Sample preparation and titration
- Microwave Digestion System,
- AutoMetTM 250 Pro Grinder-Polisher,
- Mixer for sample homogenization,
- Laboratory rotary evaporator – Rotavapor® R-100,
- Ultra-pure water production system PURELAB FLEX 3,
- Automated Titrator.
Equipment
Microwave Digestion System (Milestone)
Microwave digesters enable a clean and efficient method of sample preparation for analytical techniques such as atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For this reason, microwave digestion is one of the most frequently used sample preparation techniques.
Microwave digesters completely digest solid samples (metals, food, soil, pharmaceuticals, and others) at an elevated temperature and pressure. The solid samples are (mostly) transformed into liquid using acids. The time of digestion depends on the sample, but usually does not last more than 60 min.
We employ a microwave system specifically designed for closed vessel microwave acid digestion, which allows digestion with different combinations of acids and enables full control of several reaction parameters.
AutoMetTM 250 Pro Grinder-Polisher (Buehler)
AutoMetTM 250 Pro is a device used for grinding and polishing samples with the adjustable rotation speed of the holder and the head and their height regulation. The system enables individual or central force regulation and contains different sample mounting adapters. A force from 5 to 55 N can be applied to the samples with the adjustable rotation speed of the holder and the head and sample, while a central force from 20 to 260 N can be applied to multiple samples. The device has a built-in automatic dispenser and the possibility to illuminate the working area with nine LED lights.
Mixer for sample homogenization (Büchi)
The grinder Büchi B-400 is designed for the efficient homogenization of samples. It can be used for high water, fat, and fiber content materials. It is resistant to low temperatures and is suitable for processing frozen samples. It is equipped with inert ceramic knives. The Buchi B-400 grinder is mainly used for the preparation of samples for further analysis.
Laboratory rotary evaporator – Rotavapor® R-100 (Büchi)
A rotary evaporator is a device used in laboratories to efficiently remove solvents from samples. The removal of the solvent is possible by pressure reduction, which lowers its boiling point and allows the evaporation of the solvent at moderate temperatures. The instrument is designed for reliable and flexible rotary evaporation and fulfills most requirements in evaporation applications. Rotavapor® R-100 allows the rotation speed of the round-bottom flask in the heating bath to vary from 20 to 280 rpm and temperature control in the range from 20 to 95 °C. The rotavapor is mainly used to prepare samples for environmental, pharmaceutical, food, and beverage analyses.
Ultra-pure water production system PURELAB FLEX 3 (ELGA LabWater)
PURELAB FLEX 3 is an ultra-pure water production system (18.2 MΩ-cm resistance) in which advanced purification technology and precise water quality control ensure consistent high quality. It has a built-in 7 L ultrapure water storage tank that ensures a reliable and uninterrupted supply. In addition, PURELAB FLEX 3 allows flexible dosing of ultrapure water.
Automated Titrator (Mettler Toledo)
An automated titrator allows the automation of the titration process, thus enabling better accuracy (repeatability and reproducibility) of titrations, while reducing the required time and the technical skills.
Our laboratory uses the DL70 automated titrator by Mettler Toledo.
