The EZkem blog is your go-to resource for laboratories in the spectroscopy fields — including flow analysis and cyanide analysis.
How to Determine Nitrate in Practically Any Matrix
Derived naturally or as the result of human intervention, nitrate is ubiquitous in our environment. It is essential for plant and animal growth, but in excess amounts becomes a toxin and can even act as indicator analyte alerting scientists to other contaminants in the environment. (1) As we learn more about nitrogen’s role in our [...]
Gas Diffusion Methods – The Benefits Are Stacking Up
The U.S. EPA and ASTM cyanide analysis methods based upon gas diffusion amperometry do not require a preliminary acid distillation step and are now approved as amendments to 40 CFR 136 Clean Water Act Methods on their website as published in the 2012 Method Update Rules (MUR) in the Federal Register. These methods were specifically [...]
Testing for Total Cyanide Using Gas Diffusion
ASTM D7511-09 Standard Test Method for Total Cyanide by Segmented Flow Injection Analysis, In-Line Ultraviolet Digestion and Amperometric Detection This is a new standard test method that was developed by ASTM Committee D19 on Water to determine the concentration of total cyanide in drinking and surface waters, domestic wastewater, and industrial wastewater. Cyanide ion (CN-), hydrogen [...]
Scrap It or Save It? Restore Your Flow Analyzer to Factory Specifications
Flow Analyzer System Restoration and Innovation Have you ever found yourself staring at your flow analyzer wishing, that like a vintage automobile, it could be fully restored? Though SFA/FIA technology has actually changed very little over the last few decades, it is usually more cost effective to restore your existing equipment than to spend more [...]
Autoanalyzer Manifolds – Comparing Acrylic and Polysulfone
There are several different types of materials used for mixing manifold cartridges in autoanalyzers. One of the two most common manifold materials utilized is clear acrylic which is often considered optimal due to its transparent quality giving greater visibility to the chemical reagents flowing inside the mixing tees. The other is polysulfone, a significantly darker [...]
Reagent and Wash Containers: They are very important!
Sometimes the small things are just as important as the major components on an autoanalyzer. When issues arise we focus on the pump tubes, the peristaltic pump or even the reagents themselves, but often operators overlook their containers. Containers hold, arguably, the most important part of the system; reagents, and are critical to the successful [...]