample retention or resolution, the stationary phase itself, and without interfering with detection. 

 

Fundamentals

Here you can find useful resources on Sample Preparation for Chromatography Techniques

Sample Preparation Fundamentals for Chromatography

Primer

Simple Approaches to SPE Method Development

Simple Steps to Maximize Lipid Removal with EMR-Lipid

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