Inside Instrumentation

Chip-based LC/MS system from Agilent

Agilent Technologies has come out with a chip-based HPLC mass spectrometry system for protein identification. Other potential applications include combinatorial chemistry, food analysis, environmental monitoring, and homeland security. The system combines Agilent's Protein ID HPLC Chip and the HPLC-Chip/MS Cube interface, which is mounted on Agilent's Nanoflow Proteomics Solution XCT+ ion-trap mass spectrometer. The chip is smaller than a credit card and eliminates 50% of the fittings typically required in an LC/MS system.

XRF spectrometer for environmental, industrial analysis

The ARL QUANT'X, launched by Thermo Electron, is an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer designed for environmental and industrial applications. The instrument uses a Peltier-cooled Si(Li) detector and Digital Pulse Processing technology for nondestructive multielement analysis with sensitivity better than 10 ppm for most elements and sample types. The detector provides complete elemental coverage with no loss in efficiency.

Beckman Coulter updates genotyping system

Beckman Coulter has announced an updated version of its genotyping system, the 48-plex GenomeLab SNPstream Genotyping System, which can now process up to 48 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in each well of a 384-well plate. The system can be run manually or integrated with robotics for automation of up to 72 plates. It has been validated with multiple DNA sources, including blood, tissue, cell culture, and buccal (cheek) swabs. Results can be obtained with as little as 2 ng of genomic DNA.

Firms offer new NMR cryoprobes

Bruker Biospin has unveiled a new 400-MHz dual ¹³C/¹H cryoprobe for its Avance 400 NMR spectrometers. Cryogenically cooled probes, previously available only for instruments with higher field strengths, improve the signal-to-noise ratio by 300 to 400% and increase experimental throughput 10-fold compared with noncryogenic probes. Meanwhile, JEOL, a Japanese manufacturer of NMR spectrometers, has agreed to buy at least $7.5 million worth of cryoprobes from Varian over the next five years. The probes will be marketed and sold primarily with JEOL's 500- and 600-MHz systems. The systems use helium cooling to reach temperatures around –250 ºC.

In situ analysis aids reaction monitoring

CEM is now offering a microwave-enhanced synthesis system called Investigator that includes real-time reaction monitoring. The network-ready system, which can be controlled onboard or by a PC, consists of a Raman spectrometer designed to reduce fluorescence and background interference and CEM's Discovery synthesis unit. In situ Raman-based spectroscopic analysis of product formation, starting-material depletion, reactant uptake, or other parameters allows chemists to control or adjust reaction conditions. Separately, Mettler Toledo is offering the ReactIR iC10 in situ FTIR reaction analyzer and associated software for collecting reaction data. It uses a flexible mid-IR fiber-optic conduit and a 6-mm-diameter diamond attenuated total reflectance probe to monitor reaction characteristics and species.

Benchtop mass spec targets life sciences

A new benchtop mass spectrometer with quadrupole and time-of-flight mass analyzers has been introduced by Bruker Daltonics. The compact micrOTOF-Q is targeted at the life sciences market for applications including proteomics, biomarker discovery, and metabolomics. It is equipped with the new Apollo II ion funnel electrospray ionization source. The micrOTOF-Q includes SigmaFit isotopic profile analysis technology for molecular and fragment identification. The instrument offers resolution of 15,000 and mass accuracy of 3 ppm in both single and tandem (MS/MS) modes.

COMPANIES BUY AND SELL BUSINESSES

Three instrumentation and technology providers have bought or sold operations to focus on their core businesses. Jabil Circuit of St. Petersburg, Fla., has agreed to buy Varian's electronics manufacturing business for $195 million in cash. With the sale, Varian will focus on its strategic businesses in scientific instruments and vacuum technologies and on growth in life sciences markets. PerkinElmer, meanwhile, has acquired Elcos AG, a designer and manufacturer of custom light-emitting diodes for $15 million in cash. Specialty LEDs can be used in industrial and biomedical applications, such as blood glucose and patient-monitoring systems. Last, Illumina will spend $17.5 million, largely in stock, to purchase CyVera Corp., which has developed a digital-microbead and detection platform that complements Illumina's own BeadArray technology. The acquisition will give Illumina a broad footing in bead-based assays for biomarker R&D and in vitro and molecular diagnostics.

Inside Instrumentation is written by Celia M. Henry and Ann M. Thayer. Contact them via e-mail to instrumentation@acs.org.