Solutions for Contaminant Analysis

Significance of the Topic

Contaminant analysis plays a crucial role in manufacturing and quality control by identifying foreign materials that can compromise product integrity, safety, or performance across industries. Rapid and accurate identification techniques reduce downtime, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect brand reputation.

Objectives and Study Overview

This whitepaper presents a comprehensive workflow for contaminant identification and failure analysis. It outlines methods suited to various contaminants based on size and composition, highlights Shimadzu’s instrument portfolio, and demonstrates case studies ranging from metal particles in food to polymer degradation.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometers (EDX-7200/8100): Non-destructive elemental analysis for solids, liquids, and powders, with adjustable beam diameter and no chemical pretreatment.
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometers (IRSpirit FTIR with ATR, AIMsight IR microscope): Organic and some inorganic identification via IR spectra; ATR accessory minimizes sample preparation; microscopy supports sample sizes down to 10 µm.
• Raman Spectrophotometer (AIRsight on IRTracer-100): Complementary identification of inorganic and organic materials, enabling analysis through transparent containers and detection of metal oxides.
• Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA-1720/8050G): High-resolution elemental mapping and geometric data on micrometer-scale contaminants.
• EDXIR-Analysis Software: Integrated qualitative analysis combining EDX and FTIR data against Shimadzu’s spectral library for streamlined identification and similarity scoring.
• EDXIR-Holder: Sample retainer compatible with both EDX and FTIR to reduce handling and prevent sample loss.

Key Results and Discussion

• Metal contaminants in plastics and food products were precisely identified as stainless steel, brass (including free-cutting variants), and iron oxide using optimized beam sizes.
• Polycarbonate headlight degradation under UV was confirmed by FTIR comparison to a UV-damaged plastics library.
• Attached rubber residue on batteries was characterized as NBR with CaCO₃, kaolin, and phthalate esters via ATR-microscopy.
• Complex mixtures on frozen pizza were mapped by EPMA and supplemented by FTIR and EDX to reveal oil residues and stainless steel powder.
• Software integration reduced analysis time by automatically correlating multimodal data and generating hit lists with similarity metrics.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Rapid, accurate, and non-destructive workflows preserve evidence and accelerate root-cause failure analysis.
• Flexible instrumentation covers contaminants from sub-micron to millimeter scales, bridging organic and inorganic analyses.
• Centralized spectral libraries and integrated software enhance consistency and traceability in routine QA/QC or forensic investigations.

Future Trends and Applications

Anticipated advances include deeper integration of multimodal data analytics, expansion of spectral libraries with AI-driven classification, miniaturization of instruments for in-line monitoring, and adoption of cloud-based platforms for real-time contaminant surveillance across distributed manufacturing sites.

Conclusion

Shimadzu’s suite of X-ray, IR, Raman, and electron probe instruments, complemented by integrated software and sample holders, offers a robust toolkit for comprehensive contaminant and failure analysis. This ecosystem streamlines workflows, improves accuracy, and supports diverse industrial applications.

Reference

Shimadzu Corporation. Solutions for Contaminant Analysis C10G-E099, First Edition July 2023.