Application Notes: General

Efficient and reliable sample preparation is essential for food manufacturers and contract laboratories tasked with delivering accurate, regulatory-compliant analytical data. From elemental testing to nutritional profiling, laboratories must manage increasingly complex matrices while maintaining fast turnaround times and data integrity. This paper explores how microwave sample preparation technologies—including digestion, extraction, and hydrolysis—support high-throughput food and feed analysis. It will also address the “total workflow” approach that ultimately helps labs reduce processing time, improve data quality, and enhance operational efficiency across a wide range of applications. Light Labs, a modern analytical testing facility committed to food safety and lab efficiency, is also featured for how they leverage single reaction chamber (SRC) microwave technology to streamline trace metals analysis.

Pt-Co, Hazen, and APHA color are three different terms referring to the same color analysis procedure often used to assess the yellowness of water samples. In this analysis a mixture of cobalt chloride and potassium hexachloroplatinate(IV) is prepared and subsequently diluted by varying amounts to form an array of yellow to almost colorless standards, as described in ASTM D1209 and ISO 6271:2015.

The human eye is able to collect the light reflected off a surface, leading to the perception of color. Since the color range we can see covers the aptly named visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum (400 – 700 nm), UV-Visible spectrophotometers are often used for color analysis.

Discover the unique benefits of PerkinElmer's NexION® 5000 multi-quadrupole ICP-MS for the direct analysis of trace elements in open-ocean seawater.

For the direct analysis of trace elements in coastal seawater, uncover how PerkinElmer’s NexION® 2200 ICP-MS is the ideal solution for this application.

Iodine is crucial for health, but imbalances can cause thyroid issues. See how the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets GB/T-5750.5-2023 standards for iodine in drinking water.

This study shows the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets or exceeds China GB/T-5750.6-2023 standards for multi-element drinking water analysis.

See how PerkinElmer’s NexION® 1100 ICP-MS meets/exceeds detection limit requirements in drinking water standards with its use of a single, universal collision-reaction gas.

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an indispensable technique, especially as modern lab workflows grow increasingly demanding. To meet these demands, the PerkinElmer NexION® 1100 ICP-MS instrument boasts design innovations and protocols that help extend instrument uptime and throughput.

Tiny Wearable Raman Spectrometers for Direct and SERS Detections for the Real World!

High-salinity matrices are traditionally difficult to analyze at ultra-trace levels due to matrix interferences, instrument drift, and sample preparation requirements. This article provides insight into innovative features that enable accurate, stable, and contamination-free measurement of trace metals without labor-intensive pre-concentration steps.

Advanced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and microscopy enable efficient material identification, quality control, and troubleshooting throughout the packaging value chain. This article highlights modern tools like PerkinElmer’s Spectrum Two Polymer ID Analyzer and Spotlight™ Aurora FTIR Microscope, which streamline raw material analysis, resolve multilayer laminate issues, and support circular economy goals through improved recycling and microplastics characterization.

This note details a microwave digestion method for Li-ion cathode samples, enabling accurate elemental analysis through ICP-OES with minimal sample loss.

Boost reliability and extend calibration cycles with Heartbeat Tech—smart, in-situ verification that meets strict regulations and simplifies audit readiness.

Raman spectroscopy reveals structural changes in protein formulations, helping assess stability in high-concentration biotherapeutics for safer drug delivery.

Discover the latest ICP-MS best practices in Spectroscopy’s “Advances in ICP-MS” supplement. Explore solutions for ultra-trace elemental analysis, from optimizing nebulizer designs to mitigating contamination risks from reagents, labware, microplastics, and microbes.

The NexION® 5000 multi-quad ICP-MS offers direct, high-sensitivity analysis of trace impurities in high-purity molybdenum, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

With nearly 92% of on-instrument time dedicated to analysis, the NexION® 1100 ICP-MS enhances lab productivity by reducing downtime and maintenance.

The Avio® 220 Max hybrid simultaneous ICP-OES provides fast, precise measurement of iodine in iodized table salt, offering trace-level detection with robustness.

The NexSAR™ HPLC system pump flow and NexION® ICP-MS robust plasma deliver reliable, repeatable antimony speciation analyses with precision and consistency.

The Avio® 550 Max fully simultaneous ICP-OES delivers precise high-res analysis of major and minor elements in NdFeB magnet alloys with MSF, UDA, and Flat Plate plasma.

The NexION® 5000 ICP-MS utilizes hydrogen and oxygen reaction gases to achieve ultra-trace detection of impurities in ultrapure water, meeting SEMI F63-0521 standards.

The Avio® 550 Max ICP-OES enables simultaneous, precise analysis of major and trace elements in sodium-ion battery cathode materials—robust, accurate, efficient.

The NexION® 5000 multi-quad ICP-MS enables ultra-trace elemental analysis of 52 elements in high-purity sulfuric acid, meeting stringent semicon industry standards.

HORIBA’s ParticleFinder™ with the XD 100 Disperser streamlines Raman mapping of carbon particles, enabling rapid size, shape, and chemical characterization in one workflow.

Streamline elemental analysis of crude oils and petrochemical samples with ultraWAVE 3, fully compliant with UOP 1005 and 1006 methods.

Spectral analysis is important for chemical reactions involving color changes. Fast reactions require ultra-fast measurements, such as with the UV-1900i Plus.

In this "IR Spectral Interpretation" digital supplement, Spectroscopy brings together some of the most popular and impactful articles from our "IR Spectral Workshop" column. Curated by our column editor Brian Smith, who has guided the column since 2015, this special collection highlights the enduring relevance of infrared (IR) spectroscopy and its role as a cornerstone of modern analytical chemistry.