Metrohm can provide an instrument that can analyse trace elements in agricultural substrates through the use of voltammetry.
Trace metals in the food line can help stock to thrive and remain disease free.
Magnesium, for example, has been proven to prevent grass tetany; selenium is known to be a major factor in the fertility of cows; cobalt is a necessary supplement for the well being of sheep.
This knowledge has led to the testing of the foodstuffs that are given to stock and supplements added as considered necessary.
Often the soil that provides the majority of the basic foodstuff for animals is supplemented as these trace elements are transferred to the animal by grazing, which is less labour intensive and less expensive.
With this knowledge available it is becoming necessary that exact quantities of these trace elements is known.
Metrohm's Computrace 797 is said to be capable of reaching ppb to ppt levels of trace elements accurately, usually for a fraction of the cost of spectroscopic techniques and without the need for separation of the metals either using solvent extraction or co-precipitation.
Stripping voltammetry uses the same instrumentation as traditional polarography but a stationary electrode such as the Hanging Mercury Dropping Electrode (HMDE) is used.
The voltammetric measurement is performed on a stationary mercury drop allowing increases in sensitivity.
The jump in sensitivity is possible by electrochemical pre-concentration of the metals in question at the surface of the stationary electrode before the current-voltage curve is recorded.
The recorded current is the re-dissolution (reoxidation) current of the pre-concentrated metal traces.
Voltammetry today represents a refined, clean, simple technique that offers high limits of detection and is the fastest growing analytical technique for trace analysis.
The Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) value in animal foodstuffs is tested by government laboratories for the department of agriculture on behalf of the farming community, but it is also necessary for the manufacturer of animal feed to also test for quality and pricing purposes.
This DMD value was traditionally done by drying to constant weight in a 100C oven, but this is very time consuming.
Metrohm offers an instrument that can analyse a product in five minutes via a Karl Fischer titrator.
The 841 KF titrator can analyse moisture levels from 100ppm to 100 per cent and can therefore determine DMD values at any level.
The result is automatically calculated through the touch-screen keypad.
Samples of any kind can be introduced as the built in homogeniser will break up any matrix releasing the full moisture content to be analysed.
The results can be printed off, stored on a database or transferred to a Lims system.
Sodium dodecyl suphate (SDS) is a detergent that is used both in industry and also in personal care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, facial cleansers and so on.
A recent study has shown that SDS can penetrate the body tissues it comes in contact with and can be retained.
It is linked with cataracts in the eyes of adults and can cause hair loss by removing the natural fats on the skin of the scalp, which are necessary to maintain the moisture level in hair follicles.
The 761 Compact IC Metrohm can analyse SDS to low PPM levels in water thus monitoring the levels of SDS being absorbed by our bodies.
SDS can be detected using direct conductivity measurement using a Metrosep 120-5-C18AQ column and a dilute phosphate eluent.
Typical elution time for SDS is five minutes; the system is run using IC Net 2X software, which is fully CFR 21-11 compliant.
The system can also run using IC Cap, which is said to provide ease of use for operators and lab users.
Because of the low limits of detection, the Metrohm 761 IC can also be used in clean downs in the pharmaceutical industry where the blending room is totally washed down and then tested for residual surfactant before a new blend takes place.
