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Join us as we celebrate the incredible women shaping the landscape of analytical excellence. With their expertise and dedication, our team continues to push boundaries, drive innovation, and elevate precision in every aspect of our work.

Together, we’re redefining what’s possible in the world of analytical technology. Here’s to the remarkable contributions of our leading ladies in the Indoor Sales Team.

Evelyn Nkatha, serving as the Head of the Indoor Sales Department, stands as a proficient leader in overseeing indoor sales operations, ensuring optimal performance and client satisfaction within the department. She excels as a specialist in chromatographic analytical instruments, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved. Her proficiency extends to laboratory density and concentration, ensuring optimal support for clients in the beverage industry.

Redemptor Ochanda is a versatile expert in elemental analysis, showcasing a depth of knowledge in sample preparation, refractive index, and optical rotation. With a keen eye for detail, Redemptor is dedicated to delivering accurate and reliable results across various analytical domains.

Serah Katini distinguishes herself as the queen of UTM and spectroscopy, leveraging her extensive expertise to provide thorough solutions for all related needs. Clients can trust in her proficiency for precise and effective analytical support.

Loreen Ochieng specializes in sample preparation and emerges as a go-to expert for column-related requirements. Her adeptness extends to elemental analysis, ensuring a well-rounded and dependable analytical support system.

ESTEC celebrates these extraordinary ladies!!

Written By: Gacheri Mitchelle Judy
Marketing Executive – ESTEC LTD

Unveiling Excellence: A Symphony of Cutting-Edge Analytical Solutions from Our Esteemed Partners

In the intricate world of analytical solutions, our commitment to delivering excellence is epitomized by the dynamic collaborations we share with industry-leading partners. These visionary companies are not just suppliers; they are the backbone of our ability to provide state-of-the-art analytical equipment to our clients. Join us on a journey through the diverse array of solutions our esteemed partners bring to the table.

Shimadzu: Elevating Precision Across the Spectrum

Shimadzu stands at the forefront, supplying us with a comprehensive range of equipment spanning chromatography, spectroscopy, elemental analysis, analytical balances, and advanced data management software. Their commitment to innovation aligns seamlessly with our mission to provide cutting-edge solutions across multiple analytical domains.

Anton Paar: Revolutionizing Lab Measurements

From density and concentration to volatility and consistency, Anton Paar equips us with a suite of instruments that redefine lab measurements. Their offerings extend to rheology, viscosity, and particle characterization, ensuring our clients have access to the most advanced tools for accurate analysis.

Gerhardt: Mastering Digestion and Analysis

Gerhardt’s contributions are vital in the realms of digestion, hydrolysis, fiber analysis, solid-liquid extraction, and steam distillation. Their equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring precision and reliability in a variety of analytical processes in the food industry.

Pharmatest: Shaping the Future of Pharmaceutical Analysis

Pharmatest’s range of dissolution testers, disintegration analyzers, friability and hardness testers, and suppository testing equipment empower us to meet the exacting standards of pharmaceutical analysis. Their commitment to quality aligns seamlessly with our dedication to delivering excellence in every test.

Phenomenex: Unraveling Complexities with HPLC and GC Solutions

Phenomenex enhances our clients capabilities with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) columns. Additionally, their sample preparation kits and QuEChERS kits contribute to seamless and efficient analytical workflows.

Rigaku: Advancing Analytical Insights with Raman Technology

Rigaku’s Raman technology, embodied in products like Progeny and CQL, revolutionizes analytical processes in pharmaceutical, regulatory, and forensic sectors. Their innovative solutions provide unparalleled insights, further enriching our analytical offerings.

Randox Food Diagnostics & Randox Toxicology: Pioneering Forensic and Clinical Analysis

Randox offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, including the Evidence Investigator, Multistat, and Evidence Plus. These are integral in the analysis of blood, urine, tissue, and hair, contributing significantly to forensic and clinical investigations.

Zeutec: Harnessing NIR Technology for Diverse Applications

Zeutec’s Near-Infrared (NIR) technology enhances clients capabilities in testing flour, beer, olive oil, milk, honey, grain, and wine. Their solutions bring precision and efficiency to a wide range of analytical processes.

Memmert: Creating Ideal Environments for Analysis

Memmert enriches our analytical capabilities with a range of incubators, ovens, water baths, and climate chambers. These instruments create the ideal environments for various analytical processes, ensuring reliable and reproducible results.

Evoqua: Purifying Water, Empowering Analyses

Evoqua plays a crucial role in our operations by providing state-of-the-art water purification systems. Clean, pure water is fundamental to accurate analytical processes, and Evoqua’s solutions contribute significantly to our commitment to precision.

Optika: Enabling Microscopic Insights

Optika’s microscopes empower our clients with microscopic insights, facilitating detailed analysis across a spectrum of applications. Their instruments are a cornerstone in our dedication to providing comprehensive analytical solutions.

SI Analytics: Precision Titrations for Analytical Excellence

SI Analytics’ titrators contribute to the precision and accuracy of our customers analytical processes. Their commitment to excellence aligns seamlessly with our mission to deliver reliable and reproducible results.

WTW: Illuminating Analyses with Colorimeters and Analyzers

WTW’s offerings, including colorimeters, analyzers, and photometers, bring a new level of illumination to analytical processes. These instruments are crucial in ensuring accurate and reliable results across various applications.

As we celebrate the diverse and innovative solutions provided by our esteemed partners, we acknowledge the pivotal role they play in shaping our commitment to analytical excellence. These collaborations represent more than just transactions; they signify a shared dedication to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of analytical solutions. Together with our partners, we look forward to continuing this journey of innovation and providing our clients with the most advanced and reliable analytical equipment available.

By Mitchelle Gacheri
Marketing Executive- ESTEC LTD

2023 End of Year Party: Celebrating Success, Birthdays, and Team Spirit

Celebrating Success, Birthdays, and Team Spirit

Introduction

As the year drew to a close, our company decided to bid farewell to the past twelve months with a bang! Our end-of-year party was a dazzling affair, attended by members from all departments, creating a vibrant tapestry of collaboration, laughter, and celebration.

Games Galore

One of the highlights of the evening was the array of games that brought out the competitive spirit in everyone. From speedy challenges that tested our reflexes to mind-bending puzzles that teased our intellect, the games were a hit! The excitement, fierce concentration and joyous moments were capture

Feast for the Senses

No celebration is complete without a feast, and ours was nothing short of spectacular. Delectable dishes and delightful drinks graced our tables as we savored the flavors of success and camaraderie. The atmosphere was buzzing with laughter and the clinking of glasses, a testament to the bonds we’ve built throughout the year.

November Babies Take the Spotlight

As we celebrated the end of the year, we also took a moment to honor our colleagues born in November. The birthday celebration added a personal touch to the afternoon, reminding us of the individuals who make our workplace feel like a second home.

Recognition for Excellence

In a special segment, we recognized and rewarded the best employees of the year. Their dedication, hard work, and contributions to the success of our team were acknowledged with applause and well-deserved accolades. It was a proud moment for everyone as we celebrated the achievements that have shaped our journey throughout the year.

Conclusion

Our end-of-year party was more than just a gathering; it was a celebration of unity, teamwork, and shared accomplishments. As we played, ate, and toasted to the memories of the past year, it became evident that our success is not just in the work we do but also in the bonds we’ve forged as a team.

🥂 🥂 🥂 Here’s to a year filled with challenges conquered, milestones achieved, and the unwavering spirit that defines us.

By Mitchelle Gacheri
Marketing Executive-ESTEC LTD

Small but MIGHTY: Brevis GC 2050

Shimadzu addresses the demand for a smaller, simpler, and easier-to-use gas chromatograph without compromising performance with the development of the Brevis GC-2050. This compact instrument features a space-saving yet expandable design, ensuring it meets the analytical needs of laboratories in various industries. The GC-2050 boasts a sufficient oven size, a remote display for convenient monitoring, compact and easy maintenance, and reduced energy and gas consumption.

Its features include:

Compact without Compromise

The Brevis GC-2050 is designed to save space while maintaining performance excellence. Its space-saving yet expandable design allows flexibility in various laboratory setups. The GC oven size is sufficient for effective analysis, and the instrument’s remote display enhances accessibility. Furthermore, the compact design ensures ease of maintenance, contributing to operational efficiency while consuming less energy and gas.

Built-in Analytical Intelligence

The Brevis GC-2050 is equipped with built-in analytical intelligence, streamlining operations for enhanced efficiency. It enables automatic remote operation, automates procedures through features like Clean Pilot, ensures analysis starts immediately under optimal conditions with an automatic start and stop function, and facilitates remote control and monitoring through LabSolutions Direct.

Best-in-Class Performance

With the Brevis GC-2050, Shimadzu delivers best-in-class performance, ensuring outstanding analytical reproducibility. The instrument is engineered to meet the high standards required for precise and reliable analytical results, making it a top choice for laboratories seeking uncompromising performance in gas chromatography.

Learn here more

By Mitchelle Gacheri
Marketing Executive- ESTEC LTD

ACCELERATE DISCOVERY WITH LCMS 9050

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments introduced the LCMS-9050, a quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer system designed with technologies developed for Shimadzu LCMS series models.

The LCMS 9050 provides the highest mass accuracy levels available and fast polarity switching. Shimadzu’s proprietary high precision temperature control system inhibits even tiny mass variations caused by external factors, so that the system can be used to measure accurate mass values without worrying about mass calibration.

The stable positive/negative high-speed polarity switching technology enables the simultaneous analysis of positive ions/negative ions, contributing to new applications development and heightened analysis efficiency. To ensure that all users can perform analysis easily and efficiently, Shimadzu has aimed to simplify mass calibration, maintenance, and other non-analysis procedures. Further, combining this system with Shimadzu’s renowned lineup of varied optional equipment enables greater utilization of the characteristics of Q-TOF while greatly expanding the range of data obtainable.

FEATURES

Simpler Accurate Mass Spectrometry
With technologies inherited from the Shimadzu LCMS series, the 9050 can maintain stable long-term mass accuracy. The system includes an auto-tuning function that uses a standard sample to automatically adjust mass accuracy, resolution, sensitivity, and other parameters.

Provides High-Speed Polarity Switching Even with TOF

The LCMS-9050 provides high-speed polarity switching by substantially shortening the time required for stabilization standby during polarity switching. With the LCMS-9050, stable mass accuracy is shown even during high-speed positive/negative polarity switching, enabling simultaneous positive ion/negative ion analysis.

Accommodates a Variety of Needs

The LCMS-9050 is designed so that a variety of optional devices can be connected. The ESI ionization unit included as standard can easily be replaced with a DPiMS™ probe electrospray ionization unit. In addition, the Q-TOF can be combined with the CLAM™ fully automatic LCMS pretreatment unit, the Nexera Mikros™ micro flowrate system, and the Nexera™ UC supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)/supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) system.

Learn more about the LCMS 9050 Here

Written and Published by Mitchelle Gacheri

Unlocking Innovations: Highlights from our Seminars

In the second quarter of this year. April, ESTEC, held the “Analytical Solutions for Today’s Pharma Industry” Seminar with the aim of training attendees on meeting the Pharma regulatory requirements.

During the seminar, ESTEC aimed to provide comprehensive training to attendees in the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on meeting critical regulatory requirements such as FDA, USP-NF, Ph. Eur, and JP. The event, titled “Analytical Solutions for Today’s Pharma Industry,” covered a diverse range of topics to enhance participants’ understanding and skills in the pharmaceutical analytical field.

Seminar Highlights:

Server-Based Total Solution Software (LIMS): The seminar delved into the implementation of cutting-edge server-based total solution software, particularly LabSolution CS. This software is designed to streamline and optimize the processes involved in pharmaceutical testing instruments, providing a centralized platform for data management.

Technological Advancements in Pharmaceutical Physical Parameters Testing: Attendees had the opportunity to explore the latest technological advancements in testing pharmaceutical physical parameters. The discussion included breakthroughs in analytical instrumentation and techniques, ensuring that participants were up-to-date with the industry’s technological landscape.

Managing Impurities & Cleaning Validation Solutions for Pharma: The seminar addressed crucial aspects of pharmaceutical manufacturing, focusing on managing impurities and implementing effective cleaning validation solutions. This session provided valuable insights into maintaining compliance with industry standards and ensuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products.

Redefining Separation, Resolution & Throughput in Pharma Testing: The event also explored innovations in separation techniques, resolution enhancement, and throughput optimization in pharmaceutical testing. This segment aimed to redefine the analytical processes involved in pharmaceutical testing, contributing to improved efficiency and accuracy.

Collaboration with Shimadzu Middle East & Africa FZE:

ESTEC collaborated with experts from Shimadzu Middle East & Africa FZE to ensure the delivery of top-notch knowledge from some of the world’s best experts in analytical solutions. Shimadzu, a renowned leader in analytical instrumentation, brought its wealth of experience and expertise to enrich the seminar sessions.

Attendee Experience:

Attendees in the pharmaceutical industry had a valuable experience of learning, engaging in discussions, networking with industry experts, and enjoying the collaborative atmosphere of the event. The seminar provided a platform for professionals to stay abreast of industry trends, exchange ideas, and build meaningful connections within the pharmaceutical analytical community.

This seminar not only contributed to the professional development of the attendees but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration within the pharmaceutical industry. Participants left with enhanced knowledge, practical insights, and a network of contacts to support their ongoing work in the dynamic field of pharmaceutical analytics.

After the successful pharmaceutical seminar, the collaborative teams of ESTEC and SMEA ventured to the Hilton Garden Inn in Kampala, Uganda, strategically extending their reach to the Ugandan market. The ensuing “Stretching Sensitivity & Accuracy Limits in Laboratory Testing” Seminar drew participants from a spectrum of sectors, including Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Security, Regulatory Bodies, and Education & Research.

The comprehensive seminar agenda covered an array of pertinent topics designed to offer innovative solutions to diverse industries. Discussions delved into the technological advancements in chromatography, encompassing HPLC, LCMCMC, and GCMSMS. Additionally, there was a focus on advancements in physical parameters testing, server-based network software solutions, UTM application, elemental impurities & heavy metal testing solutions, regulatory requirements & accreditation processes, and nitrogen determination & fiber analysis techniques.

The purposeful inclusion of these topics addressed specific needs across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, environmental studies, research initiatives, food & beverages production, steel industries, forensic & security concerns. Attendees not only engaged in insightful discussions but also seized the opportunity to network with professionals from various fields. The event provided a platform for knowledge exchange, skill enhancement, and enjoyable interactions, complemented by delectable food to create a well-rounded and enriching experience for all participants.

PHARMACEUTICAL TESTING SOLUTIONS- Tablet Dissolution Testing Solutions by ESTEC LTD

PHARMACEUTICAL TEST SOLUTIONS BY ESTEC LTD

Quality control tests of tablets or evaluation of tablets is a systematic determination of physical, chemical, mechanical, biological, or microbiological properties of tablets on the basis of in-house (Non-Pharmacopeial), Pharmacopeial standards such as BP, USP, Ph. Eur., Ph. Int., JP, IP, ChP, or others guidelines such as ICH etc.

A variety of methods are used for evaluation of tablets or conduct quality control tests of tablets, classified into three categories:

Pharmacopeial or Official Tests of Tablets:
Identification Tests – The identification test is specified in a product monograph as an aid to confirm that the tablet contains the labeled drug substance by providing positive identification of the active substance(s) and identification of specific excipient(s), such as preservatives in a drug product.
Friability – Friability testing is used to test the durability of tablets during transit (packing, transportation).
Disintegration – process by which a solid oral dosages form such as tablet breaks down into smaller particles or granules.
Uniformity of Dosage Unit – the degree of uniformity in the amount of the drug substance among dosage units.
Dissolution – Dissolution is the process in which a substance forms a solution. In vitro dissolution testing measures the extent and rate of solution formation from a dosage form (the amount of percentage of the drug substance in a dosage form such as tablets, capsules to go into solution) within a specific time under a specified set of conditions.
Assay – crucial quality control tests of tablets. A specific and stability-indicating test to determine the potency (content) of the drug product.
Impurities: Impurities in tablets are specified in an individual product monograph or may be calculated by ICH Q3B(R2) guideline.

Specific Pharmacopeial Tests of Tablets:

Microbiological Examination of tablets
Acid-Neutralizing Capacity
Quality test of Splitting Tablets with Functional Scoring
Water content

Non-Pharmacopeial or Non-Official Tests or In-House Tests of Tablet:

Appearance/ Description
Thickness and Diameter
Hardness
Organoleptic properties (color, odor, and taste)

Our products from PHARMA TEST Germany are specified to perform some of the above tests, including:

In this article, we discuss more on Dissolution Testing.

Why tablet dissolution Testing?

Tablet dissolution testing is a crucial pharmacopoeia test for the evaluation of tablets or quality control tests of tablets.

A dissolution test is a means of identifying and proving the availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in their delivered form.

A dissolution test reﬂects the availability of active substance and allows the prediction of the time for complete release of the material from the dosage form. This test plays an important role in product development, equivalence studies and for product compliance and release decisions. It is vital that the dissolution system provides accurate and reproducible results.

All Pharma Test tablet dissolution testing instruments are fully USP and EP compliant. They use our MonoShaft™ tool system and include a full set of vessels and USP Apparatus 2 paddles. A full range of dissolution accessories is also available.

We offer manual, offline semi-automated, and online automated dissolution systems.

Operation Principle – offline dissolution system

As soon as the samples have been inserted, the system will start its automated operation. The sampling times have been programmed via the touch screen of the PTWS 1220 dissolution bath and are saved as a specific method for subsequent tests. After the start of test, a command is sent from the dissolution bath to the PTFC-16 fraction collector and from there to the connected pump to start a sampling sequence. The EPE-1220 moves the sampling tubes and filter tips into the media to the selected sampling position.

The pump will start to fill up and pre-flush the tubing. When all tubing is filled-up, the samples are collected into vials inside the collector dish of the PTFC-16. Depending on the system configuration, after dosing the volume will be refilled and the EPE-1220 will move back out of the dissolution vessels. At the end of a cycle all the tubing is emptied. The system is waiting for the next sampling time. All vials are covered during the test; the vial dish can be easily removed. Also, special dishes are available for HPLC vials.

DFC (offline Automated Dissolution Testing Systems)

Principle Online Dissolution Testing System

The multi-channel IPC pump is used to transfer the media from the vessels to the spectrometer. The samples here are circulated in a closed loop, so that there is no sample volume loss over the time of the dissolution test. At the programmed time point the sample circulation is stopped and either a single point absorbance reading, or a full UV/VIS spectrum of each vessel is collected. The control of the entire system as well as the data handling, calculation and reporting is performed by the 21 CFR Part 11 compliant WinDiss ARGUS Software.

ADL (Online Automated Dissolution Testing Systems)

Optional WinDiss ARGUS Dissolution Software is 21 CFR Part 11 compliant as well as compliant to the new requirements for Data Integrity.

WinDiss ARGUS Dissolution simplifies how you collect and report dissolution test results by letting you choose the analysis template that matches the way you work. Whether you are in QC concerned about data integrity, compliance, and validation, or need maximum flexibility in R&D, WinDiss ARGUS Dissolution can help your lab perform more efficiently.

For more information, clarifications, and requests, feel free to contact us anytime.

Written by Pascalia Jerop – Sales Executive, ESTEC LTD

Published by Mitchelle Gacheri– Marketing Executive, ESTEC LTD

FTIR MADE EASY- FTIR Solutions at ESTEC Ltd

As ESTEC Ltd runs its FTIR promotion, here a few things to note about the equipment.

FTIR Explained
First, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy is a technique used to obtain an infrared spectrum of absorption or emission of a solid, liquid, or gas and in the process identify known and unknown materials/samples by utilizing Infrared Electromagnetic Radiation. An FTIR spectrometer simultaneously collects high-resolution spectral data over a wide spectral range giving it an advantage over conventional spectrophotometers.

In principle, the molecules vibrate, bonds stretch and bend when they absorb IR Radiation. This is done by passing a beam of IR light through a sample. Some of this light will be reflected while others will be absorbed by the sample and consequently specific light will travel through the sample carrying molecular information of the sample. The transmitted light then goes through a detector where the information is interpreted and transformed to a spectrum (sample spectrum). This is achieved by the Fourier Transform mathematical process hence the acronym FTIR. Identification occurs when the sample spectrum is compared to a reference/known spectrum. I know you want to ask how it happens and/or where the known spectrum is. Well wonder not…

Features
All our FTIRs come with LabSolutions IR – An analytical Data system for FTIR. LabSolutions IR is furnished with a rich Spectral Library (Approx. 12,000 spectra of organic compounds, polymers, pharmaceutical products, inorganic compounds, food additives, contaminants, etc.) and a High-performance search function as standard.

We also offer, with our FTIR’s, Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Accessory – Single-Reflection Accessory with a Diamond Crystal. The accessory enables the measurement of a wide variety of samples regardless of their form or properties. I.e., Solids, Liquids, and gels in the mid and far-infrared. Measurement is made without destroying the sample as no sample preparation is required.

As conveyed in the posters, the choice of a particular Model depends on your application, and If I may add, your future needs.

FTIR’s Comparison
Look at the table below showing the Differentiation between our FTIR series based on customer needs.

Item	IRTracer-100	Affinity-1S	IRSpirit
S/N Ratio	60,000:1	30,000:1	30,000:1
Wavenumber Expansion	Suitable for customers with absorption of the desired component in the near or far infrared regions	Suitable for customers who analyze only in the mid-infrared region	Suitable for customers who analyze only in the mid-infrared region
Contaminant Analysis	Suitable for customers who want to connect infrared microscope to analyze minute foreign matter or plan to add infrared microscope in the future	Suitable for customers who want to connect infrared microscope to analyze minute foreign matter or plan to add infrared microscope in the future	Suitable for customers who do not plan to connect infrared microscope to analyze foreign matter up to the size that can be handled.
High Sensitivity	Suitable for customers who want to analyze with a highly sensitive MCT detector – used when analyzing minute or low transmittance samples.	Suitable for customers who do not require an MCT detector	Suitable for customers who do not require an MCT detector
Go for if you are…	Research, Academic, Forensic, Environment	Research, Academic, Forensic, Environment	Pharma

These are just but a few points, talk to us for more details, we are happy to advise on the model that will best suit your application.

And In addition to the above, please note that we have two more new models; IRXross and FTIR Plastic Analysis System.

The Plastic Analyzer method package includes an FTIR spectral library for plastics degraded by UV rays and heat. Utilizing searches of this library demonstrates its effectiveness in the analysis of unknown samples that are difficult to identify with standard libraries. Examples include plastics degraded by exposure to UV rays as well as contaminants and defective items altered by heating.

The IRXross is a mid-level FTIR developed by downgrading IRTracer-100. Performance is almost the same as IRTracer-100 except for wavenumber expandability and S/N ratio which is 55,000:1.

Till next time…..

Written by: Serah Katini- Sales Executive, ESTEC Ltd

Published by: Mitchelle Gacheri– Marketing Executive, ESTEC Ltd

THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE LCMS

Liquid chromatography (LC) separates the components of a sample based on the differences in their affinity/retention strength during the stationary phase and mobile phase. Common LC techniques, namely reversed-phase, normal phase, and size exclusion chromatography. With technological advancements the LC has evolved to analyze smaller particle sizes and higher pressure that are more efficient, have higher speed, sensitivity, and resolution. This includes the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC).

Upon separation by LC, the components can be detected using optical properties such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS), fluorescence, refractive index, evaporative light scattering, or electrical conductivity based on the analytes’ properties. When the analyte passes through the detector, a change (e.g., increase or decrease) in the optical property will be observed and recorded.

Chromatograms obtained using these optical detectors primarily identify or qualify substances based on the retention time and quantitate substances based on the peak area and intensity. The LC chromatogram shows an example of a typical chromatogram obtained using these optical detectors. LC coupled with optical detection offers great quantitative accuracy for analytes that can be chromatographically resolved, where a detected peak comprises only a single component. However, achieving required resolution is challenging for complex samples where multiple components elute approximately at the same time. In contrast, mass spectrometry (MS) offers a highly sensitive detection technique that ionizes the sample components, separates the resulting ions in vacuum based on their mass-to-charge ratios (m/z), and measures the intensity of each ion. A mass spectrum plots the relative ion intensities against the m/z values, and a series of mass spectra are generated at each time point. This information indicates the concentration level of ions that have a given mass and is extremely valuable for the unique identification of molecules, also known as qualitative analysis. Moreover, MS provides added specificity and sensitivity, and the convenience of simultaneous multicomponent analysis.

Source

When the LC is coupled with MS, the mass spectra obtained from these measurements provide molecular mass and structural information for eluted components, which supplement the qualitative information based on retention times obtained using other LC detectors. Therefore, LCMS combine the outstanding separation resolution of LC with the excellent qualitative capabilities of MS.

With its superior qualitative and quantitative capabilities and robustness, LCMS is commonly used to meet the rigorous demands of the analytical market and industries. LCMS is applied in many industries such as pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, forensic, industrial, food and environmental sector. For clinical research, the analysis of drugs, vitamins and minerals in whole blood, plasma, serum and urine is conducted routinely using LCMS. It is also applied in metabolomics, proteomics and genomics study. The use of LCMS in the biopharmaceutical discipline have enabled the bioanalysis and characterization of antibody drugs.

In the environmental field, LCMS is widely utilized for the qualitative and quantitative determination of known pollutants (e.g. pesticides, bacteria, pharmaceuticals and personal care products) and trace-level emerging contaminants. Food safety and development have also adopted the use of LCMS in their product quality control such as the quantitation of residual veterinary drugs, food additives and the composition analysis of supplements and organic foods. With high sensitivity, high detection selectivity and high qualitative capability, MS bring about the flexibility of simultaneous multi-component analysis, improved productivity, and efficiency to HPLC analyses in these applications.

Written By Steven Kuria – Sales Executive ESTEC Ltd
Published By Mitchelle Gacheri – Marketing Executive ESTEC Ltd

ESTEC LIMITED AT THE AFRICA FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT 2022

The beautiful Emara Ole Sereni was the chosen location for Africa’s Most Influential Food Safety, Quality & Conformity Conference & Expo. The three days (July 20-July 22, 2022) were packed with presentations, Interviews, Panel discussions, Expo Hall Visits & Networking.

ESTEC Limited was on location as one of the major exhibitors. At the booth, our representatives took time to listen to the visitors, answer their questions, and showcase our products.

Tom Ouma our business development manager was one of the speakers at the summit. His presentation offered insights on Advances in Microbial & Physico-chemical Testing of Food Products, and how ESTEC supports the Food Industry using modern analytical techniques that meets the global standards.

His full presentation is available here