22


Environmental Laboratory


New automatic colour spectrometer for edible oils


Microwave extraction system for environmental applications


The overall concept of the ETHOS X for environmental applications has been developed, by Milestone, to fully comply with the requirements of the various, global regulatory bodies. This system has been developed by studying the working routine of several thousand contract laboratories around the world performing solvent extraction on environmental samples, with the aim of helping them, by offering an integrated solution able to render their activity easier, faster and safer.


The Lovibond® Colour Measurement Team announces the availability of the Model Fx, the new automatic colour spectrophotometer designed for use in the edible oils market. The Model Fx measures Lovibond® RYBN, Lovibond RY10:1, AOCS RY, chlorophyll and b-carotene, ensuring compliance to standards on an international scale. Uniquely, however, the Model Fx allows the measurement of hot samples with its integrated heater. Moreover, it also reports the oil’s sample temperature to avoid mis-readings from crystallisation.


The increasing trend of oil usage worldwide and the resultant effect on price fluctuations is driving the need for more accurate analysis within the supply chain. Non-repetitive analysis across refineries, however, is still an issue.


Many edible oils are also unique in their fractionation – resulting in different melting points for different applications. This makes the sample temperature, and sample heating to maintain the temperature during measurement, more important since temperature and colour go hand in hand.


Temperature and duration times must be accurately set to ensure heating to the full liquid phase for measurement, while bearing in mind that overheating can cause the oil to turn darker. Microwave heating is faster but may not result in uniform temperatures of the oil.


Further, due to the high melt temperature, certain oils shorten very quickly: as soon as the temperature is removed, they start to solidify, visually turning the sample increasingly whiter.


Matthew Russell, International Sales Manager for Lovibond’s range of colour measurement products stated, “The Lovibond® Model Fx solves the problem of measuring the colour of edible oils with its unique ability to not only keep the oil at a constant temperature but also to measure and report on the temperature of the sample, avoiding any mis-readings from crystallization.”


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/aDRW 49933pr@reply-direct.com


For More Info, email: email:


Microbiological monitoring equipment pioneer LuminUltra has advised the shipping industry of the importance of testing all sizes of ballast water organisms identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. More than 4000 species of organism are carried in ballast water, ranging in size and resilience to treatment, with the IMO having specified the type and size of organisms that ballast water management systems (BWMS) are required to treat.


For More Info, email: email:


Known as the three fractions, these organisms are broken down into bacteria, organisms of between 10-50µm and organisms greater than 50µm. Regulation D2 of the Ballast Water Management Convention (and Circ.42/Rev1) requires all three sizes to be measured and assessed.


Organisms found in the 10-50µm bracket are typically phytoplankton and some micro-zooplankton, while organisms found in the >50µm range are typically zooplankton. Bacteria and phytoplankton are considered easier to treat, while zooplankton has proven more difficult. Monitoring only the 10-50µm fraction, therefore, should not be considered as the most suitable group from which to base compliance or system performance verification.


For More Info, email: email:


Carine Magdo, Business Development Manager for Ballast Water Monitoring Solutions, LuminUltra, said: “It is important that all three fractions and especially those greater than 50µm are considered when testing ballast water, as experience proves that if a system fails it is most likely in this category”


Indeed, zooplankton is the most difficult fraction to treat in order to achieve compliance with D2 discharge requirement. Blooms of zooplankton can also clog up BWTS filters. If filters fail, then this can pose a significant challenge to system performance during the approval process and later then in actual operation.


Meanwhile the presence of phytoplankton and bacteria, is generally seasonal and dependent on the region, so checking for these organisms alone is not a fair indicator of a BWMS’s efficacy. Furthermore, the ecosystem in a ballast tank can change between ports, with the >50µm fraction potentially increasing and the 10-50µm fraction potentially decreasing. One of the reasons is because Zooplankton can survive in the ballast tank without light, whereas phytoplankton dies or is eaten.


Magdo said: “IMO has made remarkable progress in regulating ships’ ballast water. The Ballast Water Management Convention, still fairly new to the industry, continues to evolve as more technology and expertise is developed. A number of next steps have been identified, which LuminUltra is involved with, including verification of the indicative analysis instruments required to measure the different levels across the fractions.”


The company’s B-QUA ballast water monitoring system has been scientifically validated to measure ballast water readings across all three fractions.


LuminUltra now believes that greater emphasis should be placed on detecting and treating zooplankton in ballast water in efforts to minimise the spread of invasive aquatic species and all its consequences. For More Info, email:


50616pr@reply-direct.com AET October / November 2019 www.envirotech-online.com


email: For More Info, email:


The Milestone ETHOS X microwave lab station in combination with a completely the new FastEX-24 rotor, has been specifically developed by Milestone to fully accomplish the US EPA method 3546 requirements. This new rotor consists of a 24-position carousel, which holds large pressure vessels made of an innovative and unique inert polymer material. Its unique WeflonTM material provides homogeneous heating and facilitates accurate contactless temperature monitoring of all vessels. Each


vessel holds 100 mL disposable vials allowing you to extract 30 g samples while eliminating memory effects and clean up. It offers simultaneous extraction of 24 samples in 40 minutes with minimal solvent usage. The ETHOS X for environmental applications applies to extraction of organic pollutants such as semi-volatile organics, PCBs, PAHs, phenols, pesticides, herbicides and dioxins.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/PJlw For More Info, email:


Which is the best method of mercury analysis for your lab?


Many laboratories are still using Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption (CVAA) or ICP-MS to perform mercury analysis. Although both of these methodologies have proven effective, they do pose a number of laboratory and environmental challenges. The most important being that both require costly, laborious sample preparation and generate significant amounts of hazardous waste. Additionally, obtaining accurate and reproducible data can be problematic given mercury’s volatility.


email: For More Info, email: email:


EPA Method 7473 enables the operator to perform mercury analysis on numerous sample matrices using a direct combustion technique.


This method requires no sample preparation and results in substantial time savings. Direct Mercury Analysis gained popularity for analysis of total Hg, because of its ability to analyse both liquid, solid and gas matrices effectively, to obtain high sample throughput, and low detection limits and costs.


Both ICP-MS and Direct Mercury Analysis provide similar good results. However, Milestone’s DMA-80 evo allows operators to overcome some common issues of the ICP-MS such interferences and carry over and it eliminates any sample preparation step and manual cleaning cycles.


Shipping industry advised of importance ballast water testing for organisms of all sizes


For More Info, email: email:


49576pr@reply-direct.com


49370pr@reply-direct.com


“It is important that all three fractions and especially those greater than 50µm are considered when testing ballast water,” said Magdo


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44