Taťána Gazárková is currently a&nbsp;postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Antibiotic Resistance and Microbial Metabolomics. During her doctoral studies, she focused on chromatography and mass spectrometry. Recently, she was awarded second place in the “Sanofi Prize for Pharmacy 2026” competition.Taťána Gazárková is currently a&nbsp;postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Antibiotic Resistance and Microbial Metabolomics. During her doctoral studies, she focused on chromatography and mass spectrometry. Recently, she was awarded second place in the “Sanofi Prize for Pharmacy 2026” competition, which is awarded by the French Embassy in the Czech Republic for her dissertation – Steroid Analysis Using Modern Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometry Techniques: From Fundamental Studies to Targeted Bioanalytical Applications (supervisor: Lucie Nováková, Charles University).&nbsp;<h5>What makes this field particularly exciting or unique in your view?</h5>What I&nbsp;enjoy about analytical chemistry is that, to a&nbsp;certain extent, it is a&nbsp;kind of detective work. You are often looking for ways to “make the invisible visible”. In other words, extract the information you are interested in from a&nbsp;complex sample and then interpret it correctly. What also appeals to me about bioanalytical chemistry is its interdisciplinary nature. It brings together analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biology and medicine, which means that you need to be able not only to translate a&nbsp;biological or clinical question into a&nbsp;measurable analytical experiment, but also to place the resulting data back into a&nbsp;broader biological context. This combination of different perspectives is probably what I&nbsp;enjoy most about the field. At the same time, there is still plenty of room for fundamental research, ranging from studying analytical techniques themselves and improving them to developing new methodological approaches.<h5>How did you end up at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mbu.cas.cz/en/research/laboratory-of-antibiotic-resistance-and-microbial-metabolomics">Laboratory of Antibiotic Resistance and Microbial Metabolomics</a>, and what project are you currently working on?</h5>I came to the Institute of Microbiology through a&nbsp;joint project between Dr Zdeněk Kameník and Assoc. Prof. Jan Bobek from the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. For me, it was also an opportunity to move from targeted analysis and the study of chromatographic techniques towards untargeted metabolomics and new biological questions.In the project, we are trying to identify new biologically active compounds that would be effective, particularly against pathogenic fungi. As a&nbsp;potential source of such compounds, we study streptomycetes, bacteria known for their ability to produce a&nbsp;wide range of biologically active compounds, including many antibiotics that are currently in clinical use. We focus on less-explored host-associated streptomycetes, in which we had already observed antifungal activity in previous experiments. We are especially interested in strains active against Candida albicans whose activity cannot be explained by the presence of a&nbsp;known bioactive compound. These strains may represent an interesting source of novel compounds. We then integrate the results of untargeted metabolomic analyses with genomic analyses, which allows us to obtain a&nbsp;more comprehensive view of the biosynthetic potential of selected strains.<h5>You also took part in this year’s Vědafest, a&nbsp;science outreach event for the public. What was it like?</h5>I already had some experience with science outreach through events such as Researchers’ Night and the Science Fair at my previous institution, but this year’s Vědafest was still new to me in some ways. This time, I&nbsp;was presenting a&nbsp;field that I&nbsp;myself had entered only relatively recently. It was therefore more challenging to find the right analogies and explain the essence of the topic in a&nbsp;way that was simple, yet precise and scientifically accurate. At the same time, that was exactly what made it inspiring. It forces you to look at your own work from a&nbsp;different perspective. What I&nbsp;enjoyed most was the spontaneity and curiosity of the children, who often came up with questions that would never even occur to an adult.<h5>What are the biggest challenges you face on your scientific journey, and what helps you overcome them?</h5>One of the greatest, but at the same time most interesting, challenges is, in my view, the uncertainty that is inseparably linked to research. For a&nbsp;long time, you often do not know whether you have taken the right direction in addressing a&nbsp;particular question or whether you will ultimately manage to find that figurative final piece of the puzzle. At the same time, this uncertainty is precisely what makes science exciting for me.Another major challenge, particularly in interdisciplinary projects, is communication. It is important from the very formulation of a&nbsp;hypothesis and the planning of experiments through to the interpretation of results, including negative ones, and placing them in a&nbsp;broader context. To some extent, every field has its own language, and finding a&nbsp;common understanding is not always straightforward. Personally, I&nbsp;find it very helpful to be able to discuss problems with colleagues on an ongoing basis, whether individually or during regular laboratory seminars. One of the major strengths of our current group is its interdisciplinary nature, which allows me to look at the same problem from several different perspectives. It is also important for me not to lose my curiosity, because that is ultimately what leads us to ask further questions.<h5>What are your plans after completing your PhD?</h5>After finishing my PhD, I&nbsp;decided that I&nbsp;do not need to have everything that comes next precisely mapped out straight away. I&nbsp;would like to keep different options open for a&nbsp;while and continue building on my experience in analytical chemistry, while at the same time connecting it with other areas that have a&nbsp;biological or medical relevance. I&nbsp;believe that we can keep learning throughout our lives, so I&nbsp;am quite curious to see where the next stage of my journey will take me.Thank you for the interview!

Interview: What Drew Postdoc Taťána Gazárková to Analytical Chemistry

Scientists at CEITEC Brno University of Technology have developed microscopic robots that could one day accelerate beer production and simplify food quality control. The magnetically controlled biobots can actively mix liquids during fermentation, speed up the process, and separate themselves from the finished product once fermentation is complete. The results of the research, carried out by Professor Martin Pumera’s team, were published in the journal ACS Nano.“When people hear the word ‘robot’ today, they often imagine an electronic device. In reality, however, a robot can be any system capable of autonomously performing a specific task,” explains Martin Pumera of CEITEC Brno University of Technology.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_7d9ff82875.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/Jakub Rozboud: CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control: Martin Pumera in his lab at CEITEC BUT." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_7d9ff82875.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">The research team created so-called biobots—biohybrid microrobotic capsules containing brewer’s yeast and magnetic nanoparticles. When the yeast produces carbon dioxide during fermentation, the resulting bubbles cause the biobots to move up and down through the liquid. This naturally mixes the contents of the vessel and makes fermentation more efficient. Compared with conventional static particles, the biobots can therefore accelerate chemical processes that are important in food production.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_4_af5fd4611f.jpg" alt="CEITEC BUT/Martin Pumera's archive: CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control: Hematite microrobot (image for illustrative purposes)." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_4_af5fd4611f.jpg 209w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1192">Another major advantage of the technology is that the biobots can be easily separated from the finished beverage. Thanks to the magnetic particles they contain, they can be controlled with a magnetic field and removed once fermentation is complete, eliminating the need for additional filtration. The researchers also demonstrated that the biobots can be reused over several production cycles.“Unlike conventional static particles, microrobots actively move throughout the entire volume of the liquid, allowing them to cover a larger area and make the whole process more efficient. At the same time, they also facilitate the automation of production,” adds Martin Pumera. The team is currently discussing potential applications of the technology with a major European brewery.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_3_e8e5a3a55a.jpg" alt="CEITEC BUT/Martin Pumera's archive: CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control: g-C₃N₄ microrobots (image for illustrative purposes)." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_3_e8e5a3a55a.jpg 158w," sizes="100vw" width="1476" height="1460">Martin Pumera’s group has long been exploring the use of microrobots and advanced materials in the food industry. In the past, for example, the team developed a flexible sensor for smart packaging capable of detecting spoiled fish. The new biobots therefore represent another step towards more advanced methods of food quality and safety control.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_2_75c7fed958.jpeg" alt="CEITEC BUT/ACS Nano: CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control: ACS Nano - cover featuring article by Martin Pumera et al." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Mikroroboti_z_CEITEC_mohou_urychlit_vyrobu_piva_i_kontrolu_kvality_potravin_2_75c7fed958.jpeg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="2128">

 CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control 

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 31st August 2026? 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 brochures by Agilent Technologies and Waters Corporation and application notes by Shimadzu and Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. Agilent Technologies: Agilent OpenLab ICP-MS Software</h3>Simplify every step of ICP-MS analysisFor Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=7800">7800</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=7850">7850</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=7900">7900</a> ICP-MS systems, and Agilent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=8900">8900</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=9500">9500 ICP-QQQ</a> systems.<ul><li>Brochure</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/pdf/br_openlab_icp_ms_software_5994_9288en_agilent_05f01dcdef.pdf">Full PDF for download</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>The brochure introduces <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=OpenLab+ICP-MS+Software">Agilent OpenLab ICP-MS Software</a>, designed to simplify routine operation and data handling for Agilent 7800, 7850, and 7900 ICP-MS systems and the 8900 and 9500 ICP-QQQ systems. The software supports the complete analytical workflow—from checking instrument readiness and creating batches to acquisition, data review, reporting, and compliance. A central dashboard provides an overview of system status, maintenance requirements, instrument health, and utilization, while Smart EMF and post-run performance checks help users identify when maintenance may be required. Guided Diagnostics, Meter Monitor, and time-stamped system records also support troubleshooting by tracking parameters such as vacuum levels, gas flows, and temperatures.Method and batch setup are designed to reduce manual configuration. Batches can be created from preset methods, templates, existing batches, Method Wizard, or Method Advisor, and legacy Agilent ICP-MS MassHunter batches can be opened directly in OpenLab ICP-MS. For the 9500 ICP-QQQ, Method Advisor provides an element-focused approach in which users select target elements and calibration information while the software applies recommended acquisition masses and cell-gas conditions. Preset methods are available for applications including EPA 200.8/EPA 6020, USP &lt;232&gt;, ICH Q3D, and Chinese Pharmacopoeia requirements, while an IntelliQuant Screening preset supports semiquantitative screening of unknown samples. Routine instrument tasks can also be automated through autotuning, startup checks, batch queues, end-of-run verification, rinse functions, and automatic shutdown.For data evaluation, OpenLab ICP-MS provides a real-time workspace where users can review analyte concentrations, internal-standard recoveries, stability plots, spectra or chromatograms, calibration information, QC charts, and IntelliQuant results in a single view. IntelliQuant acquires a complete mass spectrum and displays semiquantitative elemental concentrations using a color-coded periodic table, while IntelliQuant Star Rating assigns a zero-to-five-star data-quality score based on factors such as potential interferences, calibration quality, background, detection limits, and precision. Reporting options include whole-batch reports, elemental impurity reports for USP &lt;232&gt;/&lt;233&gt; and ICH Q3D, customizable reports, structured CSV export, and direct data transfer to LIMS.The software can be expanded for specialized applications, including LC-ICP-MS and GC-ICP-MS, advanced QC workflows, single-particle ICP-MS and FFF-ICP-MS, ADS 2 automation, semiconductor analysis, and peripheral-device control. Supported analytical approaches include external calibration, standard additions, semiquantitative calibration, isotope ratios, and isotope dilution. For regulated laboratories, OpenLab ICP-MS can be combined with scalable OpenLab compliance solutions providing electronic signatures, user access control, configurable roles, system activity logs, and audit trails, supporting workflows subject to 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and equivalent regulations. Overall, the platform is positioned as a unified environment for routine and advanced ICP-MS workflows, combining instrument control, method setup, diagnostics, data-quality assessment, reporting, and compliance support.<h3>2. Shimadzu: Identification of Virgin PET and Recycled PET by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/pdf/an_01_01204_en_f3f20ff020.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul><h5>User benefits</h5><ul><li>EDX enables the identification of recycled PET.&nbsp;</li><li>Measurements are quick and simple, require no cumbersome pretreatment, and can be automated using a multi-sample turret.&nbsp;</li><li>The instrument offers excellent cost-performance and supports the detection of a wide range of elements.</li></ul>Establishing a sustainable circular economy is a major societal challenge, and recycling plastic materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plays a particularly important role in reducing environmental impact. Large numbers of PET bottles and molded products are used every day in the food and beverage sectors. To recycle these materials safely and reliably, technologies are required that can accurately identify their origin. In practice, however, appearance and conventional physical properties alone are insufficient to distinguish virgin material from recycled material, creating a need for a more reliable identification method.&nbsp;For rapid identification in industrial settings, a method requiring little or no pretreatment is highly desirable. In some cases, nondestructive analysis is also needed to enable subsequent application of other analytical techniques. This article presents a practical approach in which metal catalysts present in PET are detected by EDX (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) and used to distinguish material-recycled PET from virgin PET.<h4>Principle and Overview&nbsp;</h4>Metal catalysts such as antimony (Sb) and germanium (Ge) are used in the synthesis of PET resin. These catalyst metals have been reported to be useful indicators of material origin. 1),2) For example, Sb and Ge are frequently detected together in material-recycled PET, whereas only one catalyst metal is detected in chemically recycled PET and virgin PET. This likely reflects the fact that material-recycled PET is derived from a mixture of feedstocks using different catalysts.&nbsp;ICP-AES (ICP optical emission spectrometry) and ICP-MS (ICP mass spectrometry), which are commonly applied to catalyst metal analysis, provide high sensitivity and accuracy. However, they require pretreatment to convert the sample into a solution, thereby lengthening the analytical workflow. By contrast, EDX can measure solid samples directly, making it well-suited to applications requiring rapid results, such as incoming material inspection and in-line analysis in molding plants. Because EDX is non-destructive, it is also suitable for multimodal analytical workflows.&nbsp;On the other hand, some commercially available handheld EDX instruments do not support elements such as Sb and Ge. At the same time, higher-end systems may not offer the specifications or price range needed for industrial deployment. The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=1&amp;search=EDX-7200">EDX-7200</a> supports a broad range of elements with excellent cost performance. This article describes the analysis of Sb and Ge in PET using this instrument.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>EDX enables rapid and straightforward elemental analysis without cumbersome sample pretreatment. Previous studies have shown that the presence of Sb and Ge can be used to identify recycled PET. Building on this concept, this article presents a practical analytical approach based on EDX. Using the EDX-7200, which combines broad elemental coverage with excellent cost performance, the proposed method provides a practical tool for rapid on-site identification, quality control, and traceability management. When combined with physical property data and other information, this approach is expected to contribute to the safety assessment and quality assurance of recycled materials, thereby supporting a more advanced circular economy.<h3>3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Optimizing lithium-ion battery recycling operations using handheld XRF analysis</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/pdf/lithium_ion_battery_recycling_handheld_xrf_analysis_an1120_en_4c00477b78.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The shift to a low-carbon economy and the adoption of electric vehicles will drive an exponential increase in the demand for lithium-ion batteries. As a corollary to this, the International Energy Agency expects the demand for some key commodities to increase significantly over the next two decades: the demand for Copper (Cu) is anticipated to increase by more than 40%; for nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), by 60-70% each; and for lithium (Li), by nearly 90%.¹ This will translate into increased mining activities and potentially generate larger amounts of deleterious waste.&nbsp;To reduce the environmental impact and limit reliance on scarce commodities associated with economical and geopolitical implications, several countries have implemented regulations regarding producers’ responsibilities.² These regulations contain both incentives and accountability guidelines for lithium-ion battery and electric vehicles manufacturers. Their goal is to facilitate the emergence of a circular economy in which recycling will increasingly contribute to the supply of the strategic raw materials.&nbsp;Lithium-ion batteries are made of multiple components, the most valuable being the cathode that contains between 40 and 70% ³, ⁴ of the total value of the battery, depending on its exact chemistry. As of 2023, lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxides (NCM) account for 66% of lithium-ion battery cathode active materials for electric vehicles, followed by lithium iron phosphates (LFP) which account for 24%, and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) accounts for the remaining 10%.³<h4>Handheld X-ray Fluorescence Analysis&nbsp;</h4>Handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis (HHXRF) is an elemental analysis technique that has proven to be cost-effective in recycling areas such as scrap metal and automotive catalytic converters. HHXRF can measure elements from magnesium (Mg) to uranium (U) in various types of materials such as metals and alloys; non-metallic inorganic materials such as ceramics; or ores or plastics. The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/1993">Thermo Scientific™ Niton™ XL2</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/1992">Thermo Scientific™ Niton™ XL5 Plus Handheld XRF Analyzers </a>deliver accurate elemental analysis in real time, with little or no sample preparation, across multiple steps of the lithium-ion battery recycling workflow. Although handheld XRF does not detect lithium, it can measure most elements from the periodic table including nickel or cobalt which often command much higher value than the lithium in a lithium-ion battery.⁴<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>There is no ideal process to recycle lithium-ion batteries that simultaneously incorporates low environmental impact, high metal recovery yield, and economic viability. Because of the variety of technologies and materials used, recycling lithium-ion batteries is a complex journey with multiple possible paths. HHXRF helps recyclers by generating lab-quality data in real time, allowing them to optimize their processes and make fast decisions that generate significant benefits:&nbsp;<ul><li>Unwanted materials containing heavy metals such as lead or cadmium can be prevented from entering subsequent steps in the recycling workflow.&nbsp;</li><li>Materials can be accurately sorted and adequate processes for recovery selected depending on the material type (e.g., LFP vs. MCM).&nbsp;</li><li>The economic value of incoming and outgoing material can be more accurately estimated.</li></ul><h3>4. Waters Corporation: Waters Aura Systems</h3><ul><li>Brochure</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/pdf/720009268_7b9ad02cb4.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The presentation introduces the Waters Aura Systems, a family of high-throughput, fluidics-free instruments for the characterization and identification of visible and subvisible particles. All Aura platforms provide particle counting, identification, morphology assessment, and flexible sample volumes ranging from microliters to milliliters. The portfolio includes configurations tailored to different applications: AuraBMI for biologics particle analysis, Aura for particle analysis with identification, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/2437">AuraPTx</a> for protein formulation development, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/2438">AuraGT</a> for gene therapy, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/2439">AuraCL</a> for cell therapy, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/2190">Aura+</a> as the most comprehensive platform. The systems are designed for automation-ready operation, straightforward method transfer, and continuity from research through QC.A key feature of the Aura platform is the combination of Backgrounded Membrane Imaging (BMI), Fluorescence Membrane Microscopy (FMM), and Side Illumination Membrane Imaging (SIMI). BMI captures particles on a membrane and subtracts the membrane background to improve particle contrast, while FMM uses fluorescent dyes or conjugated antibodies to distinguish specific particle types. This enables differentiation of protein aggregates, cells, viral capsids, degraded excipients, plastics, fibers, and other contaminants that may look similar based on morphology alone. SIMI adds further information for identifying unlabeled inorganic particles such as glass, fibers, and Dynabeads. Together, these techniques provide more specific particle identification than morphology-based classification alone.The systems are particularly suited to biologics, gene therapy, and cell therapy development. For gene therapy, Aura can evaluate AAV stability, distinguish capsid-related particles, and monitor DNA leakage using SYBR Gold fluorescence, with measurements possible from as little as 5 µL of sample. For cell therapy, the system can differentiate single cells, cell aggregates, protein aggregates, and extrinsic particles. The platform also supports flexible sample volumes and 24- or 96-well membrane formats, allowing the same general approach to be used from sample-limited early development through larger-volume and QC workflows. The brochure reports excellent quantitative linearity across serial dilutions and emphasizes the ability to preserve sample for additional orthogonal analyses.From a technical perspective, Aura Systems provide 100% sampling efficiency, a particle detection and quantitation range above 1 µm, and can handle concentrations above 3,000,000 particles/mL for 1.6 µm particles. Brightfield membrane imaging takes approximately one minute per sample, while fluorescence measurements require about 15–30 seconds per sample. The instruments are compatible with robotic automation and offer different fluorescence-channel configurations depending on the selected Aura model. Overall, the platform is positioned as a comprehensive solution for obtaining quantitative particle counts together with information on particle identity and composition across the development and quality-control lifecycle.

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 36, 2026

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Scientists

Food

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Science and research

The Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) was established by Act No. 283/1992 Coll. as the Czech successor of the former Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. It is set up as a complex of 54 public research institutions.

Czech Academy of Sciences

Since its establishment in 2011, CEITEC has quickly developed into a cutting-edge infrastructure for research which performs highly alongside the best institutes in Europe. Among the main priorities of CEITEC are the promotion of a motivating and dynamic international scientific environment, the provision of state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and the policy of open communication and equal opportunities.

CEITEC

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LECO VX4 Compact Inverted Microscope

LECO VX4 is a compact inverted metallurgical microscope delivering high-resolution imaging, polarized light, and advanced optics for precise microstructural analysis in materials and educational labs.

The LECO VX Series metallurgical microscopes are advanced microscopy solutions designed for materials laboratories that require high-resolution imaging, reliable performance, and consistent metallographic results. Built with a strong focus on precision, repeatability, and ease of operation, the VX Series supports a wide range of applications across automotive, aerospace, academic research, and quality assurance laboratories.From routine microstructural evaluation to detailed failure investigations, the VX Series delivers the optical quality and robustness professionals expect. Integrated digital imaging systems and compatibility with LECO’s analytical software tools ensure efficient workflows, clear documentation, and scalable solutions for laboratories of all sizes. The VX3, VX4, and VX5 models allow laboratories to select the configuration that best matches their technical and budgetary requirements.<h4>Why the VX Series Is Ideal for Metallography</h4>LECO metallographic microscopes play a critical role in examining the microstructure of metals and alloys. This essential step in metallographic analysis enables detailed evaluation of grain size, phase distribution, and structural features, helping users identify defects and assess material quality. The high level of detail provided by the VX Series supports quality control, failure analysis, and materials inspection across a broad range of industries.<h4>LECO VX4 Compact Inverted Microscope</h4>The LECO VX4 is a compact yet powerful inverted microscope designed for metallurgical and educational laboratories. It features a bright LED polarized light source suitable for both mounted and unmounted samples, delivering excellent contrast and image clarity. Engineered for strong optical performance and intuitive operation, the VX4 combines modern imaging technology with automated functionality to support demanding material investigations.The VX4 is well suited for microstructural analysis such as grain size determination, pearlite/ferrite evaluation, nodularity assessment, dendrite arm spacing measurements, and advanced failure analysis. Full compatibility with LECO’s analytical software enhances efficiency in image capture, analysis, data management, and reporting, making the VX4 a practical and future-ready solution for metallography and materials characterization.<h4>Key Features of the VX4</h4><ul><li>Variable LED light source with built-in lever condenser, including field and aperture diaphragms</li><li>Trinocular viewing head with 10× / 22 mm adjustable focusing eyepieces</li><li>Revolving nosepiece accommodating up to five objectives</li><li>Standard objectives: 5×, 10×, 20×, and 50×</li><li>Optional 100× objective available</li><li>Brightfield observation with 360° polarizer/analyzer</li><li>Coaxial coarse and fine focus controls for precise adjustment</li><li>Ergonomic mechanical XY stage for smooth sample positioning</li></ul>

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CEITEC Microrobots Could Speed Up Beer Production and Food Quality Control

Interview: What Drew Postdoc Taťána Gazárková to Analytical Chemistry

News from LabRulezICPMS Library - Week 36, 2026