Lab Manager Magazine^®

Laboratory Spending Trends

In addition to managing the day-to-day operations and challenges of their laboratories, laboratory managers are now confronted with an increasingly volatile budgeting process. When compared to the early part of last decade, which was shaped by de

AA Spectrophotometers: Easily Identifying Metals With the Power of Heat

Atomic absorption (AA) has been known since the 19th century, but it was not until the 1950s, thanks to efforts by Alan Walsh at Australia’s CSIRO research center, that use of AA spectrometers became routine for metals analysis. AA measures

FTIR Spectrophotometers: Traditional Uses Giving Way to Portability

Although serious Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) research and core analysis facilities are still doing well, traditional applications are giving way to more dynamic uses such as controlling processes and field work. For research FT

GC Systems: Growing in Sensitivity

GC was once commonly called “GLC,” where the “L” stands for liquid. Inside GC columns are particles of a ceramic or inert material coated with a viscous liquid stationary phase that interacts with the analyte. By contrast, HPL

Buck Scientific Chromatography Systems

Whether you are looking for an HPLC or a GC, Buck can design a custom system for your application that will be easy to use, and give you maximum ROI through low cost of ownership. Our Gas Chromatographs can accomdate 6 Detectors from a choice of 9 an

GC-MS: Adding A Second Dimension to GC

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is the fastestgrowing GC method. Mass detection, which can take a variety of forms based on the MS component, provides a dimension that conventional thermal conductivity or flame ionization detectors canno

HPLC Autosamplers: Sparing Analysts From Boring, Repetitive Work

Chromatographers who learned their craft twenty years ago may not have been familiar with autosamplers then, but today nearly every high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrument includes an autosampler as standard equipment. “Aut

HPLC Columns: Where the Action Is

Now that sub-2-micron columns have become the stationary phase technology of choice for research labs and have made substantial inroads in quality, food, and pharmaceutical settings, another breakthrough in column technology looms.

HPLC Sample Prep: Critical First Steps in LC Analysis

As HPLC systems become faster and employ increasingly exotic stationary phases, sample preparation becomes essential for reliable, reproducible analyses. Biological samples generally require concentration in the target analyte and, in the case of

HPLC Systems: Powerful New Systems, and a Renaissance for Old Systems

Manufacturers of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems continue to innovate, while simultaneously providing upgrade paths for older instruments. Modular HPLC systems provide maximum flexibility and upgradability compared with &ldq

Mass Spectrometry-TOF: Sophisticated Method For The Masses

Time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) works by imparting equal energies to all fragments. Since smaller particles thereby travel faster, their masses are determined by how quickly they travel from the source to the detector.

Microscopes: Illuminating The Micro And Nano Worlds

Light microscopes, which view objects illuminated by visible light, have been around for centuries. Related are instruments that image nonvisible infrared or ultraviolet radiation, or ones that view fluorescence or Raman effects. All of these use opt

Particle Size Analyzers - "Particle Characterization: It's Not All About Size"

Although particle sizing is a mature technology, methods based on ultrasound and light scattering have been evolving slowly toward the characterization of ever-smaller particles, well into the nanometer size domain. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Raman Spectrophotometers - "Out of The Lab, Into The Field"

Raman spectroscopy has undergone a revolution during the last seven to 10 years, largely as a result of massive investment in the telecommunications industry. What were previously very large benchtop instruments requiring a Ph.D. operator, liquid nit

UV-VIS Spectrophotometers - "Still a Rich Area for Innovation"

Despite the technique’s maturity, ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy has been a fertile area for innovation. The continuous xenon light source, which operates from UV to near-infrared, has been an enabling technology for UVVis, says

BioTek’s new Epoch Multi-Volume Spectrophotometer System

BioTek’s new Epoch Multi-Volume Spectrophotometer System combines two innovative products into system designed for a wide range of applications, from nucleic acid and protein quantification on a micro scale to cell-based assays in microplates,

How tubes can affect your experiments

Introduction It has been known for several years that chemicals (e.g., BPA and phlalates) can leach out of the plastic, such as toys and baby bottles. The impact of these chemicals on human health is well known. Recent scientific reports have now

Analytical Balances - "Precision Weighing for Static, Dynamic Applications"

Analytical balances, which are accurate to at least 0.0001 g or 0.1 mg, represent the highest precision weighing standard for general use. Analytical balances also excel at quantifying changes in mass. Software built into balances is a huge time-

Adam Equipment’s PMB Moisture Analyzer

Designed with smart features and simple operation, Adam’s PMB takes the hassle out of moisture analysis for fast, dependable results. The PMB lets you store and retrieve unlimited test settings and results for any number of sample materials. Bu

Biological Safety Cabinets - "Balancing Safety with Environmental Concerns"

With most manufacturers providing solid biological safety cabinets (BSCs), total cost of ownership has become a hot-button issue with purchasers. Until around 2000, exhaust fans were driven by AC permanent split capacitor motors. Manufacturers gradua

The Baker Company’s FlexAIR® Saves Energy and Provides Safer BSC Performance

The Baker Company’s FlexAIR offers significant energy and cost savings to the laboratory, without sacrificing safety and performance. The Baker FlexAIR technology combines the security of a traditional canopy (or thimble) exhaust connection wit

Biological Shakers & Stirrers - "Choose Based on Sample Size and Viscosity"

Mixing is ubiquitous in industrial, academic, and industrial laboratories. The choice of overhead or magnetic stirring to achieve uniform mixing is based on the scale and viscosity of the medium being stirred. Commercial labs often “scale d

Innova ® Biological Shakers – the gold standard for research

New Brunswick Scientific’s world renowned laboratory shakers are known for dependable operation and innovative design. New Brunswick offers the widest selection of biological shakers in the industry, with more than 30 models available to suit y

Centrifuges - "The Gravity of It All"

Centrifuges separate particles and structures suspended in liquid by applying thousands of gravitational force equivalents to the sample through spinning. Laboratories use centrifuges to clarify suspensions, separate liquids, isolate suspended partic

Awel Centrifuges through NuAire

Coming soon to North and South America through NuAire, Inc. Awel International, based in France, has designed and developed a new line of innovative centrifuges based on a quarter of a century of experience in centrifugation. NuAire’s relations

CO₂ Incubators -

Carbon dioxide (CO2) incubators are mainstays in traditional biology labs engaging in cell or tissue culture. Incubators provide a stable environment designed to mimic a cell’s natural environment: pH of 7.2 to 7.5, temperature of 37°C, and

Perfect Climates for the Lab

BINDER Inc. offers a range of environmental simulation equipment that provides consistent performance – a quality that allows a focus on the research at hand and confidence in the equipment holding samples. CO2 Incubators, Environmental Chamber

Chillers & Baths - "Control and Interface Options in a Mature Product Category"

Despite their maturity as a product category, chillers and baths continue their slow evolution, particularly in terms of controls and user interface. Cole-Parmer (Vernon Hills, IL) and other vendors provide units with a temperature stability of 0

Cleanroom Products -

Choice of clean room casework, or furniture, is one of the most important decisions made when setting up classified space. Cabinets and associated doors, hinges, handles, panels, benchtops, shelving, and vertical/horizontal surfaces must be compatibl

Note to Our Readers

A clarification to our readers regarding an entry in the "Cleanroom Products" section of our November Product Resource Guide 2012.

ELNS - "Data System Integration, but Slow Adoption by Small Labs"

“Informatics convergence” has become a buzzword among ELN vendors and their customers. According to Steven Eaton, marketing manager for chemical analysis and informatics at Waters Corporation (Milford, MA), convergence encompasses an info

Evaporators - "Rotary Evaporators"

For decades, rotary evaporators have been staples in labs and industries performing chemistry, including labs in the chemical, environmental, materials, life science, and forensics industries. Key applications include sample concentration, solvent re

Flow Cytometers - "Innovation at High, Low Ends of Instrument Spectrum"

In response to reduced reliance on core lab services, manufacturers of flow cytometers have been busily upgrading instrument capabilities for expert and casual users. We have seen this trend before, notably in high-priced instruments like nuclear mag

Freeze Dryers - "Advanced Control Tops Rich Feature Options"

Demand for reliable methods of preparing and storing highvalue samples has rejuvenated the market for freeze-dryers, also known as lyophilizers. In response, vendors have transformed freezedryers from clunky, homemade agglomerations of pumps, flasks,

Fume Hoods -

Fume hoods are notorious for consuming expensive resources, particularly electricity and conditioned air that is vented to the environment along with volatile chemicals and other toxins.

AirClean® Systems’ Independence™ Ductless Fume Hood

As research and laboratories evolve, AirClean® Systems continues to innovate with sophisticated, efficient fume containment solutions. Independence™ is the culmination of two decades of research and development in airflow design, gas-phase

Captair® Flex™– Ductless Mobile Fume Hoods with Modular Filtration Column

From the people who brought you the energy saving GreenFumeHood®, ERLAB, the one and only inventor of the ductless filtering fume hood and worldwide leader since 1968 innovates once again with the low cost Captair® Flex™ Technology, an all in one f

Glove Boxes - "Isolation or Containment Without Classified Space"

Glove boxes are enclosed, controlled environment chambers that serve as isolation or containment spaces for laboratory work. Most glove boxes operate in isolation mode, under positive pressure, to protect samples or experiments from the environment.

Homogenizers - "Multitude of Methods for Extraction from Non-Liquid Samples"

Homogenization seeks to create samples in which analytes of interest are dispersed uniformly throughout. Numerous technologies can achieve this, including pressure, mechanical (rotorstator or blade-type), and bead-beating. Mechanical homogenizati

LIMS - "Connecting Instruments to The Data Backbone"

Laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) are software packages that connect instruments, other software, and sample management to human operators and other data systems, including electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs). Despite their ind

Thermo Scientific SampleManager LIMS 10

The most significant advances in QA/QC functionality in a decade are now available.

Chromeleon 7.1 Chromatography Data System Brings Operational Simplicity to the Enterprise

The Thermo Scientific Dionex Chromeleon 7.1, an enterprise-ready version of the innovative Chromeleon 7 chromatography data system launched in 2009, combines intelligent functionality with a new user interface based on Operational Simplicity™,

Freezerpro - Intuitive Sample Management

At RURO, we strive to develop software that combines user-friendly, web-based interfaces with documentation tools suited to even the most complex scientific information and processes. The FreezerPro platform, now celebrating its 5th anniversary, is n

Low-Temperature Freezers - "Achieving a Deep Freeze"

Low-temperature laboratory freezers can achieve temperatures of about -40° C or lower. Kitchen freezers, by contrast, operate to about -20° C. The temperature “sweet spot” for lab freezers is about -85° C. “Mechanical&rd

Microwave Sample Prep - "Breaking Down Chemical Barriers to Metal Analysis

Microwave digestion is the preparation method of choice for analyzing metals in complex mixtures. Food and environmental industries favor this technique, which is also applicable to testing materials, soil, agricultural waste products, engine oils, a

Mills and Grinders - "Top-Down Particle Size Reduction"

Milling and grinding are ancient techniques that are working their way into high-tech markets. Kyle James, VP of sales at Retsch USA (Newtown, PA) notes that demand for particle size reduction systems has grown significantly from “alternati

Ovens -

Most laboratory workers view ovens almost as utilities, using them principally for drying glassware and heat-resistant equipment, regenerating desiccants and catalysts, gently heating samples, and curing or preparing materials and composites.

pH Meters - "A Mainstay of Various Laboratories"

First introduced by Beckman in 1936, pH meters have become a mainstay of academic, industrial, and manufacturing laboratories. pH meters determine the acidity or alkalinity of a solution by measuring the concentration of hydrogen ions; H+; or, more a

METTLER TOLEDO is Please to Announce a New Line of Bench Meters

METTLER TOLEDO is pleased to announce a new line of bench meters, the SevenCompact ™ series. The new mid-range meters are a great leap forward setting new standards for intuitive operation. The meters fulfill analytical requirements in any indu

Pipettes -

Best practices dictate that pipettes undergo preventive maintenance and calibration at least once per year. Calibration involves dispensing set volumes of a liquid, usually water, into the weighing pan of a calibrated balance.

Ovation pipettes take stress and fatigue out of complex

Ovation® BioNatural pipettes are the ideal ergonomic solution for handling repetitive and complex liquid handling tasks that contribute to stress injuries in today’s laboratory. Ovation pipettes increase laboratory efficiency through automa

Gilson PIPETMAN® L Pipette

Gilson is proud to announce the release of PIPETMAN® L, the latest innovation from Gilson PIPETMAN®, the pipetting standard for nearly 40 years. PIPETMAN L is an adjustable volume pipette that features a Gilson patented volume locking system.

ErgoOne® Adjustable Volume Pipettes

ErgoOne® pipettes combine researcher requested features with the latest ergonomic principles to provide optimum performance. Achieve accurate and precise delivery with maximum pipetting control and minimum forces. Reproducible Results Erg

Power Supplies - "Charging Up The Lab"

Power supplies provide steady, precisely controlled electrical energy to electronic equipment. One type of supply, the uninterruptible power supply, powers electronics in the event of an emergency by keeping a battery constantly charged. When the

Refractometers - "Universal Concentration Meters"

Refractometers are instruments that quantify and identify chemicals and materials based on their refractive index (RI). A unique property related to the speed of light as it passes through a substance, RI is defined as the ratio of the speed of light

Refrigerators/Freezers - "Energy Efficiency a Big Factor"

Lab refrigerators and freezers are similar in construction to household units, and come in a variety of temperature ranges, shapes and sizes. Freezer and refrigeration options fall into four general temperature categories: +4ºC refrigerators

Laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers.

Nor-Lake® Scientific Select™ laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers are designed for heavy-duty long term cold storage for a wide range of demanding laboratory, scientific, pharmacy and life science applications. Product selection includes f

Marvel Scientific: Refrigeration for Health, Science and Industry

Serious about Standards In laboratories worldwide, household refrigerators are pressed into duties they were not designed to fulfill. When these units operate inconsistently or fail, consequences can range from inconvenient to costly to dangerous

i.C3™ from Helmer - Download · Acknowledge · Access Control

The next generation of i.Series® monitoring features the i.C3 User Interface which offers constant temperature monitoring and control on all i.Series refrigerators and Freezers. The i.C3 is icon driven, featuring a 7” full-color touchsc

Specialty Gases - "Rolling Your Own Provides Safety, Economy"

The prospect of gas cylinder accidents inspires awe and fear in lab workers. However, a safer alternative exists for some of the more common specialty gases: on-site or point-of-use generation that uses membranes, catalysts, or pressure swing absorpt

TOC Analyzers - "Detecting and Quantifying Carbon Content"

Total organic carbon (TOC) analyzers are a mainstay in industries that must detect and quantify carbon content from many samples and sources. Unlike spectroscopy, which measures specific carbon species from their unique interactions with light, TOC a

Vacuum Pumps - "More Options for Green, Remote Operation"

Oil-free diaphragm pumps have earned a reputation for environmental- friendliness for low- to medium-pressure applications. At the low-pressure end, pumps do not continuously send water down the drain as do aspirators and there is no contaminated oil

VACUUBRAND® VARIO® self-regulating vacuum systems

VACUUBRAND® VARIO® vacuum systems offer users unsurpassed control of critical vacuum applications. A low maintenance chemistry-design pump is integrated with a variable speed motor and a mercury-free, digital controller. The system automatica

Viscometers - "Measuring a Critical Physical Property"

Viscometers measure viscosity, the resistance of fluids to flow or stress. In common terms, viscosity is related to a fluid’s “thickness”—a physical property of great interest to manufacturers of liquids, slurries, and pastes.

Washers - "To Centralize or Not To Centralize?"

Whether to employ central washing stations or point-of-use washers located under a lab bench is something that has to be addressed with regards to laboratory glassware washers. The former provide an economy of scale and are popular with lab workers w

The PG 8536: The Perfect Solution for Cleaning Petroleum Compounds.

Petroleum compounds, such as refined hydrocarbon distillates, are generally a difficult-to-clean, oily, molasses-like substance. Traditionally, these compounds are cleaned using hydrocarbon solvents such as diesel fuel; however, this process can be h

Water Purification Systems - "Under-Recognized 'Utility' Essential For Laboratory Operations"

Laboratory water purification systems get no respect. They’re used every day, but few lab workers realize— beyond opening the spigot— how they operate. “The level of knowledge in the average lab about lab water is not very

PURELAB flex- innovating water purity

ELGA’s new innovative Type I ultrapure water purification system ensures accurate consistent results. The PURELAB flex 3 & 4 are the latest additions to the award winning PURELAB flex range of systems. Both systems deliver up to 10 liters o

How EMD Millipore Water Systems Let Work Flow in the Laboratory

In today’s challenging economy where laboratories are being asked to “do more with less,” lab personnel are looking for ways to improve productivity. One often overlooked place to start is the water purification system found in almo

The Soil-XCell System from Environmental Express

Revolutionizes Soil Extraction for Organics An Alternate Method of Soil Extraction for EPA Method 3546 Environmental Express, known for its innovative products, has developed the Soil-XCell system for the extraction of semi-volatile organic c

Maximizing UV light for Lab Water Systems

Abstract: Conventional lab water systems use UV light by flowing water in a chamber around the bulb in a protective quartz sleeve as part of the recirculation loop. Using innovative technologies, the UV light benefits are maximized but sterilizing th

Automated Liquid Handling - "Delivering Fluids Continuously and Precisely"

Automated liquid handlers (ALHs) are one of the truly enabling technologies of modern life sciences, particularly in medical testing, biological research, and high high-throughput screening. Applications in combinatorial chemistry and materials inves

Hamilton’s MICROLAB® REM e STARlet

Hamilton’s MICROLAB® REM e STARlet liquid handling workstation (Figure 1) provides a completely automated solution for emPCR enrichment and sequencing primer hybridization. Designed to support the Roche/454 Genome Sequencer FLX Titanium Ser

Microplate Handlers - "The Robotic Glue for Microplate Applications"

Experimentation in microtiter plates exemplifies the two dominating trends in the life sciences: higher throughput and smaller sample size. Microplate handlers are the robotic glue that connects microplate readers, liquid dispensers, plate storage sy

Microplate Readers - "Evolutionary Changes Bring Greater Function, Flexibility"

Although a mature product category, microplate readers are evolving towards greater functionality, flexibility, and throughput. All top instrument makers are focusing at least some efforts on multiplexing. “Vendors are introducing evolution

PCR Reagents - "One of Biology's Most Useful Tools"

Within a decade of its discovery in 1983, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) evolved into one of biology’s most useful tools. PCR amplifies specific segments of genes so accurately that an early National Institutes of Health publication dubbed the

SPEX CertiPrep

SPEX CertiPrep offers a line of Consumer Safety Compliance Standards designed for the testing of consumer goods. Recent regulations limit the quantities of toxic contaminants in consumer products, requiring manufactures to verify the levels of trace

RNAi Reagents - "Helping to 'Knock Down' Genes"

RNA interference (RNAi) uses short strands of synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNA) to silence or “knock down” genes implicated in certain phenotypes—most commonly (but not limited to) diseases.