News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 38, 2026

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 14th September 2026? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!

👉 SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT SPECTROSCOPY/SPECTROMETRY RELATED TECHNIQUES

👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into LabRulezLCMS or LabRulezGCMS libraries.

This week we bring you technical note by Agilent Technologies, application notes by Metrohm and Thermo Fisher Scientific and poster by Shimadzu / AOAC!

1. Agilent Technologies: Transitioning from the Agilent Cary 630 FTIR to the Agilent Cary 635 FTIR Spectrometer

Demonstrating methodology equivalence for pharmaceutical applications

• Technical note
• Full PDF for download 

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a powerful analytical tool used to analyze a wide variety of materials by interpreting their infrared (IR) wavenumber absorptions. Within pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries, FTIR analysis is integral for material identification and quality assurance of pharmaceutical substances. 

In the pharmaceutical industry, the Agilent Cary 630 FTIR is used for the identification of drug products, incoming goods, and packaging materials, as specified in global pharmacopoeias, and provides quantitative information such as the concentration of components within pharmaceutical formulations. 

Agilent now presents the Cary 635 FTIR spectrometer—an ultracompact, easy-to-use, high-performing, portable FTIR system. With greater IR power, the Cary 635 FTIR features greater detection sensitivity and faster scanning times. With its predecessor's modular design, the Cary 635 FTIR can analyze the same samples with a newly enhanced performance quality and efficiency. 

For users in the pharmaceutical industry who have experience with the Cary 630 FTIR, this technical overview demonstrates the common methodologies and workflows between the Cary 635 FTIR and Cary 630 FTIR spectrometers for pharmaceutical purposes. It will compare the ability of the two instruments to measure and label IR spectra, identify relevant compounds such as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and quantify substances within commercial formulations.

Instrumentation and software 

For comparison, all three application tests were conducted using the Cary 630 FTIR and Cary 635 FTIR spectrometers with ZnSe optics and equipped with a single-reflection diamond attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessory. The specific method parameters are outlined within each corresponding application. Both the Cary 635 FTIR and Cary 630 FTIR use Agilent MicroLab software, which provides step-by-step instructions with supporting images to guide users through the entire analytical workflow. Both spectrometers follow the same methods and operational procedures from sample loading to data processing (Figure 1). Results are presented in an easy-to-understand, color-coded format with customizable limits, ensuring a rapid and intuitive data review.

Conclusion 

The comparison presented here of both the Agilent Cary 635 FTIR and Cary 630 FTIR spectrometers demonstrated shared methodologies that produced consistent results across key applications within pharmacopoeia, including spectrum production, compound identification, and substance quantification. Featuring the same modularity, robustness, and ease of use as the Cary 630 FTIR, the Cary 635 FTIR also offers greater sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, resulting from an enhanced IR source intensity. Therefore, users operating in regulated environments can confidently upgrade to the Cary 635 FTIR with the understanding that the workflow from the Cary 630 FTIR is directly transferrable, and that their routine analyses will remain consistent and reliable.

2. Metrohm: Coconut water analysis by NIRS

Determination of Brix, salinity, conductivity, and pH with one instrument

• Application note
• Full PDF for download

Fresh coconut water is the main edible part of the coconut (aside from the coconut meat) and has gained popularity as a health drink in recent years. Multiple factors influence the quality, such as harvesting time, growth location, and storage duration. This poses a challenge for industrial producers to achieve and maintain the desired product quality. 

Testing the properties of coconut water with standard laboratory methods can be challenging, since trained lab personnel are needed. In contrast, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is fast, chemical-free, and does not require sample preparation. This Application Note explains how NIRS is used for the multiparameter analysis of coconut water. The NIRS solution is easy to use and can be implemented either atline or in a quality control lab.

EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT 

An OMNIS NIR Analyzer Liquid with a 1 mm flowthrough cell (Figure 1) was used to analyze 206 coconut samples from a commercial supplier. In this configuration, a peristaltic pump injects the sample into the flow-through cell, which is inserted into the cuvette holder. The cell is rinsed with water after each measurement.

CONCLUSION

This Application Note shows the feasibility of using NIR spectroscopy for the quality control of coconut water. The parameters Brix, conductivity, turbidity, pH value, and salinity can be monitored by NIRS in seconds without any sample preparation. The presented setup with a flow-through cell not only simplifies sample handling but also allows full automation when using an OMNIS Sample Robot. In addition to coconut water, the coconut fruit itself can also be analyzed using near-infrared spectroscopy.

3. Shimadzu / AOAC: Analysis of Heavy Metals in Baby Food Using ICP-MS

• Poster
• Full PDF for download

Babies are more vulnerable to the effects of toxic metals, and baby food therefore requires careful testing. US and EU regulations1)–3) set limits for toxic metals in baby food. This study analyzed five baby foods using the ICPMS-2040/2050 and evaluated spike recovery and long-term stability.

Conclusion 

Elemental analysis of baby food was conducted using ICP-MS. 

We achieved detection limits that met stringent standards. The spike recovery tests provided good results for all samples with different matrices, confirming the validity of the analysis. Additionally, we analyzed 50 samples of infant formula with a high matrix approximately six hours and confirmed good stability.

4. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Process Raman as a comprehensive solution for downstream buffer workflow

• Application note
• Full PDF for download

Raman technology is rapidly gaining interest as a promising Process Analytical Technology (PAT) solution for real-time, non-invasive monitoring and control of downstream biopharma processes, especially for therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and nucleic acids. Raman measurement, based on the vibration of molecular bonds, is highly specific for identification and quantification, even in complex or interfering matrices. 

As an in-line PAT tool, Raman spectroscopy offers direct and rapid measurement in aqueous phases without sample preparation. These features make it ideal for monitoring and controlling dynamic processes such as downstream processing.

This study demonstrates a real-time methodology for accurately quantifying formulation excipients in the dynamic ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF) process using the Thermo Scientific™ MarqMetrix™ All-In-One Process Raman Analyzer (Figure 1). In addition, this study also illustrates a case where process Raman was able to provide real-time information on buffer quality.

Results 

The Partial Least Squares (PLS) models for L-histidine, L-arginine, and sucrose were initially tested using seven independent samples collected on three different process Raman analyzers. Data were mathematically processed to standardize spectra across instruments before applying the models. All the spectra were interpolated to have a common x-axis by equally spacing the 2048 pixels across 60 to 3250 cm-1 Raman shift, followed by relative y-axis standardization using the SRM fluorescence data as described in the NIST standardization protocol.² Figure 3 shows the correlation plot of predicted versus reference values for L-histidine, L-arginine, and sucrose for the validation samples. A correlation coefficient of over 95% and a root means square error (RMSE) of less than 5% of the reference value for calibration, cross-validation, and prediction across three instruments demonstrate the reliability of process Raman to accurately predict the concentrations of these excipients, as well as easy model transferability.

Conclusion

This work, combined with our previous demonstrations of accurate in-line protein quantification during UF/DF processes,⁷, ⁸ clearly highlights the value of process Raman for downstream process monitoring. Raman spectroscopy allows for the simultaneous measurement of multiple critical process parameters (CPPs) with a single scan. These findings establish process Raman as a PAT tool with unparalleled benefits compared to other analytical methods. 

Simultaneous measurement of protein and excipient concentrations not only allows tighter process control but also opens opportunities for automating downstream processing. 

The ability of process Raman to provide real-time insights into buffer quality before its use in UF/DF runs offers substantial value by preventing batch failures. This capability enhances quality control, making Raman spectroscopy an essential tool for integration as an in-line sensor to improve downstream process monitoring, control, and automation.