News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 41, 2025

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 6th October 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!

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This week we bring you brochure by Agilent Technologies and posters by  Shimadzu / AOAC and Thermo Fisher Scientific!

1. Agilent Technologies: Increasing Sample Throughput Using the Agilent Cary 6000i UV-Vis-NIR

• Brochure
• Full PDF for download

The Agilent Cary 6000i UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer offers the sensitivity of a narrow band InGaAs detector in the NIR range (800–1800 nm) combined with a short wavelength NIR diffraction grating. A combination that that is superior to any commercially available instrument measuring over a similar range. Performance benefits of the Cary 6000i include: - A larger photodynamic linear range (capable of measuring absorbances up to 8 in the NIR) - Superior signal-to-noise (S/N) achieved with significantly less averaging, resulting in greater sample throughput - Superior spectral resolution

Results and discussion 

To demonstrate the high signal-to-noise and excellent spectral resolution of the Cary 6000i, Figure 1 shows water vapor spectra collected on the Cary 6000i and an Agilent Cary 5000 UV-Vis-NIR (using a PbS detector in the NIR). The Cary 5000 is considered the “best-in-class” commercially available PbS NIR instrument that is currently available.

A Signal Averaging Time (SAT) of 10 s was used on the Cary 5000 compared to 0.1 s on the Cary 6000i. Also, a spectral bandwidth (SBW) of 0.05 nm was used on the Cary 5000 compared to 0.02 nm on the Cary 6000i. The S/N achieved is significantly better on the 6000i, which uses 100 times less averaging with 2.5 times reduced SBW. 

To put this in perspective, a typical spectrum requiring 5 s averaging/data point, collected every 1 nm over the NIR range of 800–1800 nm (1000 data points) can take approximately 160 minutes to collect (including a baseline collection) on the Cary 5000. The Cary 6000i would require 1.5 minutes (based on a 0.05 s SAT). Also, as the sensitivity of the Cary 5000 is better than that of other commercially available PbS-based instruments, the time required to collect data over this wavelength range on other spectrophotometers can be significantly greater.

Conclusion 

The benefits of increased sensitivity and signal-to-noise mode can lead to substantial time savings and reduced measurement costs per sample, particularly when running multiple samples on a daily or weekly basis using the Agilent Cary 6000i UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer.

2. Shimadzu / AOAC: Screening Analysis of Trace Heavy Metals in Powdered Milk 

• Poster
• Full PDF for download

One method for detecting heavy metals in food products is the color reaction (staining) method. However, this approach cannot identify specific metals (elements) and can be affected by sample components. Therefore, techniques like AA (atomic absorption spectrophotometry), ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry), or ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) are used for elemental analysis. Nonetheless, preparing samples for these tests often involves labor-intensive steps such as reagent extraction and acidic digestion. In the case of staining, subjective judgment can vary, posing challenges in production and quality control. 

To address this, we propose using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF), which offers a simple, seamless process from sample preparation to measurement and analysis. Generally, quantification by EDXRF below 1 ppm is challenging, as shown in Table 1, because these levels are near or below the quantitation limit. However, powdered milk provides a practical example: the standard values for the powder before dissolving in hot water are about 7.7 times higher than those listed in Table 1. 

This indicates that EDXRF can reliably screen whether the heavy metal concentration is below the standard value since it can analyze powders directly. Additionally, the sensitivity of the ALTRACE instrument for heavy metals has been significantly improved compared to conventional EDXRF (EDX-7000) by installing a highoutput X-ray tube, allowing analysis with the same sensitivity as older models but in only one-tenth of the measurement time.

Conclusion 

Excellent results were obtained for both the calibration curves and the analysis results of powdered milk. EDXRF is useful for production process and quality control, as it is possible to measure samples directly in powder form or with only simple sample preparation, and thanks to its simple instrument handling and excellent repeatability, there are virtually no individual differences in results and judgments. The sensitivity of ALTRACE for heavy metal elements was substantially improved by installing a high power Xray tube, enabling highly accurate management in a shorter time, thereby contributing to improved throughput.

3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Comprehensive Analysis of Nanoparticles using Single and Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS and a Dedicated Data Evaluation Tool

• Poster
• Full PDF for download

The direct sizing and counting of nanoparticles using single particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS) is an alternative to established techniques for particle characterization. However, for some materials such as silica or TiO2 , spectral interferences are still a limiting factor. In addition, the differences in data evaluation may slow the implementation of spICP-MS as a tool in routine analysis. In order to enable comprehensive analysis of nanoparticles this presentation will show a completely integrated workflow solution based on the Qtegra Intelligent Scientific Data Solution software. The software plug-in allows also unexperienced users to set up methods through automatic determination of key input parameters and statistical evaluation of the data in order to recognize artefacts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mass Spectrometry 

A Thermo Scientific iCAP RQ ICP-MS or iCAP TQ ICP-MS was used for all analyses.

Data Analysis

Acquisition and Evaluation of the data was accomplished using the npQuant plug-in for the Qtegra ISDS Software. Due to the instrument agnostic design of the software, the plug-in is compatible with all ICP-MS instruments operated through Qtegra ISDS, including both instruments of the iCAP Qnova SeriesTM, the iCAP RQ and iCAP TQ ICP-MS. Also different peripherals, such as autosamplers from all major manufacturers, are supported in this application. The use of a dedicated plug-in for acquisition and evaluation of the data allows to hassle free mix different applications, for example, trace elemental quantification as the major application in routine analysis focused laboratories, and single particle ICP-MS as a new application of interest.

CONCLUSIONS 

• The npQuant plug-in for Qtegra ISDS allows to analyze all types of nanomaterials in a simple and intuitive workflow. All required input parameters can be determined automatically and users are guided to find optimum acquisition conditions for their analysis. 
• The use of triple quadrupole ICP-MS greatly helps to overcome challenging interferences on some analytes, including isobaric interferences, which are difficult to overcome using single quadrupole ICP-MS instruments.