X-Ray Technologies Earn Gold at Pittcon
The 59th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (Pittcon) was held March 1 - March 7 in New Orleans, La. New technologies were showcased by the 1,110 companies on the exhibition floor.
Meltfit is the One
The Editors' Choice Silver Award at the 59th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spetroscopy (Pittcon) in March 2008 went to a product that utilizes a new method for coupling capillary columns in gas chromatography (GC), GCxGC, and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE): the Meltfit One, from NLISIS Chromatography, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
Dangerous loners: plutonium nanoclusters
Until modern analytical techniques using high-energy x-rays came along, the ability of nano-sized plutonium oxide particles to move into water supplies was little understood. Because they are charge-less, these toxic nanoclusters easily avoid being trapped by plant and animal life.
X-ray spectroscopy unlocks an age-old patina
The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in 2001 by the Taliban prompted outrage, but it also renewed research interest in the ancient rock paintings behind the destroyed figures. Using multiple synchrotron techniques, an international team of scientists made a startling discovery that may revise our understanding of art history.
Better resolution puts x-ray calorimetry in the limelight
Detailed study of x-ray spectra has become a crucial tool for deep space astrophysics, with NASA’s Chandra and Astro-E2 marking breakthroughs in observation. Now, two high-technology firms have a grant to develop the technique’s next phase: mercury-cadmium-telluride sensors.
Getting particles to stand up in court
The decline of lead use in modern ammunition has forced forensics specialists to look elsewhere, such as this tiny residue particle, left, magnified 200 times. One researcher has proposed a solid phase micro-extraction combined with gas chromatography to identify chemical compounds present in material ejected after gunfire.
Femtogram chemical measurements now attainable
This extraordinary and previously impossible level of measurement required a novel atomic force microscopy cantilever that has a built-in heater-thermometer. Precise control up to 1000° C allows the device to perform repeatable infrared spectroscopy. The technology builds on science that earned a 2007 R&D 100 Award.
Droids to join the force
Remember the sinister probe droid that landed on Hoth at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back? Honeywell International’s new unmanned aerial vehicle is intended to serve much the same function. Miami-Dade Police Dept. is considering adding the sky drone to the force.
Human business activities under watch from the sky
In addition to observations of carbon emissions, space agencies are beginning to monitor corporate operations in the interest of sustainable development. The European Space Agency, for example, has been studying Canada’s Athabasca oil sands ventures for the last three years.
Dirty, smoggy secrets see the light of day Recent research at the Univ. of California, San Diego, has yielded two substantial revisions to our understanding of pollution. First, “action” spectroscopy has confirmed the importance of a chemical reaction previously assumed to be a non-factor in smog. Second, black carbon pollution is much more potent than we thought.
Reconstructing the scene of a supernova The recent classification of a 400-year-old supernova—a bright and powerful Ia class explosion—is important for a couple reasons. It’s the first time light spectra (echoes) were obtained for an “ancient” explosion, and it’s also the first time both x-ray and optical data have been combined to corroborate detailed supernova models.
Hubble finds first extrasolar organic particle Nicknamed the “Dust Buster”, the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope has become the first instrument to detect an extrasolar organic particle, methane. The discovery validates the utility of interstellar spectroscopy.
The riddle of the molecular sandwich Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is a highly sensitive but little used technique used to detect molecular vibration. It might be the only way, say NIST scientists, to measure current flow through simple molecular electrical devices, a necessary step toward electronics miniaturization.
Pittcon 2008: Solvent delivery system does away with syringes Injection and fraction collection can be a time-consuming process in laboratory, exacerbated by the need to replace syringes and switch pump direction. Gilson’s GX-281 does away with such inconveniences and adds features like high flow range, integrated barcode scanner, and a flowing jet wash.
Pittcon 2008: Editor’s Choice Awards The 200 editors in attendance at the annual Pittcon trade show, in New Orleans this year, have found their favorite products. Their picks rewarded efficiency, compact design, flexibility, and accessibility—all features exemplified by the top three winners.
Pittcon 2008: Reusable chips help slash electrophoresis costs Capillary electrophoresis has greatly benefited from microchip technology, but costs have prohibited uptake over gel-based systems. Shimadzu’s new MCE-202 MultiNA, introduced at Pittcon 2008 this week, features microchips that can process 3,600 or more DNA and RNA analyses before replacement.
Space is a gold mine for nanometer diamonds Based on Spitzer Space Telescope observations, NASA estimates as many as 10,000 trillion nanodiamonds can exist in a single gram of cosmic dust and gas. Until new IR spectrometry methods were tried, however, such materials have evaded human knowledge.
High Definition Mass Spectrometry Enhances Basic Research
In January, Waters Corp., Milford, Mass., launched the Waters Synapt mass spectrometry (MS) system, a next-generation quadrupole orthogonal acceleration (OA) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry platform. The Synapt MS system provides an upgrade pathway to the Synapt High Definition MS (HDMS) system, which enables researchers to analyze samples differentiated by size, shape, and charge, as well as mass, ultimately providing new capabilities that can help them meet and exceed future requirements.
Magnetic mini-sensor turns microchip into lab Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is already a popular for many types of molecular study. A new microfluidics chip from the National Institute of Standards and Technology has the ability to perform this fluid analysis inside the soft tissues of humans or even in the crust of the Earth.
Lasers blast bated breath and find disease Your mouth carries much more than teeth, a tongue, and the occasional bout of halitosis. Researchers at JILA have found markers for diseases like cancer by employing a new form of laser spectroscopy.
Two measurements for the price of one Rice Univ.'s "multimodal" sensing technique was able to read information from a single molecule in a nanoelectronic device both optically and electronically, at the same time. This laboratory first was aided by the introduction of an intense light source.
Radiation forecasting: weather channel for space The Earth’s atmosphere protects us from energetic protons and heavy ion which radiate from solar particle events. The relativistic ions that precede them have proven to be a reliable predictor of such events, but until a recent orbital instrument deployment there was no way to provide real-time detection.
Heavy metal detector gets job done in five minutes or less To cover all the bases, Pacific Northwest Lab adapted both flow injection and self-assembled monolayer sensors to its inexpensive, lunchbox-sized toxic metal detector. Developer Battelle is now looking for commercialization partners.
Quantum drums thump a familiar tune Echoing 1990s bubble experiment, a Stanford physicist has shown two entirely different nano-“drums” can produce the same resonant signature. In addition to raising fundamental questions about spectroscopy, the discovery could open up new worlds to nano-device designers.
May 9, 2008
There are roughly 78 million baby boomers in the U.S. and about 8,000 of them turn 60 every day. A small number still have parents, many of whom are in continuing care retirement facilities, which many of the baby boomers themselves will have need of in the future. A number of studies have revealed that, under current situations, there won’t be enough health care workers available in the future to properly take care of the residents in these facilities.
One of the solutions noted was the implementation of robotic systems for many of the routine chores, thereby freeing up the available health care providers to do the more personal and intensive jobs. Other robotic systems have been demonstrated for the in-home care and monitoring of elderly citizens. Health care robotic assistants’ duties include systems for delivery and disposal of materials, infirm patient guidance and tracking, rehabilitation assistants, and overall monitoring and analysis. But while many of these systems have been demonstrated, relatively few have been transitioned into actual products and integrated into health care facilities or available for in-home use.
Likely, the overall costs for the systems including their initial acquisition, maintenance, and monitoring and control networks are still beyond the payback range required by the care facility operators or individuals. Their reliability, especially in power outage situations, also has not been proven. Certainly, the looming volume of potential customers for these products is highly visible and without question, so as to create a marketplace with adequate revenue possibilities and high-volume cost reductions. Regardless, the manufacturers of such systems are not visibly increasing, and the integrations of systems into facilities is meager at best. Indeed, research in robotic health care appears to be increasing in the EU and Japan—who have their own rising levels of senior citizens—faster than it is in the U.S.
Is this going to become a situation where robotic systems needed to take care of our elderly are sourced from suppliers outside the U.S.? These are primarily high-technology products and not commodities, so that the cost advantage for foreign suppliers should not be an issue. It will become primarily a situation of who actually designs and builds these systems and offers them for sale. I sincerely hope that U.S. industry will take advantage of this opportunity to create a new market sector.
