The advantages
The 845 Eluent Synthesizer eliminates the time-consuming manual preparation of the eluents and standards used in ion chromatography. The 845 Eluent Synthesizer facilitates work in research, analysis and quality assurance. Automation helps to reduce costs. In contrast to the traditional – i.e. manual – preparation of eluents, the fully automatic system guarantees precise mixtures and excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility. The 845 Eluent Synthesizer helps to avoid errors as it carries out all the calculations itself, no matter whether of volumes, moles or milligrams. The system is simply started with a mouse click or from a tablet PC. As soon as the program has been completed, the user is provided with a detailed certificate that documents the working procedure and the production data.
The principle
Eluents, mobile phases, buffer solutions, standards and dilution series for ion chromatography and HPLC are prepared from up to four freely selectable concentrates and one main component. Optionally the system can also accurately adjust the pH value. The automated procedure is based on Dosino technology, which allows high-precision dosing of liquids. Two Dosinos equipped with 50 mL Dosing Units work with 10'000 volume increments per cylinder volume. Regardless of the user, this system guarantees the highest degree of accuracy.
The applications
Each eluent, whether for anions, cations, organic acids or carbohydrate analysis, can be generated fully automatically. For the 845 Eluent Synthesizer it is irrelevant whether aqueous solutions, acidic or basic buffer solutions or organic mobile phases are to be prepared. The 845 Eluent Synthesizer also makes up dilution series or prepares standards.
High-end ion chromatography systems, for example Metrohm's «MIC-3 Advanced», analyze anions and cations simultaneously. The sophisticated technology allows one 845 Eluent Synthesizer to prepare the mobile phases for both applications.
The software – «Mix Control»
With «Mix Control» particular attention has been given to the easy operation of the 845 Eluent Synthesizer, so that even semi-skilled lab personnel can use it reliably. Pictograms indicate what has to be done. Two user levels differentiate the Administrator from simple users. The software generates «depots» in which the compositions of the concentrates are stored. Once this has been carried out, only the concentration of the individual components and the required amount has to be entered and, within a short time, the 845 Eluent Synthesizer automatically produces the correct eluent. When production has been completed, a freely configurable report is generated that contains all the necessary information for GLP-compliant documentation. The «Audit Trail», in which each working step is recorded, provides additional security and traceability. Each method can be provided with an electronic signature. This is «Valid IC™»: With the 845 Eluent Synthesizer, each user is on the safe and properly documented side when preparing eluents, standards and dilutions.
The «Mix Control» software controls and manages the 845 Eluent Synthesizer. A brief selection of the options is given below:
- Pictograms Facilitate operation as they are clearly understood even by semi-skilled workers.
- Main Screen Load the method, enter the volume and off you go! «Mix Control» reliably carries out all the necessary calculations and warns about any errors.
- Method Freely definable for each column, each application, each dilution and each standard.
- Depots Here the concentrates are managed. Information about the type, concentration, units (mmol/L, mg/L, %, mL), manufacturer, date of first use and expiry date can be entered.
- User Admin. Manages the users and their rights.
- Audit Trail All commands given to the 845 Eluent Synthesizer are documented here.
- Report Which user prepared which eluent from which concentrates and in what amounts can be shown here as a printout or saved as a file (*.pdf, *.xml) – including your company logo.
- GLP Manager For validation and revalidation of methods according to a given SOP. Service intervals can also be defined here.
The chemistry
The 845 Eluent Synthesizer gives you the possibility of preparing an infinite variety of different solutions, dilutions and mixtures for use as eluents, standards, buffer solutions or reagents for any chemical application. The solutions can be organic or inorganic, ionic or nonionic, aqueous or non-aqueous. Virtually anything required by the application is feasible.
Many manufacturers offer chemicals that are highly suitable for use with the 845 Eluent Synthesizer.
In the simplest case these may be solids from which the concentrates can be prepared.
Concentrated solutions are also available that are particularly suitable for the preparation of ion chromatography eluents. Some of these ready-to-use concentrates are offered in bottles; others, for example, are available as «MPak» reagents in bags that collapse as the reagent is removed and in this way prevent the penetration of contaminants.
Solutions for preparing standards are also available. At this point mention must be made of PRIMUS, the unique primary multi-ion standard for ion chromatography – a joint project by Sigma-Aldrich Chemie GmbH (Fluka), Metrohm and the testing institutions BAM (Germany) and EMPA (Switzerland).