{"id":15689,"date":"2023-09-06T20:19:24","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T20:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/analyteguru\/?p=15689"},"modified":"2023-10-13T20:52:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T20:52:56","slug":"how-this-lab-achieves-sustainable-wet-chemistry-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/analyteguru\/how-this-lab-achieves-sustainable-wet-chemistry-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"How This Lab Achieves Sustainable Wet Chemistry Testing with IC and Discrete Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a new <\/em>webinar<\/em><\/a>, Pace Analytical explains how they use two complementary techniques (ion chromatography and discrete analysis) to ensure effective and sustainable wet chemistry testing. Dr. Carl Fisher, Thermo Fisher Scientific, contributed to this post. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two techniques are better than one<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s environmental labs are under enormous pressure to reduce costs and improve turnaround times while doing their work to measure contaminants in liquid, solid and gaseous samples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One such company is Pace Analytical, the world\u2019s largest American-owned laboratory network, with locations across the United States specializing in environmental and pharmaceutical testing. Pace laboratories rapidly and accurately test thousands of samples weekly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like most other service laboratories, Pace is striving to decrease costs and increase efficiencies, without compromising quality of results. An increasingly large part of testing costs is related to personnel costs. Minimizing use of analytical consumables (e.g., solvents, reagents) is another concern, not only to manage costs but to meet sustainability goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur main challenge is the sheer number of samples we process because many of our labs run thousands of samples per week,\u201d said Timothy Traynor, Technical Specialist, Pace\u2019s IDEA Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two complementary techniques: ion chromatography and discrete analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For several reasons \u2014 including a commitment to better sustainability \u2014 Pace has chosen two solutions from Thermo Fisher Scientific: the Thermo Scientific Dionex Integrion ion chromatography (IC) system and the Thermo Gallery Aqua Master discrete analyzer. Here\u2019s the rationale:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the case for ion chromatography<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ion chromatography (IC) is a well-established analytical method that expands the breadth of water analyses by offering distinct capabilities that include trace level determinations for a broad spectrum of analytes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Pace, IC is used for a variety of tests. It\u2019s used for the seven common anions (fluoride, chloride, nitrite, bromide, nitrate, orthophosphate and sulfate). It\u2019s also used for oxyhalides, perchlorate and hexavalent chromium analysis, as well as for determination of organic acids. IC is also used to test for several common cations \u2014 the alkali\/alkaline earth metals and ammonium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy do we use IC? First and foremost is that, by virtue of it being chromatography, the specificity is unmatched by any of the other wet chemistry methods for the same analytes,\u201d explained Traynor. \u201cInterferences can typically be seen and accommodated for, reducing the number of false positives or negatives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traynor says Pace also chose Dionex Integrion IC system for these reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n