In recent years, the spotlight on the safety of baby food has intensified, driven by growing concerns about toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. These elements, even in low concentrations, pose significant health risks to infants and toddlers, whose developing bodies are particularly vulnerable. As regulatory standards tighten, advanced analytical techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have emerged as crucial tools in ensuring baby food meets stringent safety and nutritional benchmarks.<h4>The importance of monitoring heavy metals in baby food</h4>Heavy metals can make their way into baby food through environmental contamination, agricultural practices, or industrial processes. For instance:<ul><li>Lead can leach from soil into crops.</li><li>Arsenic is often present in rice and rice-based products due to its natural occurrence in water and soil.</li><li>Mercury can accumulate in fish and seafood.</li><li>Cadmium is introduced via contaminated soil or fertilizers.</li></ul>Even trace amounts of these metals can lead to neurological damage, developmental delays, and other long-term health issues. Regulatory bodies like the FDA and the European Union have established maximum permissible levels for these toxic elements. For example, the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 in the U.S. mandates maximum limits such as 10 µg/kg for inorganic arsenic and 5 µg/kg for lead in baby food products.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Ensuring_Baby_Food_Safety_Tackling_Toxic_Metals_with_Advanced_Technology_275fac6f68.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Ensuring Baby Food Safety - Tackling Toxic Metals with Advanced Technology" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Ensuring_Baby_Food_Safety_Tackling_Toxic_Metals_with_Advanced_Technology_275fac6f68.jpg 239w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="1006"><h4>The role of ICP-MS in baby food safety</h4>To comply with these regulations, manufacturers require robust analytical methods that offer high sensitivity, precision, and reproducibility. ICP-MS, particularly when paired with advanced sample preparation techniques, has become the gold standard for detecting and quantifying both toxic and essential trace elements in baby food.<h4>A streamlined workflow</h4>A recent study showcased a comprehensive workflow using the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1488">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ MTX ICP-MS</a> system:<ul><li>Sample preparation: Baby food samples, ranging from dry powders to high-fat and high-moisture items, were processed using microwave-assisted acid digestion. This method ensures uniform preparation and minimizes manual handling.</li><li>Automated dilution: The system’s argon gas dilution (AGD) capability allowed for a consistent five-fold dilution of all samples, accommodating a wide variety of matrices without compromising detection sensitivity.</li><li>Interference management: By leveraging triple quadrupole modes with reactive gases, the ICP-MS effectively suppressed polyatomic and isobaric interferences, ensuring accurate results even for challenging elements like arsenic and mercury.</li><li>Quality control: Calibration curves and internal standard checks maintained accuracy throughout the analysis, with all results aligning within regulatory limits.</li></ul><h4>Key findings</h4>The study analyzed six baby food products, including fruit purees, cereal, yogurt, and fish-based meals. While most samples adhered to safety standards, certain findings highlighted areas for further attention:<ul><li>Arsenic: Elevated levels were detected in salmon-based purees, attributed to organic arsenic compounds naturally present in fish.</li><li>Cadmium and lead: Slightly elevated levels in carrot-based products underscore the need for rigorous soil testing and monitoring.</li></ul><h4>Benefits of advanced ICP-MS analysis</h4>Beyond regulatory compliance, ICP-MS offers additional advantages:<ul><li>Nutritional assessment: Simultaneous analysis of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and zinc ensures baby food supports healthy growth.</li><li>Efficiency and productivity: The automated workflow minimizes operator intervention, making it suitable for high-throughput laboratories.</li><li>Reliability: Consistent results across diverse sample types build confidence in food safety and quality.</li></ul><h4>Conclusion</h4>Ensuring the safety of baby food is not just a regulatory requirement—it’s a responsibility to protect the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society. By harnessing the power of ICP-MS, manufacturers can confidently address both safety concerns and nutritional needs, delivering products that parents can trust. As technology continues to evolve, such advancements promise a future where baby food safety is guaranteed, one analysis at a time.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/cz/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/inductively-coupled-plasma-mass-spectrometry-icp-ms/quadrupole-icp-ms-systems.html">Explore more</a>: Learn how the Thermo Scientific iCAP MTX ICP-MS system is setting new standards in trace metals analysis for food safety.

Ensuring Baby Food Safety: Tackling Toxic Metals with Advanced Technology

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 31th March 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 application notes by Agilent Technologies and Shimadzu and other document by Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. Agilent Technologies: Enhanced RoHS Compliance Testing with Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=5800+ICP-OES&amp;sources=GCMS_EN-ICPMS_EN">5800 ICP-OES</a></h3>Accurate measurement of multiple elements including Cd, Cr, Pb, and Hg in plastic materials<ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_rohs_compliance_testing_5800_icp_oes_5994_8252en_agilent_d8b5f5a791.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide. Over 62 million tonnes was generated globally in 2024.1 However, only a small fraction of this waste is properly recycled, contributing to environmental pollution and the loss of valuable materials. To address this issue and to improve the safety of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), the EU first introduced the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive in 2003.2 By restricting the use of specific hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and certain flame retardants, RoHS helps ensure that products are safer for both consumers and the environment.3 As the design, type, and production of EEE evolve, ensuring compliance with RoHS regulations becomes increasingly challenging for manufacturers, importers, and distributors. Plastics, such as polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylchlorate (PVC), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), are often used in EEE because of their unique properties and cost-effectiveness.4 Manufacturers must rigorously test these materials using advanced analytical techniques to detect and quantify restricted substances, ensuring compliance with the stringent limits set by the directive. Among these techniques, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is one of the most effective tools for analyzing elements in plastics in accordance with RoHS regulations.5&nbsp;This application note describes a RoHS-compliant testing method for the multi-elemental analysis of plastics using an Agilent 5800 Vertical Dual View (VDV) ICP-OES. The methodology includes detailed procedures for sample preparation of a PE Certified Reference Material (CRM) and two real-life plastic materials used in EEE, instrument parameters, and performance evaluation. Quantitative results for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) are presented. The data set demonstrates the suitability of the method for supporting manufacturers in achieving RoHS compliance with a high level of efficiency and accuracy.<h4>Results and discussion</h4><h5>Sample analysis – spike recovery and precision&nbsp;</h5>Spike recovery tests in a sample matrix are an effective way to evaluate the reliability of the sample preparation and/or analytical methods, especially when suitable CRMs are unavailable. In this study, in addition to the analysis of the CRM, two real-life samples (A and B) were analyzed using the 5800 VDV ICP-OES. The measured concentrations of the analytes and spike recovery results are shown in Table 6. The spike recoveries for all analytes were within 94 to 108%, except for Sn in sample A, which had a spike recovery of 88%. This lower recovery could be due to the high measured concentration of Sn in sample A.&nbsp;However, the recovery of Sn in the CRM was 104%, assuring the method’s accuracy. The %RSD of the spike recovery measurements (n=3) was used to evaluate the method’s precision. As shown in Table 6, the spike recovery RSDs were ≤2.3% for all nine analytes in both samples A and B. This method validation data confirms the effectiveness of the microwave digestion sample preparation procedure for these materials. The results also demonstrate the excellent reproducibility and reliability of the 5800 VDV ICP-OES method for the analysis of complex plastic matrices.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>The Agilent 5800 VDV ICP-OES was used for the quantitative analysis of nine elements including RoHS-specified elements, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Hg, in plastics that are typically used in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The samples included a plastic-based CRM (ERM-EC 681, polyethylene) and two real-life plastic matrices used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. A one-stage microwave digestion sample preparation procedure ensured the complete digestion of these tough thermoplastic materials, facilitating accurate analysis by ICP-OES.&nbsp;The 5800 ICP-OES demonstrated outstanding sensitivity, accuracy, and stability, making it a reliable solution for EEE manufacturers required to comply with RoHS or equivalent testing standards. The Intelligent Rinse software feature of Agilent ICP Expert Pro streamlined operations by automatically adjusting rinse times based on user-defined thresholds, saving time and resources, and lowering the overall costs of analysis. This study highlights the 5800 ICP-OES instrument’s capability to deliver precise and consistent results, supporting the industry’s need for rigorous and reliable RoHS compliance testing.<h3>2. Shimadzu: Simultaneous Multi-Element Analysis of Farmland Soil ExtractsUsing the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=3&amp;search=ICPE-9820&amp;sources=ICPMS_EN">ICPE-9820</a>&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_01_00815_en_bd40243933.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul><h4>User Benefits:</h4><ul><li>The ICPE-9820 can quickly analyze farmland soil for multiple elements simultaneously.</li><li>The ICPE-9820 can analyze high matrix samples without dilution, such as farmland soil solution extracts.</li></ul>Since soil contains constituents essential for crop growth that affect yield and quality, there is increasing demand for soil testing to help maintain optimum concentrations of soil constituents. Soil testing can determine the concentrations of these constituents and then create an optimized fertilization regimen to adjust them. Elemental analysis in soil testing is typically performed with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). However, as soil testing becomes more common, there is a growing demand for faster soil analysis.&nbsp;The ICPE-9820, an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP-AES) offers a wide dynamic range and can analyze multiple elements simultaneously. Soil testing analyzes soil for a large number of elements, and the ICPE-9820 can perform extremely efficient analyses that measure major and trace constituentssimultaneously.&nbsp;In this Application News, the ICPE-9820 analyzed farmland soil solution extracts for exchangeable constituents, available boron, trace elements and cadmium. And a spike recovery test and a dilution test were then performed to validate this analytical method.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>In this Application News, the ICPE-9820 and extraction reagents normally used in soil testing were used to analyze three farmland soil solution extracts for exchangeable constituents, available boron, trace elements and cadmium. The results from validation testing show the analytical method was accurate. Using an axial view and radial view of plasma for different purposes allowed major constituents and trace constituents to be measured simultaneously without diluting samples for individual target analytes.<h3>3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Driving productivity through reliable analysis with reduced complexity</h3><ul><li>Other document (case study)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/cs_003220_tea_icp_ms_icap_mx_series_element_cs003220_na_en_b888bf9432.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Element Material Testing Group is one of the world’s leading providers of testing, inspection, and certification. Element offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of materials testing services available in the Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) sector that covers materials selection, application, and performance testing as well as failure analysis testing services. With over 9,000 employees and 270 laboratories, Element is providing their services worldwide to 55,000 customers working in diverse sectors including aerospace, energy, environmental, industrials, and life sciences.&nbsp;The Element Edmonton laboratory is ISO 17025 accredited, specializing in inorganic analysis. With three <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products?category=228&amp;manufacturerItems=3">ICP-MS</a> and five<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products?category=251&amp;manufacturerItems=3"> ICP-OES</a> systems, it analyzes for inorganic metals in soils and waters. Typical clients come from different industries such as oil and gas, construction, agriculture, municipal drinking water, and many more.&nbsp;Alexsandra Robert is a senior scientist who has been working with the company for 20 years, with over 15 years of experience with ICP analysis. ICP-MS analyses performed at the Edmonton facility are primarily testing for heavy metal contaminant levels in soil and water. “As the primary production lab for Element in Alberta, we currently analyze over 40,000 soils and 15,000 waters annually for metals,” stated Alexsandra.&nbsp;Analysis of soils and waters for elemental contaminants or minerals is typically performed using either Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) or Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) to satisfy the different analytical and regulatory requirements of customers. “The choice between ICP-OES and ICP-MS is largely driven by factors such as required detection limits, number of analytes, regulatory guidelines, and type of information requested by our clients,” Alexsandra further illustrated.Busy analytical testing laboratories experience tremendous workloads and need to ensure that reliable results are delivered to their valued customers in time. Alexsandra noted, “Achieving reliable analytical results with minimum time and resources is very critical to the overall success of any analytical laboratory.” A Thermo Scientific™ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1487">iCAP™ MSX ICP-MS</a> driven by Thermo Scientific™ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1489">Qtegra™ Intelligent Scientific Data Solution Software</a> was added to the instrumental portfolio of the Element laboratory in Edmonton and has been in use for testing of environmental samples including ground waters, lake waters, surface waters, and different types of soil samples. Whereas the analysis of water samples is relatively straightforward, soil samples need to be acid digested either by microwave or hot plate digestion before introducing them into the ICP-MS for analysis. Samples are typically diluted off-line prior to analysis using ultrapure diluent to ensure that total dissolved solids in samples do not exceed the tolerance level of ICP-MS instruments. Alexsandra provided insight on the typical workflow of an environmental laboratory, “For laboratories analyzing hundreds of samples every day, off-line liquid dilution is a tedious, error-prone, and expensive analytical step as it requires time, manual intervention, and expensive reagents and apparatus.”

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 14, 2025

Reactivity and fluxes of antimony in a macrotidal estuarine salinity gradient: Insights from single and triple quadrupole ICP-MS performances

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 16, 2025

As countries across the world accelerate their efforts to move away from fossil fuels, lithium-ion batteries have rapidly become established as a key component in the drive to greener energy alternatives. But lithium is only part of the story. In this blog post, I’ll review the role that lithium and other elements play in battery technology, discuss how these elements can be quantified and assess what potential options there are for future developments in this area.<h3>Lithium ion batteries – their promise and their problems</h3>Lithium ion battery cathodes are typically made from a mixed metal oxide base to which lithium is added and, usually, nickel, cobalt and manganese oxides are used for this purpose. To maintain optimum performance and to slow degradation of cathode materials over multiple charging and discharging cycles as much as possible, these materials need to be highly purified. In particular, they must be free of metal impurities (particularly iron and vanadium) and sulphur, as these elements disrupt battery performance and accelerate degradation processes. Lithium ion batteries have become a central focus for power generation for electric vehicles and portable devices because they offer high-power storage capacity for their size and good charge/discharge cycling stability over a relatively long time period. However, there are safety concerns surrounding lithium ion batteries, as they can spontaneously ignite and subsequently explode as a result of overheating.This overheating can be caused by factors such as electrical shorting, rapid discharge, overcharging or mechanical damage, so considerable research and development in recent years has been focused on making them as safe as possible. Safety is not the only problem for batteries based on lithium. Although the price of lithium batteries has decreased significantly (by almost 90% between 2010 and 2020, according to some estimates1), since January this year, the price of lithium raw materials (primarily lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide) has been rising steadily. Lithium is not a limitless resource on Earth — it’s present at levels of only between 0.002 – 0.006 wt% in the Earth’s crust — so as demand ramps up, supply will diminish and costs will rise. The cost is not only a financial one. Mining activities will need to sharply increase if dependence on lithium is maintained, which will significantly impact the environment in areas where lithium deposits are rich enough for mining to be viable. This, however, also means that recycling and reprocessing of spent batteries will become an essential part of the lithium battery cycle.<h3>Are there alternative metal ion technologies to lithium?</h3>In the initial stages of lithium ion battery research in the 1970s and early 1980s, the potential of sodium ion batteries was also investigated.2 Sodium has the considerable benefit of being much more widely available than lithium — it’s the seventh most abundant element, with an average concentration of 2.27% by weight in the Earth’s crust — and so cheaper and more viable to extract from almost anywhere. However, it soon became clear at the time that the power density and charge/discharge cycling stability of sodium ion batteries was not as good, in part because the larger ionic radius of sodium means that the graphite anodes that are efficiently used with lithium ion batteries cannot be used with sodium batteries. As a result, sodium battery research languished for many years until, in the early 2010s, interest in this area resurged because of increasing battery demand and the discovery that hard carbon3 provided better anode performance with sodium ions. There is still a long way to go with sodium ion battery development, but promising advances are happening now. In June 2020, researchers from Washington State University (WSU) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) announced that they had developed a viable sodium ion battery4, and Stanford University is spearheading research into new sodium ion-based battery materials.5<h3>Measuring lithium and other metals involved in battery technology</h3>It’s clear that accurate determination and quantification of both the cathode metal oxide elements and trace impurities in the cathode material are of key importance for advancing and scaling up battery production, research and development. The techniques that are available for this analysis include <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products?category=251&amp;manufacturerItems=3">inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products?category=232&amp;manufacturerItems=3">inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)</a>, and recently, the applications team at Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Bremen, Germany, facility have produced an application note on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_73872_icp_oes_elements_lithium_batteries_an73872_en_691a4c3f8a.pdf">analysis of trace elements in lithium batteries</a> using the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/BRE0020758#/BRE0020758">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ PRO XP ICP-OES</a>. If you’d like to learn more about how these and other technologies that can support battery technology advancements, take a look at our batteries resources page <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/batteries">here</a>.

Is Battery Technology Just All About Lithium?

Life is often about making a choice or the best possible compromise between two aspects that seem to stand diametrically opposed to each other. For example, staying out late for dinner with friends while planning a long hike the following day with an early start. Either of these activities provides great pleasure, but combining both on the same weekend may not be the best idea. I come across many similar challenges almost every week, and each time I need to make a choice that seems to be the most promising in a given situation.The same is true in some cases for analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). While many questions about removing interferences were answered by my colleague <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.analyteguru.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/58">Simon Nelms</a> in his blogs, I would like to state here that most laboratories performing applied analytical testing of, for example, water samples or foodstuffs, mostly rely on single quadrupole-based ICP-MS, such as the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/IQLAAGGAAQFAQKMBIT#/IQLAAGGAAQFAQKMBIT">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ RQ ICP-MS</a>, due to their robustness, ease of use and speed of analysis.Single quadrupole-based instruments remove all interferences using inert helium as a collision gas and kinetic energy discrimination (KED). The QCell collision/reaction cell (CRC) has two important advantages for this setup: High ion transmission across the full mass range (so that light elements such as lithium and beryllium can also be measured with the lowest detection limits), and an automatically adjusted low mass cutoff to further suppress backgrounds. More information on how KED removes interferences can be found <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/document-connect/document-connect.html?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.thermofisher.com%2FTFS-Assets%2FCMD%2Fbrochures%2Fsn-44415-icp-ms-single-quadrupole-sn44415-en.pdf&amp;title=U21hcnQgTm90ZTogVHJhY2UgRWxlbWVudHMgaW4gUm91dGluZSBTYW1wbGUgTWF0cmljZXMgVXNpbmcgU2luZ2xlIFF1YWRydXBvbGUgaUNBUCBSUSBJQ1AtTVM=">here</a>. Using a single collision gas for all analytes means that the time required for fill/flush cycle in the CRC can be cut from the method, and sample turnover times as low as 45 seconds for a multi-element analysis are feasible.In turn, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/liquid-chromatography-mass-spectrometry-lc-ms/lc-ms-systems/triple-quadrupole-lc-ms.html">triple quadrupole</a> ICP-MS systems, like the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/731546#/731546">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS</a>, may use a larger variety of gases for interference removal, among them helium, oxygen, hydrogen or ammonia. With dedicated measurement modes set up for specific analytes, superior interference removal is accomplished, allowing you to tackle challenging sample matrices and eliminating difficult interferences (such as doubly charged or isobaric interferences). However, each mode and each gas switch adds a few seconds to the method, so that a fully blown method using all available options may end up with extended sample turnover times, which may not be acceptable in a busy laboratory.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Is_There_a_Way_to_Improve_Both_Data_Quality_and_Productivity_in_2_8079c12318.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Is There a Way to Improve Both Data Quality and Productivity in." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Is_There_a_Way_to_Improve_Both_Data_Quality_and_Productivity_in_2_8079c12318.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="815" height="324">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQe ICP-MSWhile the inherent complexity of setting up a method has been reduced by innovative software tools, like the Reaction Finder method development assistant available in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1489">Thermo Scientific™ Qtegra™ Intelligent Scientific Data Solution™ Software</a>, complex installation requirements and analysis times have been a barrier for adoption of triple quadrupole ICP-MS systems in applied testing laboratories.So is there again only a choice between two aspects of technology that seem to be incompatible with each other? Well, there is a new way to combine the superior interference removal of a triple quadrupole with the speed of a single quadrupole.The application experts in the Thermo Fisher Scientific Center of Excellence for Mass Spectrometry in Bremen, Germany, have recently developed a new method based on the use of oxygen as the only reactive gas in a method designed for a triple quadrupole ICP-MS system. Oxygen provides a wealth of chemical reactions to fully eliminate all interferences on common contaminants (such as chromium, arsenic, cadmium and mercury), but also provides comparable performance for elements not immediately benefitting from this reactive gas (e.g., typical matrix elements such as sodium, potassium, calcium or iron).At the same time, sample turnover times of just a little more than 1 minute are possible, so that several hundreds of samples can be analyzed during a shift, with no concerns about sample re-runs or data quality. The team has used a<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/BRE731556#/BRE731556"> Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQe ICP-MS</a>, an instrument designed specifically for laboratories looking to improve both interference removal and productivity. Independent of the matrix, this instrument allows you to overcome all current challenges, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/AN_43446_TQ_ICP_MS_Food_Apple_Tomato_Leaves_AN_43446_EN_9674d8e0c0.pdf">for example in the analysis of foodstuffs</a>, and sets the lab up for increased sample loads or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/document-connect/document-connect.html?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.thermofisher.com%2FTFS-Assets%2FCMD%2FApplication-Notes%2Fan-44479-icp-ms-rare-earth-elements-contaminants-an44479-en.pdf&amp;title=QXBwbGljYXRpb24gTm90ZTogSW50ZWdyYXRpb24gb2YgUmFyZSBFYXJ0aCBFbGVtZW50cyAoUkVFKSBpbnRvIGEgTm92ZWwgSUNQLU1TIE1ldGhvZCBmb3IgRW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbCBBbmFseXNpcw==">new sets of analytes</a> waiting to be taken on.If you would like to know more about how to overcome the seemingly impregnable gap between superior interference removal and productivity in the busy laboratory, please check out the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/BRE731556#/BRE731556">iCAP TQe ICP-MS</a>.

Is There a Way to Improve Both Data Quality and Productivity in

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 12th May 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 guide by Agilent Technologies, application note by Shimadzu and other document by Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. Agilent Technologies: The Basics of UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometry</h3>A primer for Modern Materials Analysis<ul><li>Guide</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/primer_uv_vis_nir_basics_5994_7919en_agilent_ad0d92fa33.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry is a powerful analytical technique used to study how materials interact with ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. This method helps scientists investigate the electronic transitions in atoms and molecules, material compositions, and optical properties such as absorbance, reflectance, and transmittance across a broad wavelength range (typically 175 to 3300 nm).At the heart of a spectrophotometer are key components: a light source, a monochromator to isolate specific wavelengths, a sample compartment, and detectors. Agilent offers a range of advanced instruments such as the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+5000">Cary 5000</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+6000i">Cary 6000i</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+7000">Cary 7000</a> Universal Measurement Spectrophotometer (UMS). These systems enable high-precision measurements and support a wide variety of accessories—including diffuse and specular reflectance units, fiber-optic probes, and polarizers—tailored to different sample types and experimental needs.Applications span multiple fields. In photovoltaics, UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometers assess the quality and optical efficiency of solar cells by measuring diffuse reflectance and transmission. In semiconductor manufacturing, these instruments are used to map optical coatings and band gaps across wafers. In nanotechnology, they help characterize nanoparticles and quantum dots by identifying absorption profiles linked to particle size and dispersion.The technique also plays a critical role in biosciences for quantifying proteins and nucleic acids, and in quality control processes for color consistency in food, textiles, and eyewear. The Cary systems from Agilent deliver reliable and repeatable results across these diverse applications, especially when combined with the powerful <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=Cary+WinUV+software">Cary WinUV software</a> and certified reference materials.Overall, UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry remains essential in both research and industry for its versatility, precision, and the rich insights it provides into material and molecular properties.<h3>2. Shimadzu: Silicone Quantitation from Siliconized Rubber Stoppers by Using FTIR</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_06_saip_sp_078_en_e926481583.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul><h4>User Benefits:</h4><ul><li>The present work provides an easy extraction method for fast and accurate quantitation of silicone.</li><li>The methodology can be adapted for extractable and leachable study of materials like pre-filled syringes, medical tubings and various drug delivery systems.</li></ul>Silicones are extensively employed in various industries due to their unique properties. In the pharmaceutical industry, they find numerous applications such as active ingredients, antifoaming agents, and excipients. They are also utilized in siliconization, pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, and packaging materials. Siliconization plays a vital role in the production of pre-fillable syringes, cartridges and rubber stoppers. Its purpose is to lubricate between the components which facilitates smooth gliding. It also enables a secure connection between the components like glass bottle and rubber stopper. By carefully optimizing the siliconization process parameters, it is possible to achieve a uniform coating while minimizing the presence of free silicone. To obtain quantitative information on the siliconization layers, it is essential to extract the silicone from siliconized components using organic solvents and then perform FTIR spectroscopy. This technique can provide crucial insights into the amount of silicone used on to the rubber stoppers. The present work demonstrates the application of FTIR for quantification of silicone in rubber stoppers.<h4>Experimental</h4>For the current study, the siliconized and non-siliconized rubber stoppers were collected from one of the manufacturers. Calibration curve was prepared by using USP reference standard Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The measurements were performed on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=3&amp;search=IRSpirit-ZX">IRSpirit-ZX</a> (Figure 1). The instrumental parameters are given in Table 1. The parameters used for measurement are referred from United States Pharmacopea1) .<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>Different grades of rubber samples were analyzed by FTIR using fixed thickness cell of NaCl, and excellent repeatability was obtained. The use of Hexane for extraction proved to be effective method for extraction of silicone from rubber stoppers. The % recovery obtained demonstrates the accuracy and reliability of the developed methodology. The method can be used for the routine analysis of rubber stopper samples to measure the content of silicone.<h3>3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: iCAP MX Series ICP-MS</h3><ul><li>Other document (Fact sheet)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/sl_003414_tea_elemental_analysis_icp_ms_green_fact_sheet_sl003414_na_en_c2c49c7ce7.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>We are committed to designing our products with the environment in mind. This fact sheet provides the rationale behind the environmental claim that the Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ MX Series ICP-MS uses up to 28% less energy. It is also responsibly packaged using 29% less material by weight and reduced in size by 22%.&nbsp;<h4>Product description&nbsp;</h4>The Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ MSX Series ICP-MS offers the simplicity and productivity required in analytical testing laboratories, while the Thermo Scientific™ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1488">iCAP™ MTX ICP-MS </a>provides the performance and flexibility needed to perform cutting-edge applications in research-oriented and testing laboratories.<h4>Green features&nbsp;</h4><h5>More energy efficient&nbsp;</h5>The previous model Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ RQplus ICP-MS used 34.31 kWh during an 8-hour operating day. The new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1487">iCAP MSX ICP-MS</a> uses 24.67 kWh during an 8-hour operating day, reducing the energy use by 28%.1 The iCAP MTX ICP-MS can be run interchangeably with a dry vacuum pump or the traditional oil vacuum pump, resulting in an energy savings of 25% when paired with the oil pump and 10% when paired with the dry pump (Table 1).This savings represents 1.7 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually, or the greenhouse gas emissions from driving approximately 4,305 miles in an average passenger car.2&nbsp;The change in energy efficiency is due to the optimized vacuum pumps and decreased pumping speed in stand-by mode. When taking the chiller into account, we can expect an even higher energy efficiency as the new Thermo Scientific™ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1489">Qtegra™ ISDS Software</a> controls the chiller, switching it off for stand-by mode.

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Restek at ISC 2026

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