Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 30th June 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!<blockquote>👉 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library">SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT SPECTROSCOPY/SPECTROMETRY RELATED TECHNIQUES</a></blockquote><blockquote>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezLCMS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezGCMS</a> libraries.</blockquote>This week we bring you posters by Agilent Technologies / ASMS and Thermo Fisher Scientific / ASMS!<h3>1. Agilent Technologies / ASMS: Measurement of Metals in Tissue Samples Using Laser Ablation-ICP-MS and an Organic Matrix-Based Standard</h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/ps_8890_la_icp_ms_metals_tissue_asms_2025_thp_067_en_agilent_ee9bc7a285.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) can provide localization information of elements on solid samples. Therefore, bioimaging techniques using LA-ICP-MS have been developed to investigate the distribution of metals on thin sections.&nbsp;Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disorder that primarily targets the interlobular bile ducts. The resulting bile duct damage causes chronic cholestasis in the liver, which can eventually progress to cirrhosis. It is well-established that individuals with PBC exhibit impaired copper (Cu) excretion, leading to Cu accumulation within the liver.&nbsp;Pathologists have employed orcein or Victoria blue staining to visualize Cu deposition in pathological specimens. 1 Orcein staining is commonly used to assess the stage of PBC. However, both staining methods measure Cu levels indirectly by detecting Cu-binding proteins, which introduces significant variability in measurement accuracy across different facilities and yields relatively low detection sensitivity.&nbsp;The aim of the study was to directly quantify Cu in PBC specimen using LA-ICP-MS, a highly sensitive technique, and compare the results with that obtained from normal-looking tissue in liver. The elemental concentrations were determined from external calibration curves generated using an organic matrix-based standard (Solid scaleTM, FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals).&nbsp;<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study demonstrates the high performance of the Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=8900+ICP-QQQ">8900 ICP-QQQ</a> equipped with an ESL 213 laser ablation system for bioimaging human liver specimens.&nbsp;<ul><li>An organic matrix-based standard (Solid scaleTM ) provided quantitative results of metals in human liver specimens.&nbsp;</li><li>Patterns of metal distribution (24Mg, 31P, 44Ca, 56Fe, 63Cu, 95Mo) in human liver showed accumulation of Cu in a PBC specimen and its unique localization pattern along the regenerative nodule.&nbsp;</li></ul>These results demonstrate that determining metal concentrations in thin sections using LA-ICP-MS provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of PBC and other metal-related diseases.<h3>2. Thermo Fisher Scientific / ASMS: Trace metals analysis in baby food using triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (TQ-ICP-MS)</h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/PO_296_ASMS_25_metals_baby_food_TQ_ICP_MS_na_en_3c869a51aa.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Many countries have established their own regulations and guidelines to ensure the safety and quality of baby food products. These regulations are generally based on scientific research and risk assessments conducted by health and food safety authorities. Among a range of other contaminants, toxic heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, are subject to screening.&nbsp;The Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 requires manufacturers and the FDA to take long overdue action by setting maximum levels of inorganic arsenic (10 μg∙kg-1, 15 μg∙kg-1 for cereal), lead (5 μg∙kg-1, 10 μg∙kg-1 for cereal), cadmium (5 μg∙kg-1, 10 μg∙kg-1 for cereal), and mercury (2 μg∙kg-1) allowed in baby food.&nbsp;Since January 2022, baby food manufacturers need to meet these maximum levels for toxic elements by testing their final products (because only ingredient testing significantly underestimates toxic heavy metal levels in the final product), and to post the results of their product testing online twice per year. Similarly, as the FDA is working on a “closer to zero plan”, the European Union has established regulations and maximum limits for various contaminants, including toxic elements, in baby food. ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is the commonly used analytical technique to measure trace elements in various samples, including baby food. The specific trace elements to be checked by ICP-MS in baby food may vary depending on the purpose of the analysis and the specific concerns related to the safety and quality of the product.<h4>Materials and methods&nbsp;</h4><h5>Instrumentation&nbsp;</h5>A <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1488">Thermo Scientific iCAP MTX ICP-MS</a> and a Thermo Scientific <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1715">iSC-65 Autosampler</a> were used for analysis. The ICP-MS was operated using the parameters highlighted in Table 1. To facilitate the robustness to analyze a high number of potentially very different sample types, the instrument was operated using argon gas dilution (AGD), applying a mild (approximately 5 times) dilution to all samples. This ensures the productivity and uptime requirements in a high productivity laboratory environment can be met. To meet the stringent detection limit requirements put in place by regulatory authorities, the iCAP MTX ICP-MS was operated in SQ-KED and TQ-O2 modes to confidently eliminate all polyatomic and isobaric interferences but also deliver the sensitivity needed to reach the requested quantification limits for the critical elements.<h4>Results&nbsp;</h4>Table 3 summarizes the analytical figures of merit for all analytes including the correlation coefficients, the limits of quantification, and the quantification limits of the method (MLOQ). Whereas the limit of quantification (LOQ) only considers what can be quantified by the instrument, the method quantification limit (MLOQ) also accounts for the complete sample preparation, i.e., the sample weight and the dilution factor. Specifically highlighted in the table are the results obtained for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, elements which are of specific regulatory concern due to their toxicity and risk for bioaccumulation. As can be seen, the achieved MLOQs are at least a factor two lower compared to the nominal limits specified in EAM 4.7.<h4>Conclusions&nbsp;</h4>This workflow, combining sample preparation using microwave assisted digestion and analysis using the iCAP MTX ICP-MS, allows accurate measurement of the concentration of toxic elements, dangerous for children, as well as the essential elements, necessary for the good growth and health of children, in various baby food products.&nbsp;<ul><li>The automatic and constant 5-times dilution allows robust analysis of different types of baby food products, whether dry, liquid, or fatty, without any compromise on sensitivity to reach the regulated limits.&nbsp;</li><li>The stability of the iCAP MTX ICP-MS allows a large variety of different food samples can be analyzed in the same run, ensuring productivity in an applied testing laboratory.&nbsp;</li><li>All types of interferences (polyatomic as well as isobaric interference, including doubly charged ions) are effectively suppressed with either helium collision gas or by using oxygen as a reactive gas in triple quadrupole mode.&nbsp;</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1489">Qtegra ISDS Software</a> with the Reaction Finder functionality, allows simplified handling for the operator by automatically defining the isotopes and the acquisition modes to obtain reliable results.&nbsp;</li><li>The maintenance assistant also ensures alerts to the user when actions need to be carried out by the operator to guarantee an instrument with best performance throughout instrument lifetime.</li></ul>

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 27, 2025

Comprehensive IC-ICP-MS analysis of polyphosphonates and their transformation products

In the week from July 7, the following webinars await you in the field of atomic and molecular spectroscopy and spectrometry<blockquote><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinars">👉 DETAILS AND REGISTRATION IN THE WEBINARS SECTION</a>👉 Search and filter in the largest global database with over 4 500 GC, LC, MS and spectroscopy webinars.</blockquote><h5>1. Milestone: How to Enhance Ash Content Determination with Microwave Ashing</h5><ul><li>Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 16:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5283">Registration</a></li></ul>Join us for a live webinar dedicated to the challenges of traditional ash content determination and the advantages of adopting microwave ashing.<h5>2. Bruker: Spatiotemporal Imaging with Light-Sheet Microscopy: Having Your Cake and Eating It Too</h5><ul><li>Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 18:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5274">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover how FCS can be used in light-sheet microscopes—without customization—to analyze molecular behavior in biofilms, drosophila, and zebrafish at high speed and sensitivity.<h5>3. Agilent Technologies: Cutting through pesticide residues and heavy metals</h5><ul><li>Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 06:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/4868">Registration</a></li></ul>This webinar focuses on pesticides and heavy metals detection, along with performing elemental speciation in dairy products by LC/MS/MS, GC/MS/MS, and ICP-MS techniques.<h5>4. Metrohm: Amplifying the Invisible: Advanced Spectroelectrochemistry with EC-SERS</h5><ul><li>Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 19:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5285">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how Raman spectroelectrochemistry empowers time-resolved redox analysis by combining spectroscopy with electrochemistry—featuring SERS and real-world research applications.<h5>5. Agilent Technologies: Surface Measurement and Beyond – Nondestructive Testing with Handheld FTIR and SORS Raman Spectroscopy</h5><ul><li>Thursday, July 10, 2025, 11:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5298">Registration</a></li></ul>Join us for an engaging webinar! Agilent portable SORS Raman and FTIR systems are simplifying in situ chemical analysis.<h5>6. Agilent Technologies: Tips and Tricks Workshop on ICP-OES: Smarter Method Development</h5><ul><li>Thursday, July 10, 2025, 20:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/3160">Registration</a></li></ul>Techniques on how to achieve the best sensitivity and detection limits through tuning techniques and strategies.

Webinars LabRulezICPMS Week 28/2025

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 7th July 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!<blockquote>👉 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library">SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT SPECTROSCOPY/SPECTROMETRY RELATED TECHNIQUES</a></blockquote><blockquote>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezLCMS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezGCMS</a> libraries.</blockquote>This week we bring you brochure by Anton Paar, poster by Shimadzu / ASMS and application note by Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. Anton Paar: Dynamic Shear Rheometers for Asphalt SmartPave</h3><ul><li>Brochure</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/C92_IP_013_EN_K_Brochure_Smart_Pave_screen_dda7b47acc.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The SmartPave brochure introduces a family of dynamic shear rheometers (DSR) – <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=444&amp;search=SmartPave+92">SmartPave 92</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=444&amp;search=SmartPave+102e">SmartPave 102e</a>, and<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=444&amp;search=+MCR+502e+Power"> MCR 502e Power</a> – specifically developed for the demanding rheological characterization of asphalt binders and bitumen. These instruments meet international standards such as AASHTO, ASTM, DIN EN, and others, and support a wide temperature range, enabling tests for routine quality control, research, and advanced performance grading.Each SmartPave system is equipped with innovative features like EC motors for high-precision torque control, Toolmaster™ for automatic tool recognition, and TruRay™ sample illumination. The Peltier-based temperature control – with heating from both above and below – ensures fast, accurate, and stable temperature conditions without water circulation. This allows fully dry operation, which is particularly important for repeatable and noise-free measurements.The brochure outlines various standard and advanced testing methods, such as Superpave PG grading (AASHTO T315), MSCR tests (AASHTO T350), viscosity measurements (ASTM D4402), and GTR-modified asphalt analysis. Advanced applications include DMA on solid asphalt, master curves, and low-temperature measurements down to –160 °C. The modular system supports multiple geometries including parallel-plate, cone-plate, and concentric-cylinder setups.All systems operate with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=444&amp;search=RheoCompass+software">RheoCompass® software</a>, offering intuitive test design, automated calibration, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and customizable analysis. This makes SmartPave systems ideal for both routine lab use and advanced asphalt R&amp;D, offering unmatched performance, ease of use, and compliance with global asphalt testing standards.<h3>2. Shimadzu / ASMS: Arsenic Speciation in Rice and Rice Products using LC-ICP-MS: A Sensitive and Reliable Approach by Shimadzu&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/ASMS_2025_THP_065_99cfe0ebbb.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Arsenic toxicity is a major public health concern, particularly in drinking water, leading to strict regulatory limits worldwide. While total arsenic has traditionally been measured, its toxicity largely depends on its chemical form with inorganic species Arsenite and Arsenate (As(III) and As(V)) being highly toxic and carcinogenic, and organic forms monosodium methyl arsenate (MMA) and disodium methyl arsenate (DMA) displayed in fig. 1, considered less harmful. Speciation analysis is therefore essential for accurate risk assessment.&nbsp;Rice and rice-based products are of particular concern, as rice can efficiently accumulate inorganic arsenic from the environment. In response, the European Union established maximum residue levels (MRLs) for inorganic arsenic in rice under Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1006, highlighting the need for precise speciation.&nbsp;To address this, advanced techniques like liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICPMS) are employed. LC-ICPMS provides high sensitivity and specificity for arsenic species determination, ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting consumer health.&nbsp;This study presents the effective use of Shimadzu’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=1&amp;search=LC-ICPMS-2050+LF">LC-ICPMS-2050 LF</a> system for arsenic speciation in rice and related products.<h4>Methods and Materials</h4>All standard stock solutions are prepared as specified in the LC-ICP-MS Method Package for Arsenic Speciation Analysis Type-2 by Shimadzu, Japan. Seven levels of mixed calibration standards are prepared and injected for the quantification of arsenic species. Calibration curves are generated using the external standard calibration method with a 1/l weighted regression. All samples are prepared in duplicate to verify method performance. Additionally, two spiked samples containing only inorganic arsenic standards are included to evaluate the extraction efficiency of the method.&nbsp;The Shimadzu <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=1&amp;search=ICPMS-2050+LF">ICPMS-2050 LF</a>, coupled with the Nexera LC series (Fig. 2), manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, Japan, is used to separate and quantify the different arsenic species present in the samples.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4><ul><li>The extraction procedure employed effectively ensures the recovery of inorganic and organic arsenic species from various sample types, including both raw and processed materials.&nbsp;</li><li>A highly sensitive method based on hyphenated techniques, specifically LC-ICPMS, is developed for the speciation and quantification of arsenic using the Shimadzu ICPMS-2050 LF coupled with a Nexera inert LC system.</li></ul><h3>3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: EDXRF analysis of coal fly ash as loose powders Ling Yok Ung, Application Specialist</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/edxrf_analysis_of_coal_fly_ash_as_loose_powders_an41971_en_2960bf7ad9.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>All the waste that remains after coal is burned, often in a coalfired power station, is referred to as coal ash. Coal ash may contain lead, mercury, arsenic and many other heavy metals. Fly ash and bottom ash are two subcategories of coal ash, typically separated based on particle size.&nbsp;More than half of coal leftovers are fly ash, the most abundant and well-known component. Particles of fly ash, the lightest type of coal ash, “fly” up into a power plant’s exhaust stacks because they are so light. About 99 % of the ash are captured by filters inside the stacks, which draw it in with opposing electrical charges. Fly ash can be recycled. The fine particles are a perfect material for wallboard and concrete because they bond together and solidify, especially when combined with water.&nbsp;But fly ash from coal is also a dangerous industrial solid waste. The natural environment and human health are seriously threatened by its excessive worldwide production, inappropriate disposal methods, underutilization, and lack of knowledge about its inherent risks. Therefore, a method that is quick, precise, and accurate, is required to quantify coal fly ash. Many companies use X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) as a preferred technology for process and quality control since it is a proven analytical approach that can accurately assess the chemical composition of materials with limited sample preparation.<h4>Instrumentation&nbsp;</h4>The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1209">Thermo Scientific™ ARL™ QUANT’X EDXRF Spectrometer</a> is equipped with a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) and a 50 Watt Rh or Ag target X-ray tube which is air cooled with a maximum excitation v The Thermo Scientific™ ARL QUANT’X™ EDXRF Spectrometer is equipped with the following features: and radiation of heat in our atmosphere; N2 and O2 which are present in much higher concentrations do not have this same characteristic effect. Atmospheric CO2 levels increase the temperature of the surface of our planet, simultaneously excess CO2 is dissolved into the oceans gradually lowering the water’s pH, thus making the seas more acidic.&nbsp;<ul><li>Silicon drift detector (SDD): The SDD remains the performance benchmark for all energy dispersive detectors. The large active area of 30 mm² enables effective capture of characteristic element X-rays emitted by the sample.&nbsp;</li><li>50 W Rh or Ag target X-ray tube: Air-cooled with a maximum excitation voltage of 50 kV.&nbsp;</li><li>Nine primary beam filters: Designed to optimize the peak-to-background signals for all elements from F to Am.&nbsp;</li><li>10-Position auto-sampler with spinner: Allows for unattended analysis of multiple samples.</li></ul><h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>This application note shows the suitability of the ARL QUANT’X EDXRF Spectrometer for the analysis of coal fly ash samples. This compact instrument allows for reliable and fast analysis of coal fly ash. Accuracy and repeatability results show that satisfactory results are obtainable for an analysis of loose powder in vacuum. This is a significant advantage for simple sample preparation while providing good accuracy &amp; precision.

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 28, 2025

A pressurized liquid extraction and GC/MS (PLE-GC/MS) method was developed for quantifying seven model contaminants in recycled HDPE, selected based on EFSA and FDA recommendations. The method showed low detection limits, good repeatability, and high accuracy. Extraction was optimized using acetone at 100 °C for 6 min.This method was applied in a challenge test to evaluate an innovative HDPE recycling process using limonene for polymer dissolution and precipitation. The results confirmed high cleaning efficiency, demonstrating both the effectiveness of the recycling process and the suitability of the PLE-GC/MS method for such evaluations.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986">Pressurized liquid extraction and GC/MS determination of model contaminants in HDPE - Application to recycling of post-consumer polyolefins using limonene</a></h4>Javier Blázquez-Martín, Jorge García-Barrasa, María Teresa Tena&nbsp;Journal of Chromatography A, Volume 1745, 2025, 465749<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2025.465749">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2025.465749</a><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.World plastic production reached 400.3 million tonnes in 2022. Of the total, the production of polyolefins from fossil sources accounted for 45.2 %. The most produced polyolefins were polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE: linear low density (LLDPE), low density (LDPE), medium density (MDPE) and high density (HDPE)) [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0001">1</a>], with main applications in the packing industry [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0002">2</a>].Of the 17.9 million tonnes of post-consumer packaging waste collected in the European Union in 2020, 46 % was recycled, 37 % was used for energy recovery and 17 % ended up in landfills [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0003">3</a>]. This metric cannot be applied to polyolefins and is mainly due to the high recyclability of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). HDPE recycling rates fall to 10 to 15 % in Europe [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0004">4</a>]. As for other polymers (LDPE, PP and PS), recycling is limited as well [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0004">4</a>].A wide variety of extraction methods has been proposed for extracting additives and contaminants from plastics, such as total dissolution [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0022">22</a>], solvent extraction [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0022">22</a>], supercritical fluid extraction [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0023">23</a>], pressurized liquid extraction [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0023">[23]</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0024">[24]</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0025">[25]</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0026">[26]</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0027">[27]</a>] or microwave-assisted extraction [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0028">28</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0029">29</a>]. Pressurized liquid extraction is a technique that achieves higher efficiencies and lower operating times by using organic solvents at high pressures, allowing working with temperatures higher than the selected solvent's boiling point, which increases the diffusion and desorption of compounds from the polymer, as well as increasing compound solubility.The analysis of the PE extracts has been carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0022">22</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0025">25</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0026">26</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0028">28</a>], GC with a flame ionization detector (FID) [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0025">25</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0026">26</a>] or a thermoionic selective detector (TSD) [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0026">26</a>], headspace solid phase microextraction and GC/MS [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0022">22</a>], liquid chromatography (LC) with UV–Vis [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0023">23</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0024">24</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0027">27</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0029">29</a>] and MS detection [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0024">24</a>]. GC is the preferred technique for volatile and low molecular weight compounds. Due to the volatile nature of some compounds of interest, and to allow a simultaneous detection, GC/MS was chosen for this study.The aim of this work was to develop, optimize and validate a PLE and GC/MS-based method for the determination of seven model contaminants (proposed by the EFSA), as well as to demonstrate the cleaning efficiency of a recycling process intended for PE from different waste sources based on the dissolution-precipitation method with limonene by analysing artificially contaminated HDPE samples in a challenge test. The development of this method is of utmost importance since, to our knowledge, there are no validated procedures published for surrogates of challenge tests.<h4>2. Materials and methods</h4><h5>2.4. FTIR characterization</h5>FTIR characterization was performed to determine whether treated and untreated HDPE presented differences in its characteristic bands, as well as to determine the presence of residual limonene after the treatment. To carry out the measurements, a Perkin-Elmer FTIR spectrometer (Waltham, MA, USA) equipped with an ATR accessory was used. Resolution of 4 cm-1, 4 scans per measurement and room temperature were the selected conditions. Vibrational bands for HDPE and limonene have been assigned according to Da Silva and Wiebeck [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0031">31</a>] and Schulz et al. [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0032">32</a>] and can be found in Table S1 of the supplementary material.<h5>2.5. Pressurized liquid extraction</h5>A Dionex ASE 200 pressurized liquid extractor (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) with a solvent controller was used for the extraction process. 0.5 g of PC-HDPE flakes were placed into 11 mL extraction cells with sea sand filling up the void volume inside the cells. Extractions were carried out at 10.3 MPa (1500 psi) using acetone as solvent. Temperature varied from 60 to 100 °C, setting an upper limit below HDPE's melting point (120–130 °C) to prevent polymer melting. The extraction time varied from 2 to 10 min. The use of one, two, three and four extraction cycles was studied as well. The flush volume was 60 % and purge time was set at 60 s. A preheating step of 5 min was used. Acetone extracts containing the surrogates were transferred into volumetric flasks and made up with acetone to 50 mL after the addition of 1.25 mL of an internal standard solution. Aliquots of each extract were filtered through a 0.22 µm nylon syringe filter prior to GC analysis.<h5>2.6. Chromatographic conditions</h5>An <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=8890+GC">Agilent 8890 gas chromatograph </a>coupled to an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=5977B">Agilent 5977B single quadrupole mass spectrometer</a> and an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=7693A+autosampler">Agilent 7693A autosampler</a> were used for GC analysis. The chromatographic column was an Agilent HP-5 ms (30 m x 250 µm x 0.25 µm) with a 5 % phenyl 95 % dimethylpolysiloxane phase.The oven program started at 35 °C, holding for 0.5 min before raising the temperature to 60 °C at a rate of 10 °C min-1. Temperature was raised again to 280 °C at a rate of 70 °C min-1 and maintained for 1.8 min.<div>Injection was done at 380 °C with an Agilent 5190–2293 4 mm I.D. liner in splitless-split mode (0.05 min in splitless mode). The carrier gas was helium at 1.0 mL min-1. MS detection was carried out by electronic impact, with an ionization source heated at 230 °C with a voltage of 70 eV. The quadrupole temperature was 150 °C. Chromatograms were registered in SIM mode. Chromatographic parameters for each compound are listed in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#tbl0001">Table 1</a>.<h4>3. Results and discussion</h4><h5>3.1. GC/MS determination of surrogates</h5>The analyte separation by GC was studied using surrogate standard solutions prepared in three different solvents: isopropanol, acetone and diethyl ether. Isopropanol was chosen first as it had been previously used for pressurized liquid extraction of additives in polyethylene [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0024">24</a>,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0025">25</a>]. In addition, it is considered as a green solvent [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0033">33</a>], but it was discarded because it has a higher boiling point than chloroform and, therefore, interfered with its detection.Diethyl ether and acetone proved to be better candidates as they did not interfere with the detection of any of the surrogates. However, diethyl ether's lower boiling point led to the evaporation of standard solutions even under cooling conditions, so acetone was chosen to prepare the surrogate solutions for the GC/MS analysis. Acetone is considered a green solvent as well [<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#bib0033">33</a>].<div>Due to the extensive range of boiling points (from 62 °C for chloroform to 443 °C for methyl stearate), both a high injection temperature (380 °C) and a low oven start temperature (35 °C) were needed. A non-polar low-bleed column was used to carry out the separation. A chromatogram of a solution containing 1000 µg L-1 of each surrogate in acetone is shown in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#fig0001">Fig. 1</a>. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#tbl0001">Table 1</a> shows the model contaminants, their physical properties and the chromatographic parameters for its detection.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Journal_of_Chromatography_A_Volume_1745_2025_465749_Fig_1_GCMS_SIM_chromatogram_of_a_standard_solution_containing_1_000_g_L_1_of_each_surrogate_53d33c9fd8.jpg" alt="Journal of Chromatography A, Volume 1745, 2025, 465749: Fig. 1. GC/MS SIM chromatogram of a standard solution containing 1,000 µg L-1 of each surrogate. 1: chloroform. 2: deuterated toluene. 3: toluene. 4: deuterated chlorobenzene and chlorobenzene. 5: methyl salicylate. 6: phenyl cyclohexane. 7: deuterated benzophenone and benzophenone. 8: methyl stearate." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Journal_of_Chromatography_A_Volume_1745_2025_465749_Fig_1_GCMS_SIM_chromatogram_of_a_standard_solution_containing_1_000_g_L_1_of_each_surrogate_53d33c9fd8.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1501" height="900"></div><h5>3.4. Recycling method based on dissolution-precipitation</h5>The analytical method developed was used in the evaluation of the cleaning efficiency of a recycling method based on the dissolution-precipitation of post-consumer HDPE using limonene as the dissolution solvent which is a greener alternative to the commonly used toluene or xylene. The addition of an antisolvent to precipitate the polymer was deemed unnecessary, as the polymer precipitated by cooling down the mixture.Both the PC-HDPE flakes and the recycled polymer were characterized by FTIR. Attention was put to find characteristic signals of the polymer and residual solvents. Of the PC-HDPE samples analysed, only HDPE characteristic bands were found. For the ultra-cleaned HDPE, the characteristic bands of the polymer were found along bands for limonene, which meant that residues of the solvent remained after the ultra-cleaning method.To ensure the absence of any residues of limonene in the precipitated polymer, a drying step was carried out. A soft temperature of 40 °C was chosen to prevent the polymer from degrading. Aliquots of a treated sample being dried in an oven were taken at different time intervals and stored in closed glass vials at room temperature until characterization. The IR spectrum of each aliquot was registered to analyze the trends of limonene characteristic bands over time of drying.<div>The IR spectrums were registered six times for the aliquot taken at t = 0 h and three times for the rest of the aliquots. For each spectrum, the signal areas of limonene's characteristic bands were obtained. The variation of mean signal area over time is shown in Fig. S4 of the supplementary material. At 9 days, no signals were found. A comparison of spectrums of ultra-cleaned HDPE with 0 and 9 days of drying at 40 °C is shown in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325000986#fig0003">Fig. 3</a>. No differences in HDPE bands were found between the contaminated and ultra-cleaned polymer.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/JO_6_BE_2_1_7fccd4305a.jpg" alt="Journal of Chromatography A, Volume 1745, 2025, 465749: Fig. 3. FTIR spectrums of ultra-cleaned just after cleaning (A) and after 9 days of drying at 40 °C (B). Band assignment can be found in Table S1 of the supplementary material." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_JO_6_BE_2_1_7fccd4305a.jpg 103w," sizes="100vw" width="987" height="1500"></div><h4>4. Conclusions</h4>A PLE-GC/MS method for the determination of seven model contaminants in post-consumer and recycled HDPE was optimized, validated and applied to the evaluation of a novel recycling method based on the dissolution and precipitation of PC-HDPE with limonene.GC/MS allowed the quantification of the model contaminants in a single analysis, using acetone as solvent. LODs suitable for the low concentrations expected in the recycled material were achieved. The PLE conditions were optimized with a central composite design, with the compromise values allowing a fast and automated extraction process.This method was applied to evaluate the cleaning efficiency of a novel recycling method using limonene, following EFSA recommendations to carry out a challenge test. High cleaning efficiencies were achieved for all surrogates, proving the suitability of limonene and the dissolution-precipitation process to recycle PC-HDPE.Moreover, the proposed analytical method allowed an easy, fast analysis of HDPE samples both before and after recycling, regardless of original application of the material, proving its adequate use during the evaluation of other novel recycling methods, whether they are mechanical, chemical or alternative processes. Lastly, the use of green and bio-based solvents, lower temperatures and shorter analysis times reduced the impact on the environment.</div>

Pressurized liquid extraction and GC/MS determination of model contaminants in HDPE - Application to recycling of post-consumer polyolefins using limonene

Improved sampling strategy for high-performance materials: The introduction of the stethoscope cell for online-LASIL experiments

In the week from July 14, the following webinars await you in the field of atomic and molecular spectroscopy and spectrometry<blockquote><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinars">👉 DETAILS AND REGISTRATION IN THE WEBINARS SECTION</a>👉 Search and filter in the largest global database with over 4 500 GC, LC, MS and spectroscopy webinars.</blockquote><h5>1. Wiley/Bruker: Proving the Power of Benchtop NMR: Advanced Pulse Sequences with the Fourier 80</h5><ul><li>Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 17:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5226">Registration</a></li></ul>This webinar highlights the capabilities, applications and versatility of the Bruker Fourier 80 benchtop NMR spectrometer.<h5>2. Agilent Technologies: Enhancing Selenium Detection in Food: Improving Sensitivity with ICP-OES and Hydride Generation</h5><ul><li>Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 21:30 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/4913">Registration</a></li></ul>This webinar evaluates Se concentrations in ten infant formulas using a Multimode Sample Introduction System (MSIS) for hydride generation with ICP-OES.<h5>3. Agilent Technologies: Recycled Plastics in Food Packaging: Testing and Standards in India’s rPET Mandate</h5><ul><li>Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 07:30 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5306">Registration</a></li></ul>Explore India’s rPET packaging regulations and testing methods using GC/MS, ICP-MS, and LC/MS. Ensure safety and compliance in recycled plastics for food contact with expert insights and case studies.<h5>4. C&amp;EN/Anton Paar: Scalable Innovations in Dry Battery Electrode Manufacturing</h5><ul><li>Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 19:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5300">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover the latest advancements in dry battery electrode (DBE) production in this in-depth webinar hosted by Anton Paar.<h5>5. LECO: Thermogravimetric Determination of Moisture and Ash in Soils and Plant Tissue Materials</h5><ul><li>Thursday, July 17, 2025, 16:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5243">Registration</a></li></ul>Join us for an in-depth technical webinar exploring the latest advancements in TGA for determining moisture and ash content in soils and plant tissue materials.<h5>6. Agilent Technologies: Part 2: Characterizing catalysts using an UV-VIS/NIR system with the Praying Mantis diffuse reflectance accessory</h5><ul><li>Thursday, July 17, 2025, 20:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/4926">Registration</a></li></ul>In Part 2 of this workshop, we look at performing measurements on the Cary 5000 UV-VIS/NIR Spectrophotometer with the Praying Mantis accessory from Specac/Harrick.

Webinars LabRulezICPMS Week 29/2025

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 14th July 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!<blockquote>👉 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library">SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT SPECTROSCOPY/SPECTROMETRY RELATED TECHNIQUES</a></blockquote><blockquote>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezLCMS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezGCMS</a> libraries.</blockquote>This week we bring you brochure by Anton Paar and application notes by Agilent Technologies and Shimadzu!<h3>1. Anton Paar: Modular Circular Saccharimeters MCP 5300 | 5500 Sucromat</h3><ul><li>Brochure</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/D02_IP_024_EN_B_Brochure_Sucromat_5300_5500_screen_91def7a024.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=241&amp;search=MCP+Sucromat">MCP Sucromat 5300 and 5500</a> from Anton Paar are high-precision circular saccharimeters designed specifically for the sugar industry. These instruments are widely used in sugar factories, quality control labs, and payment analysis due to their robust construction, modular expandability, and compliance with international standards such as ICUMSA, OIML, and the Australian K157.Both models operate at the 589 nm sodium D-line wavelength, with an optional 880 nm LED light source for lead-free clarified or highly colored samples. The saccharimeters can be upgraded with features such as Peltier temperature control, Toolmaster™ (automatic wireless recognition of sample cells and quartz plates), and FillingCheck™, which uses a camera to ensure correct sample filling and traceability. These features enable precise and reproducible measurements, even under challenging conditions.The devices are built on a solid aluminum optical bench for long-term stability and minimal optical distortion. With resolution down to 0.001 °OR and accuracy up to ±0.003 °OR, the MCP Sucromat models offer outstanding performance. They are ideal for both beet and cane sugar analysis, and can be combined with Anton Paar's Abbemat refractometers for full purity analysis, including °Z (Pol), °Brix, and % apparent purity.Thanks to their modularity, durability, and automation capabilities, the MCP Sucromat series is a future-proof investment for sugar laboratories requiring fast, accurate, and traceable sugar content measurements, even in high-throughput environments like reception labs or integrated systems such as Betalyser.<h3>2. Agilent Technologies: Revealing Colors of Concealers using the Cary 60 UV-Vis DRA&nbsp;</h3><h5>Coupled with an internal diffuse reflectance accessory, the Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+60+UV-Vis">Cary 60 UV-Vis</a> quickly and accurately pinpoints color characteristics</h5><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_color_analysis_agilent_cary_60_uv_vis_5994_8278en_agilent_636ae86012.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Cosmetic products such as makeup, soaps, or lotions commonly require the addition of coloring agents to achieve a particular effect when applied or to improve their appearance on store shelves. Dyes and pigments are constantly being developed to improve product stability, boost color saturation, ensure consumer safety, and lower production costs. Quality control tests must be conducted on new raw materials to ensure color consistency throughout product lines. For each of these industrial needs, the analytical methodologies for characterizing these products must be robust. One of the key metrics for coloring agents is their response to UV-visible light. Cosmetics such as makeup can have complex interactions with light, including absorption, specular reflectance, and diffuse transmission and reflectance, which influence characteristics such as color, shine, and UV&nbsp;protection.&nbsp;A powerful technique used to analyze these interactions is UV-Vis spectroscopy with an integrating sphere such as an internal UV-Vis DRA. The Cary 60 UV-Vis DRA is an attachment fitted inside the Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+60+UV-Vis">Cary 60 UV-Vis spectrophotometer</a> (Figure 1) with a spherical cavity coated in diffuse reflective polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE, entrance and exit ports for the UV-Vis beam, and its own detector (Figure 2).If the sample is positioned at the entrance port, light that is diffusely transmitted through the sample can be collected with minimal loss compared to a traditional transmission measurement. Similarly, positioning the sample at the exit port allows the specular and diffusely reflected light to be measured by the integrating sphere. In this application note, diffuse reflectance of several differently colored, powdered concealers is measured to accurately determine their color coordinates using an Agilent Cary 60 UV-Vis spectrophotometer equipped with an internal DRA and the Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+WinUV+Color+software">Cary WinUV Color software</a>.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>The Agilent Cary 60 UV-Vis spectrophotometer with DRA and the Agilent Cary WinUV Color software is a simple but powerful solution for analyzing the reflectance properties of cosmetics. The DRA is an ideal tool for measuring a range of cosmetic samples in both transmission and reflection modes, and alternative sample holders are available that allow liquids, powders, and gels to be measured. Data collection is fast and reliable, and the software allows the analysis of measurements with multiple illuminants and in many color coordinate systems by simply recalculating the data, making this combination well suited to color-based quality control and color-matching applications.<h3>3. Shimadzu: Mapping Measurement of Paints and Pigments with Thermoelectrically Cooled MCT Detector</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_01_00822_en_487ed50ef1.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Automobiles are coated with multiple layers of paint, each with a specific purpose and composition. So paint fragments at the scene of a traffic accident can provide critical information for forensic investigations. Infrared microscopy can analyze fragments that retain this multi-layer structure to identify the component constituents in each paint layer, and this can be used to identify the specific model and year of manufacture of an automobile involvedin an accident.Infrared microscopy is also used in scientific studies of valuable historical works of art to identify the pigment components and their distribution. This can reveal what techniques were used to create them, and it can assist in selecting the techniques and materials used to restore and conserve them.&nbsp;The thermoelectrically cooled MCT (TEC MCT) detector is a new optional detector for infrared microscopes that can measure microscopic targets as small as 25 µm with high resolution and without requiring liquid nitrogen. But while AIMsight infrared microscope and the AIRsight infrared Raman microscope are equipped as standard with a T2SL detector, which can measure microscopic targets down to 10 µm, they require liquid nitrogen to do so. Due to the difficulty of procuring it and the dangers it can pose of frostbite and oxygen displacement, there is an increasing demand for analytical options that avoid using liquid nitrogen.&nbsp;In this article, an infrared microscopy system (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=3&amp;search=IRTracer-100">IRTracer-100</a>, AIMsight) equipped with a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=3&amp;search=TEC+MCT+detector">TEC MCT detector</a> was used for a mapping measurement of an automobile coating and organic pigments.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>An infrared microscopy system equipped with a TEC MCT detector was used to perform mapping measurement of an automobile coating and organic pigments. The TEC MCT detector could perform mapping measurement over a wide target area with good sensitivity and without the need for liquid nitrogen. But for mapping measurement that requires a smaller aperture or if it needs to be quicker and use fewer scans, the T2SL detector, which requiresliquid nitrogen isrecommended.

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 29, 2025

This study analyzed the elemental composition of 102 non-PDO (non–Protected Designation of Origin) Greek cheeses from both mainland and island regions, made from various milk types and production methods. Using ICP-MS, concentrations of essential elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn) and heavy metals were determined. Nutritional values were calculated based on these elements.Results showed low levels of heavy metals, confirming the cheeses are safe for consumption, and highlighted their contribution to daily intake of essential nutrients like Cr and Zn. Discriminant analysis demonstrated differentiation based on milk and cheese type. A database of elemental profiles was created to support the promotion of these lesser-known local cheeses to Greek and European consumers.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347">Elemental profile of traditional, commercially available Greek cheeses</a></h4>Eleni C. Pappa, Efthymia Kondyli, Athanasios C. Pappas, Lida Papalamprou, Andrea Mara, Panagiota Kyriakaki, Evangelos Zoidis, Agori Karageorgou, Elisavet Giamouri, Aikaterini Sarri, Panagiotis Simitzis, Michael Goliomytis, Gavino Sanna, Eleni Tsiplakou, Constantinos A. GeorgiouInternational Dairy Journal, Volume 169, 2025, 106315<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106315">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2025.106315</a><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.Greece possesses an established tradition in cheesemaking, producing a diverse array of cheeses. Twenty-two of these cheeses, such as Feta, Formaella Arachovas Parnassou, and Ladotyri Mytilinis, hold a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, ensuring their authenticity and regional specificity. Additionally, Krasotyri Kos (Tyri tis Possias) and Kashkaval Pindou possess a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, signifying its bond to a specific geographical area (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib15">European Union, 2019</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib16">2024</a>).Despite the prominence of PDO/PGI cheeses, Greece also produces significant quantities of cheeses without such designations. In 2021, production included 23,473 tons of hard/semi-hard cheeses, 23,891 tons of whey cheeses, and 41,769 tons of soft cheeses that do not have PDO/PGI designation (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib30">Pappa &amp; Kondyli, 2023</a>). These cheeses contribute substantially to local economies, reflecting regional traditions and manufacturing techniques. Their production is inherited from one generation to another, while some of them are consumed seasonally and are associated with specific festivities. Variability in production methods and local traditions endow these cheeses with distinct identities. Many of these cheeses despite being recognized within their production areas, they remain unfamiliar to Greek, let alone European consumers. Nowadays, consumers are interested in local food products and are willing to pay higher prices taking into account the culture of these products as well as their characteristics and manufacturing conditions (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib22">Licitra, 2010</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib4">Braghieri et al., 2014</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib20">Kamber, 2015</a>).Cheese contains important nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals and has a crucial nutritional role (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib34">Walther et al., 2008</a>). There are twenty minerals essential for humans which are divided into macro-elements, sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P) and trace elements iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), iodine (I), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), fluoride (F), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), silicon (Si), boron (B). Also, several other elements such as lithium (Li) and aluminum (Al) occur but are not nutritionally essential (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib6">Cashman, 2002</a>). Iron, although found in low concentrations, is an essential trace element which is involved as a catalyst in certain metabolic reactions and plays an important role in the transport, storage and utilization of oxygen. Copper is an essential element that enables the proper function of many enzymes involved in the antioxidant defense of the body. Zinc is a trace element essential for growth, development, wound healing, and normal functioning of the immune system. Manganese is involved in the metabolism of biogenic amines and participates in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Selenium is a component of selenoprotein glutathione peroxide which helps to protect cell components from oxidative damage. Chromium is regarded as an essential nutrient for humans and the earliest detectable effect of deficiency is an impairment of glucose tolerance. Cobalt is an essential component of vitamin B12 (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib6">Cashman, 2002</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib25">Miller et al., 2007</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib27">National Research Council, 1989</a>). Therefore, determination of elemental profile is a very important analysis (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib18">Georgiou &amp; Danezis, 2015</a>).Generally, the elements’ levels of a cheese depend on their levels in raw milk, reflecting the composition of soil used for pasture and the environmental contamination. The type of animal, i.e., sheep, goat, cow, their genetical characteristics, the type of pasture used, the stage of lactation, the seasonal and regional variations can influence the elemental concentration of a cheese (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib25">Miller et al., 2007</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib33">Sola-Larranaga &amp; Navarro-Blasco, 2009</a>). During cheese manufacture, different treatments such as heating of milk, curdling and salting can modify the element composition (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib21">Khozam et al., 2012</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib32">Schone et al., 2003</a>). Moreover, the concentration of some elements can be increased by the transfer of metals from containers and tools, with which milk or curd come into contact, especially when metal containers are used for cheese storage such as brined cheeses (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib3">Blunden &amp; Wallace, 2003</a>; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib8">Coni et al., 1995</a>).The elemental profile of PDO and PGI cheeses was previously determined (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib10">Danezis et al., 2020</a>). The aim of the present work was to provide a compositional elemental description of cheeses from the Greek market which do not bear a certification of geographical indication. Their physicochemical content was studied previously by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib31">Pappa et al. (2023)</a>. Their elemental profile may add value and greater significance contributing to better consumer recognition and to increased producers’ income. Therefore, in this work twenty elements, namely Al, vanadium (V), Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), niobium (Nb), Mo, tin (Sn), cesium (Cs), barium (Ba), gold (AU), lead (Pb), uranium (U) were determined and a database was created. Also, the nutritional value, in terms of dietary recommended intakes, for some elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn), was calculated.<h4>2. Material and methods</h4><h5>2.4. ICP-MS analysis</h5>Elemental content was determined with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=3&amp;search=iCAP+RQ+ICP-MS">iCAP RQ ICP-MS</a> (Thermo Scientific, MA, USA) taking advantage of its rapid ultra-trace level multi-element determinations capability (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib18">Georgiou &amp; Danezis, 2015</a>). The ICP-MS parameters were as follows: nebulizer gas flow of 1.04&nbsp;L&nbsp;min−1; cooling gas flow of 14.00&nbsp;L&nbsp;min−1, auxiliary gas flow of 0.8&nbsp;L&nbsp;min−1; spray chamber temperature of 270&nbsp;°C; ICP RF power of 1550&nbsp;W; extraction lens of −200.0&nbsp;V; CCT focus lens of 1.80&nbsp;V; detector voltages of −1800/2000 V; Q-cell active in KED mode to solve potential polyatomic interferences and matrix effect. Collision gas He-flow of 8.5&nbsp;mL&nbsp;min−1; pole bias of −15.0&nbsp;V and CCT bias of −8.0&nbsp;V. Twenty elements were determined, namely 27Al, 51V, 52Cr, 55Mn, 57Fe, 59Co, 63Cu, 66Zn, 75As, 77Se, 85Rb, 88Sr, 93Nb, 95Mo, 118Sn, 133Cs, 137Ba, 197Au, 207Pb and, 238U. Each of these elements was selected based on its relevance to food analysis, its nutritional value, its potential to be a geographical indicator and/or an indicator of authenticity, as well as for the detection of eventual exposure to environmental contaminants. By analyzing a wide range of heavy metals, essential elements and toxic elements, a detailed elemental fingerprint for different cheese varieties can be developed, which can be used for quality control, as well as ensuring compliance of cheeses with food safety standards.<h4>3. Results and discussion</h4><h5>3.1. Elemental profile of local non-PDO cheeses</h5>Traditional Greek hard cheeses exhibited statistically significant differences (P&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05) for Nb, Mo, Cs, Ba, and Au, while no significant differences (P&nbsp;&gt;&nbsp;0.05) were observed for other elements, as presented in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#tbl1">Table 1</a>. These elements could serve as markers for differentiating cheeses based on their origin or production methods, while the absence of significant differences for other elements implies consistency across samples, indicating a stable baseline for those elements in traditional Greek cheeses. In detail, Saganaki exhibited the highest concentrations of Nb (10&nbsp;μg/kg) and Au (46&nbsp;μg/kg), Pecorino had the lowest concentrations of Au (1&nbsp;μg/kg), Mo (9&nbsp;μg/kg), and Cs (&lt;LoD) -as was also evident for Tyri Mpournias of Andros-, but the highest concentration of Se (25&nbsp;μg/kg). Melichloro of Limnos showed the highest concentration of Cs (12&nbsp;μg/kg), and Ba (2200&nbsp;μg/kg). Tyri of Mpounias from Andros had the highest concentrations of Mo (180&nbsp;μg/kg), the lowest concentration of Ba (300&nbsp;μg/kg), and Cs below the LoD. Although statistically not significant, Fe concentration showed the highest concentration in Tyri of Mpournias from Andros (13000&nbsp;μg/kg), while the lowest was found in Malathouni of Tinos (2800&nbsp;μg/kg). Variations of certain elements in animal products, like meat or cheese, could be attributed to variations or differences in soil composition, water sources, or feed (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib11">Danezis et al., 2017</a>).<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Table_1_Concentration_of_elements_mg_kg_1_in_traditional_Greek_hard_cheeses_050ed9802b.jpg" alt="International Dairy Journal, Volume 169, 2025, 106315: Table 1. Concentration of elements (μg kg−1) in traditional Greek hard cheeses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Table_1_Concentration_of_elements_mg_kg_1_in_traditional_Greek_hard_cheeses_050ed9802b.jpg 109w," sizes="100vw" width="695" height="995"><h5>3.2. Discrimination among cheese types</h5>Discriminant analysis of the elemental fingerprint according to the type of cheese is presented in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#fig1">Fig. 1</a>. Three discriminant functions were significant (P&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.01) for the classification of samples among different cheese type groups. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#fig1">Fig. 1</a> depicts the first two discriminant functions. Two clusters were formed, one consisting of hard and semihard cheese samples and one with soft, spread and whey cheese samples.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Figure_1_68e58863fe.jpg" alt="International Dairy Journal, Volume 169, 2025, 106315: Fig. 1. Discriminant analysis for different cheese types using two discriminant functions of elemental profile of cheese samples (+ indicates group centroid)." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Figure_1_68e58863fe.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1509" height="900">Additionally, in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#tbl6">Table 6</a>, the different cheese types were classified based on their total elemental profile through discriminant analysis. 70.4&nbsp;% of the samples were correctly classified into the appropriate cheese type group. The highest rate of correct classification was observed for hard cheese samples (90&nbsp;%) whereas the rest of the samples were correctly classified at rates lower than 72.2&nbsp;%. The elements Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Au and U were found responsible for the discrimination of samples into cheese type groups according to the stepwise discriminant analysis applied. Under this context, previous studies applied elemental profile as a mean to discriminate among different cheese types. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib1">Aceto et al. (2017)</a> reported that the distribution of lanthanides could be considered as a fingerprint tool to relate the soil of the pastureland on which cows graze and to the bottled milk. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib23">Magdas et al. (2019)</a> reported that Mn content together with rare earth element concentrations were good predictors of two traditional cheese specialties of Romania. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694625001347#bib24">Mara et al. (2024)</a> found elements such as Se and Zn to discriminate samples based on the cheese-making process of pecorino cheese from Sardinia, Italy.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Table_6_Classification_table_for_different_cheese_types_based_on_the_total_elemental_profile_of_cheeses_through_discriminant_analysis_932e21401e.jpg" alt="International Dairy Journal, Volume 169, 2025, 106315: Table 6. Classification table for different cheese types based on the total elemental profile of cheeses through discriminant analysis." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_International_Dairy_Journal_Volume_169_2025_106315_Table_6_Classification_table_for_different_cheese_types_based_on_the_total_elemental_profile_of_cheeses_through_discriminant_analysis_932e21401e.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="711" height="942"><h4>4. Conclusions</h4>The present study provides important input on the levels of selected elements of commercially available, non-designated, Greek cheeses. The findings of the study indicate that these cheeses can be regarded as safe, given their low levels in heavy metals, and on the other hand, they cover a considerable percentage of the dietary recommended intake for elements like Cr and Zn. Additionally, the results of this work indicated that discriminant analysis may facilitate cheese differentiation based on cheese- and milk type, as an initial step enhancing their unique properties regarding milk type and cheese making. The cheese elemental profile assessed in the present study may provide added value and better consumer recognition towards an increased producers’ income.

Elemental profile of traditional, commercially available Greek cheeses

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