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June 2016
LabManager.com
10 26
34
24
EMPOWERING
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safety is no accident
Based on all of our metricsGoogle, Facebook, readership Lastly in this months safety-themed issue is another potentially
survey feedbackthe topic of safety has never fallen below the very dangerous and ubiquitous item in most labscompressed gas
number one or two spot in order of importance to lab managers. cylinders. The hazards involved in compressed gas use run the
Besides the obvious concern for ones staff, there are also the very gamut from oxygen displacement (inert gas use), fires, explosions,
damaging consequences that a safety violation or incident would and toxic exposures to the physical hazards of high pressuriza-
have to ones business and reputation. This months cover story tion. Turn to page 34 for a refresher course in accident preven-
shines a light on a safety problem more likely found in academic tion and the safe use of compressed gas cylinders.
labs, though relevant to non-academic labs as well, which is that
Just as good leadership is critical to the safe use of BSCs, so is it
of working alone in a lab. The issue of permitting lab employ-
essential to producing good quality data in the lab. Quality is the
ees to work alone in laboratories with dangerous materials and
result of good systematic management practices, says Susie Dai
equipment has raised serious questions of whether working alone
in this months Leadership & Staffing article, Producing Quality
should be prohibited, and if so, whether this would impede and
Lab Data. Turn to page 20 to find out managements role in
throttle the academic freedom expected in these environments,
creating an organizational quality policy crucial to maintaining a
says our safety expert Vince McLeod. Turn to page 10 to learn
sustainable quality system for an entire lab.
about new safety guidelines and innovative technologies that
support the safety of working alone. Beyond safety and QA/QC, this months technology articles dis-
cuss new uses of Raman spectroscopy in clinical diagnostics and
This month we enlist the help of another safety expert, Sean
new methods for tracking organic contaminants in the environ-
Kaufman, to share his best practices for working in biosafety
ment. Our Product Focus articles cover developments in hydro-
cabinets. Biosafety cabinets are phenomenal engineering devices.
philic interaction liquid chromatography, ultrasonic homogenizers,
However, the minute they come in contact with a human exhib-
fume hoods, and viscometers. Please check out these and all the
iting human behaviors, that person had better be trained, or the
other good information in this months issue.
cabinet is at risk of losing its protectiveness. You cant just give
someone a biosafety cabinet and say, go work. You have to train Stay safe!
them how to use it. Turn to page 30 for more about the role of Pamela Ahlberg
good leadership in this and all safety practices. Editor-in-Chief
editor-in-chief art director & production manager advertising account managers Published by LabX Media Group
Pamela Ahlberg Greg Brewer June Kafato president
pam@labmanager.com gregb@labmanager.com Canada / Key Accounts Bob Kafato
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contributors custom article reprints 203.448.0728 203.448.0728
Angelo DePalma, PhD The YGS Group
Sara Goudarzi labmanager@theygsgroup.com
Tanuja Koppal, PhD 800.290.5460
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first and foremost safety
W
e know it happens too frequentlyand Promote a culture of safety
perhaps its more common in laboratories Not surprisingly, the sudden increase of incidents has
of institutions of higher education. But, we prompted a task force consisting of the American Chem-
would be willing to bet that you probably have done it at ical Society (ACS), the Association of Public and Land-
some point in your career. We are referring to working Grant Universities (APLU), the US Chemical Safety
alone in the laboratory. & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), and the National
We have seen the potential disastrous consequences Academies to join in calling for improvements in the
in recent horrific accidents. The tragic fatality of the safety culture in academic laboratories. Given the recent
UCLA student who was severely burned after a spill of number of serious academic lab accidents, the task forces
a pyrophoric material resulting from a lack of safety report should serve as a critical clarion call to improve lab
training and oversight that led to fines for the university safety, says ACS executive director and CEO Thomas
and the principal investigator garnered the most media Connelly Jr., PhD. Ensuring labs have a strong culture of
attention in this arena. A Yale undergraduate was fatally safety is paramount to doing chemistry.1
injured while working alone late at night in a chemistry The task force has developed recommendations for
lab machine shop when her hair became entangled in a implementing and sustaining a safety culture in aca-
lathe. A Texas A&M-Qatar petroleum engineering stu- demia (and, in our opinion, all laboratories) distilled
dent who died from injuries suffered in an explosion, the from the best reports on the subject. These recommen-
causes of which are still under investigation, is another dations have been drawn primarily from four founda-
unnecessary tragic statistic of working alone. There have tion reports: Safe Science: Promoting a Culture of Safety in
been far too many others. Academic Chemical Research (National Research Council,
The issue of permitting lab employees to work alone 2014); Creating Safety Cultures in Academic Institutions (ACS,
in laboratories with dangerous materials and equipment 2012); Creating a Safety Culture (OSHA, 1989); and Texas
has raised serious questions of whether working alone Tech Laboratory Explosion Case Study (CSB, 2010).2 The
should be prohibited, and if so, whether this would recommendations fall into four main categories: insti-
impede and throttle the academic freedom expected in tutional resources; hazard identification and analysis;
these environments. In this months cover story, we take a training and learning; and continuous improvement. To
look at the latest guidelines developed and proposed by help speed things up, we have concisely recapped them
various agencies and institutions and some new, inno- here for you while making them more generalized for
vative technologies emerging that support the safety of our nonacademic partners.
working alone.
Flame Resistant / FR
Chemical-Splash Protection / CP
or processes. A functional definition of working alone is only One last step in a comprehensive solo work
one person in a lab or contiguous space who is working with policy should address supervision and safety
harmful materials, risky procedures, or hazardous equipment. If management. If working alone in a laboratory
you are going to entertain and allow working solo, we recom- is necessary, require the principal investigator to
mend beginning with robust and well-thought-out safety policies, complete, sign, and submit to the safety manag-
which the wonderful Internet provides in abundance. Rule #1: If er/EH&S office a Permission to Work Alone
at all possible, avoid working alone in a laboratory. If solo work form or other document that shows the preced-
is unavoidable, work during prime or peak hours or make sure ing steps have been completed prior to the work
someone is working nearby. Try enlisting a partner to work with being performed. The permission document
you. Do everything you can to prevent working alone. should state that careful consideration was
We know sometimes this is just not going to happen because given to the potential hazards of the materials,
things need to get done. Perhaps the process or procedure is procedural hazards present in the laboratory,
simple or will take only a short time. We need a means to make and hazards of the equipment being used.
working alone as safe as possible. Start by focusing on a risk assess- Advance planning should be made in these cases
ment. Do not skimp on this step. Make sure all possible hazards to address emergency response procedures and
and scenarios are evaluated and that all needed safety equipment should include consideration of when to inform
and devices are provided and accessible. outside parties of the employees work plan and
The next step should be to ensure the adequacy of safety training, schedule. Security personnel may be instructed
competency regarding safety, and documentation that these have been to provide periodic checks on those working
demonstrated. This step should include showing proper use of all alone, especially after normal business hours.
equipment and devices identified in step one above. Examples include
the basic fume hood, the location and operation of eye wash and safety Technological advances can assist
shower stations, etc. Personal protective equipment is another import- Assuming there are going to be times when
ant aspect that should be covered here and never overlooked. working solo will be necessary and that we
have committed to preparing and using
a stout working alone policy as outlined
above, we still want to use every advantage
to ensure the safety of our workers in these
situations. There have been advances in
Glassware Washers
any specific products, but we did want to
mention a couple of recent ones that may
help when faced with having to work solo.
New Innovative Injector Plus & Mini Programs The first of these is a new fabric designated
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FR/CP for flame-resistance and chemical
protection that has been developed for use in
laboratory safety coats. The Workrite FR/
CP Lab Coat combines the FR properties
of Nomex IIIA fabric with Westex Shield-
TEC, a proprietary chemical-splash pro-
tective technology.3 This new fabric provides
protection against short-duration thermal inci-
dents as well as emergency exposure to flame,
while resisting the penetration and wicking
of inadvertent liquid chemical splashes. Prior
to the FR/CP innovation, protection against
these hazards required at least two separate
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Technology
taking the
effort out
safety garments, often resulting in discomfort, incon-
venience, and potential wearer negligence.
Another new product recently introduced is a two-
of solvent
way signaling, man-down alarm. The high-perfor-
mance, two-way radio signaling device is intrinsically
safe, meets FCC requirements, and provides telemetry
accountability protection via encrypted signals for
reliable and secure operation.4 Although aimed at the
firefighter and first responder market, the Safety Guys
removal
believe these devices would find a place in ensuring
safety when working alone, especially where hazard-
ous materials, procedures, or equipment are in use.
Working alone presents many potential hazards,
and if approached with a cavalier attitude, can quickly
lead to disastrous consequences. If you are faced with
permitting these activities in your facility, we encour-
age you to follow our recommendations presented
here: develop a strong culture of safety, have specific
policies in place for solo work and ensure they are
followed, and explore new technologies to gain every
available advantage. Stay safe.
IOWA STATE
UNIVERSITY
ATHENA LAB
HELPING HUMANS REACH
THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
Rachel Muenz
T
1. Richard Stone supervises as Tom Schnieders makes
he work done in Iowa State Universitys ATHENA Lab modifications to an EMG electrode connected to an eye
is all about helping people work better, but perhaps tracker on Erik Danford-Klein.
because of this main goal, it doesnt feel like work.
Oftentimes, if work is very well designed or tech- while in another section researchers were exploring the
niques and tools are very well designed, you can get a biomechanics of kickboxing using a system set to film kicks
better outcome for everyone involved, says Dr. Richard in slow motion. Schnieders also had a project underway
Stone, director and cofounder of the lab, which was focused on upper body exoskeletons. And those are only the
established in 2015. Our goal is to truly augment the main projects. There are so many going on at any one time
human experience and the human capability. that the lab is booked from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., meaning that
That goal means looking crews need to go in at 8 p.m.
at aspectsincluding both to do builds or set up for the
next project, working as late as
mental and physical abso-
lute load on the bodyand Our goal is to truly augment needed to finish.
The key challenge for us
redesigning work so that it
can be done more efficiently
the human experience and is scheduling. We have many
and effectively with less stress
and strain. Stone, his fellow
the human capability. enthusiastic members of the
lab who are very driven and
cofounder Thomas Schnieders, want to do so many proj-
and around 20 grad students, ects, and oftentimes, these
undergraduates, and volunteers, are always working on arent projects they have to do for school credit, Stone
projects in the lab to improve the working lives of those in explains, adding that often confidentiality agreements
a number of industries, including medicine, military, law mean projects cant run at the same time, in order to
enforcement, agriculture, and the service industry. protect the privacy of those participating.
ATHENA, which stands for Augmentation and Train- Schnieders handles those challenges by looking after
ing of Humans with Engineering in North America, is the schedule and just staying organized, but the team
the only lab recognized by the Augmented Human Inter- also makes very efficient use of its 725 square feet of
national Conferences Series as a human augmentation space, using vertical space to fit as much equipment in
lab in North America. It grew out of Stones previous as possible. That includes everything from robots at the
lab, which was started in 2008, and it is always changing. top to high-speed cameras, EMG and EKG systems, CO2
As of April 2016, the lab was set up in one section to max systems, mannequins, and skeletons at the bottom.
mimic a medical setting for a project focused on suturing, And the culture of the lab helps as well.
Standard Amplification
Curves for COX gene.
Standard cDNA samples
were serially diluted 5-fold
and amplified in 5 replicates
(dilutions left to right: 5x,
25x, 125x, 625x and 3125x).
instruments accessories software solutions Meet PipetmaX and your new qPCR Assistant at www.gilson.com
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labs less ordinary
2. 3.
4.
5.
When it comes to doing a lab rebuild, there are often That means the lab is a great place for learning, wheth-
scenarios in which only two or three people are actually er its from other jobs on-site or from fellow lab members
doing an active project, but you will see at least half of who have a range of different skills and knowledge.
our staffif not moreshow up to do the teardown and While most, as youd expect, are engineers, the lab also
rebuild every time, Stone says. has researchers from other disciplines such as business.
While the lab is always full, many projects actually We are constantly learning ourselves, augmenting our
take place in the field. Stone and Schnieders both agree own capabilities, because theres so much to be learned
that it is important that all lab members get involved out there, Stone says. Were good at what we do, but we
at the worker level to gain a better idea of how to get better when we work with others.
improve processes, and they set the tone by doing so And lab members simply love working in the lab, in
themselves. Stone, for example, is a qualified welder, spite of the late and odd hours.
reserve deputy, and recovery diver. Ive been in there a number of times when five or
That has really helped us to understand what we should six hours have passed and none of the researchers will
be doing here, whats viable, whats reasonable, whats need- have realized how much time has gone by, Schnieders
ed, he says. As close to the work as we can get and as close says. Were thoroughly enjoying what were doing at
to the worker as we can get is where we like to be. any given moment.
STERAMIST
focus is on preventing cruelty to animals, while TM TM
PRODUCING
QUALITY
LAB DATA
INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL,
PERSONNEL, AND MANAGEMENT
COMMITMENT IS KEY By Susie Dai
W
ith a myriad of laboratory testing services laboratory organization needs to provide supportive
available in todays market, quality is the infrastructure and clearly define responsibilities for all
feature that customers value most and which laboratory personnel, including both managerial person-
sets one lab above the others. In the production and ser- nel and technical personnel. Top managements com-
vice sectors, quality means meeting the customers ex- mitment to the organizational quality policy is crucial to
pectations. The quality data produced by the laboratory maintaining a sustainable quality system for the whole
thus needs to be accurate, defensible, and fit-for-purpose laboratory. Quality assurance (QA) programs and quality
to meet the customers expectations. control (QC) are designed to uphold the quality poli-
cies and maintain and improve the laboratory quality to
History of quality systems assure quality data production. QA and QC programs are
Quality is the result of good systematic management essential components of the laboratory quality system.
practices. The famous PDCA Cycle lists plan, do, check, Besides the QA and QC programs, the laboratory quality
and act (PDCA) as the four continuous steps to achieve management system is also connected to and/or involves
quality. The PDCA cycle has also been referred to as the management of the capital, budgets, purchasing, supplies,
Deming cycle, named after Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the equipment, inventories, training, and customer service. The
father of modern quality control. Dr. Deming further management team needs to ensure adherence to quality
credited Walter Shewhart, the inventor of statistical polices that include the quality manual, quality assurance
process control and a longtime collaborator of Demings plan, and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Within
by referring to the PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle as quality assurance, there are many laboratory activities that
the Shewhart Cycle. In the early 1970s, companies in are vital to providing accurate and defensible data. SOPs
the Western world started to design and develop quality are controlled documents that describe and specify proce-
management processes in manufacturing. The quality dural details of a laboratory activity. An SOP can be issued
system concept further expanded to the service sectors, for how to perform an analytical method to measure the
which includes laboratory services. Quality data produc- chemical component in a certain sample matrix, and can
tion is never a static process and requires a systematic also be issued to describe the procedures to purchase an in-
approach through continuous improvement. strument. Typically an SOP should follow a format that is
adherent with the laboratory management system. An SOP
Quality management and toolbox is a controlled document that requires authorization from
Generally speaking, quality data is the ultimate goal the responsible parties. Statistical process control (SPC)
of a laboratory service. The goal is achieved through is routinely used in quality control as a decision-making
implementation of a successful quality management tool to monitor a process in which the laboratory data is
system. The managerial and technical requirements need continuously produced. Monitoring and tracking change
to be fulfilled from both top-down and bottom-up. The is the foundation of SPC, and the occurrence of a change
business management
Pipet-Aid
initiates the quality manager or a quality specialist
to start an investigation and determine, if possible,
the cause of this change. The most utilized SPC tool
is the control chart and to monitor the trend change
in the measurement of a testing method. The mean
XL
and range calculated from multiple sets of measure-
ments are used to determine if one set of data is out
of control or not. The use of the control chart to
validate whether the process is out of control or not
allows for the entire analytical process to be mon-
itored. The control chart is not able to identify the
cause for the change, rather it provides a means to
signal potential factors that might impact data quality.
Routine reference materials and proficiency tests are
also important tools for quality control and quality
assurance. Reference materials provide standards to
evaluate the accuracy of a measurement method and
are important in method validation. Commercially
available certified reference materials (CRMs) are
invaluable to a laboratory in terms of method eval-
uation. Typically, a certificate is provided with those
Advanced
commercially available CRMs, reporting the assigned
value along with the measurement uncertainty. Pro-
Ergonomics
ficiency testing involves participating in an external
process by enrolling the laboratory to test one or
for Working
multiple sets of samples that are measured by a group
of laboratories at the same time. Statistical evaluation
Under a Hood
is performed outside of the participating laboratory
and results are reported to all participants. PT tests
are often arranged according to a fixed schedule, with Reduce Strain
results being reported within a required timeframe. Longer lightweight handle enables lower, more
Corrective actions are important aspects for qual- comfortable arm position
ity assurance. Once a deficiency is found during the Extend Uninterrupted Operation Periods
quality monitoring process, the laboratory needs to Quiet more efficient pump can be charged while in
take action to correct the deficiency and follow up to use to eliminate downtime
make sure the corrective actions truly eliminate the Excellent Control
deficiency. Personnel training and continuous im- Three speed settings enable precise volume control
provement with sufficient documentation enable the for both aspiration and dispensing operations
system to track potential gaps in the laboratory quali- The Pipet-Aid XL is designed
specifically to reduce the strain
ty system. In summary, appropriate documentation is involved when pipetting under a hood.
the backbone of the quality assurance system.
For a copy of our catalog or more
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Laboratory quality management system models drummondsci.com.
There are no standards for quality. However, there
are several quality system models that a laboratory
can follow and a laboratory can implement correct From the Developers of
procedures to achieve quality. Quality system models the Original Pipet-Aid
offer standards to assess a quality system. 500 Parkway, Box 700
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The essential role of a quality system in quali-
ty data production should not be underestimated.
With economic globalization, the testing com- ELGA, your lab partner.
munity is moving forward with the merging of
global companies that provide laboratory testing - Superior quality and design
services. Testing results have also been important
subjects of international trade disputes. With the - Reliable components with
development of numerous computerized tools easy access
for laboratory data and documentation, there are
new challenges and opportunities for traditional
- Over 75 years of experience
quality assurance programs. Nevertheless, qual-
ity data is not produced without a cost. Invest- dedicated exclusively to
ment of capital, personnel, and management water purification
commitment is the key to ensuring laboratory
quality. Besides the existence of regulatory - Low overall cost of
requirements for laboratory testing in some ownership
countries, ISO accreditation also serves as a good
practice to gain customer confidence. The 21st
century will embrace a mature quality concept
in the laboratory testing service sector.
SCIENTIFIC
PROCUREMENT
NEW ONLINE MODEL CHALLENGES
CONVENTIONAL PURCHASING PRACTICES
By George Bonaci
C
onsumers have come to expect a higher stan- must find the right box from an approved vendor, fill out
dard of variety, pricing options, and custom- a requisition form, and submit it to purchasing. Everyone
er service in the Internet age. Over the past waits for purchasing to cut a PO and order the item, and
decade, the rise of online marketplaces has brought then waits some more for delivery. There's little or no
shoppers benefits like these: transparency on when the item shipped, if it is backor-
Competitive prices dered, or even what the final price is.
And all this hassle assumes you're buying from an
Detailed product reviews approved vendor! It's also almost a given you are not get-
Free shipping from centralized platforms ting the best price, regardless of what the sales reps may
lead you to believe. Most large institutions negotiate a
Yet a lab manager who shops easily with Zappos or
set discount with certain vendors. To lock in the institu-
Orbitz at home must endure a system better suited to
tion's business, the vendor usually insists in the contract
1983 when he arrives at the lab. Talking to sales reps,
that they be one of only a few "approved" vendors. The
calling for quotes, guessing at
problem with these contracts
quality, and filling out order
is that they make it difficult or
forms are normal. Whether you
need a box of pipettes or a $250k
Whether you need a box impossible to buy from non-ap-
analytical instrument, purchasing
is not easy.
of pipettes or a $250k proved vendors. Regardless if
the non-approved vendors have
In short, the scientific procure- analytical instrument, lower prices on better products,
it often isn't possible.
ment space is ripe for change.
High-tech advancements like purchasing is not easy. This lock-in and these inflated
costs usually aren't conveyed
automated bidding systems, ma-
to the labs, who are footing the
chine learning, and instant com-
bill in the end. Account managers from these approved
munication can make clumsy lab procurement processes
vendors will try to make you believe that you're getting
as easy as buying online. The result is higher efficiency,
a sweetheart deal. In fact, the reality is that you're paying
lower prices, and full transparency from day to day.
a >50% markup on items you can get elsewhere.
In many ways, it's strange that the ease of putting
Imagine a world where ALL this work gets eliminat-
something in your cart and checking out hasn't arrived
ed. In this alternate world, let's say that same scientist
in the lab purchasing world by now. In most labs, that
wants to buy a box of pipettes. She logs into a simple
scientist who needs a box of pipettes is likely to write
online account with a modern user interface and enters
it on a whiteboard or enter it in an Excel spreadsheet,
the catalog number. The website generates an order
or even just yell it across the lab. Then the lab manager
request with all the relevant fields filled in: item name, sent to purchasing for review. The offer includes product
vendor, price, unit size, etc. Behind the scenes, the reviews from other scientists that confirm both the quality
order request automatically goes to the lab manager and equivalency of the product.
for a one-click approval. The order request is instantly The purchaser never sees all the work that's been
forwarded to purchasing. saved through automation. She just has a simple choice
to buy the original item or the cheaper item offered. Of
course this magical system includes free shipping and
The scientific procurement space tracking links, and in the case of backorders it offers
instant notifications and alternate product suggestions.
is ripe for change. Sound radical? In the consumer world, this is the stan-
dard. There's no reason it can't become the standard in
lab procurement as well.
Simultaneously, and completely invisible to the user, a
finely-tuned machine learning program is automatically George Bonaci, customer discovery lead at Quartzy, can be
taking that catalog number and putting it up for instant reached at george.bonaci@quartzy.com. Quartzy.com is a free
bidding to distributors that offer an identical product. cloud-based system that allows users to organize and streamline
This AI system can even identify scientifically equivalent lab purchasing processes.
products that are cheaper and put them up for bid as well.
It then takes the lowest bid and generates an offer to be
FREE-AGENT
TALENT
A CHANGING WORKFORCE DICTATES
NEW STAFFING PRACTICES
By Kevin D. Duffy
W
hile the road back from the recent recession has innovation, and rapid decision making to address the
been a long one, statistics show that job growth changing needs of the dynamic drug development sector.
over the last eight years in the U.S. has increased This means that any company with plans to protect
at a remarkably steady pace. As of the first quarter of 2016, and grow its share of the market must have essential tal-
more than 16 million jobs have been created since 2009, and ent in place at critical turning points. And while business
unemployment sits at approximately 5 percent, which is the operations have expanded to serve these markets, theres
benchmark many economists believe approaches full employ- no question that the size and availability of a qualified
ment. Certainly, many of these jobs fall within the category workforce is a critical factor in industry growth. Gain-
of traditional full-time employment. But the labor market has ing a keen understanding of the talentin particular
also seen a sharp increase in the number of free agents who these free agents that a company hopes to attract in the
choose to work in whats now commonly known as the gig futureis imperative. In fact, its a critical part of the
economyin other words, workers operating independently foundation for creating effective strategies in workforce
and moving as desired from job to job, rather than locking in as planning, talent analytics, and talent supply chain man-
full-time employees with one particular employer. agement, now and for the foreseeable future.
Many involved in the life sciences sector who ac- At Kelly Services, we are acutely aware that one of the
tively engage in workforce planning, talent acquisition, fastest-growing aspects of clinical research, particularly as
and retention strategies acknowledge our industry has it relates to the life-cycle management of clinical products,
witnessed this phenomenon as much as any, if not more is the utilization of clinical research organizations (CROs)
than most, over the past several years. This article ex- and functional service providers (FSPs) for outsourcing.
plores how strategic resourcing models employed within These entities comprise an essential infrastructure of clinical
the life sciences sector have shifted in response to this research associates (CRAs), data managers, medical writ-
new talent marketplace dynamic and how best to take ers, and regulatory affairs professionals. In fact, because of
advantage of the changing workforce landscape. market demands for global expertise, this model has become
the standard rather than the exception. Talent communities
Successful approaches require understanding within FSP models are hallmarks of the business process
Just as employment has increased in the last decade, outsourcing (BPO) solution. These experts are employees
so too have markets for biopharmaceutical and medical who apply their intellectual capital on behalf of the sponsor
device and diagnostics products. And as R&D portfolios companiesbroad-spectrum talent pools that by design fill
have expanded and transformed with more specialized gaps and seamlessly transform as business focus changes.
drug compounds, targeted therapies, and personalized
medicine, the life sciences industrys short- and long-term Free agents arent just sports stars anymore
strategies to hire high-quality talent have had to evolve So who are these players, and what are they looking for? The
as well. Ultimately, those strategies need to be crafted to typical free-agent worker in the United States is more likely to
enable academia, industry, and government-based clinical be highly educated and possess professional or technical skills
research professionals to focus on speed to market, compared with traditional workers. In-depth surveys define
them as individuals who consult; perform temporary, freelance, or inde- These statistics give us a broad picture of
pendent contract work; or have their own business. They boast a wide this powerful and ever-expanding workforce
range of skills and educational backgrounds; nearly 7 in 10 (69 percent) cohort. But experience also tells us that free
of U.S. free agents possess a professional/technical skill set, compared agents, within the life sciences industry in
with 57 percent of traditional workers. The global trend is similar, with particular, are often looking for more than
workers who possess professional/technical skills representing 70 per- just a good paycheck. Certainly, traditional
cent of free agents in Asia-Pacific (APAC) and 66 percent in Europe. desires for growth opportunities, job satisfac-
Free agents in the United States also tend to hold higher degrees than tion, and competitive compensation matter.
do traditional workers: 61 percent hold a bachelors degree or higher, But these workers also often exhibit a strong
compared with 52 percent of traditional workers.* need for daily intellectual stimulus and more
collaborative work environments.
In fact, free agents in the life sciences,
especially the A players, often base their de-
cisions on where to go or stay on the culture
of the company and its defined therapeutic
focus; these are people who want to feel like
they are doing well by doing good. Their
passion to contribute to the betterment of
patient care and outcomes is a key driver in
their decision-making process.
The bottom line? Life sciences companies their talent gaps, especially through contract employees. Work-
need to have a solid workforce staffing and force solutions companies can offer valuable assistance in locating
recruitment plan and a partnership model to contractors with niche skills, as well as streamlining and accelerat-
collaborate continuously to attract and retain ing the hiring process to fill permanent positions quickly.
this valued talent. The gig economy has changed the nature of employment dramat-
ically, and the life sciences industry presents a powerful example of
The importance of vested outsourcing this new paradigm that other industries would do well to study. In the
From a practical perspective, it is to a com- face of fierce competition for talent, companies that take a holistic
panys advantage to understand and invest in approach to their talent supply chain and human capital strategy to
these free-agent human resources because they identify the right talent, at the right time, and in the right place have
are almost certainly an integral part of their the best chance to stay ahead of their competition. Understanding
core strategymoving new chemical entities and taking advantage of the gig economy and its free-agent work-
and devices through the research process and force is and will continue to be a smart, strategic investment. It will be
launching them for patient consumption as soon essential to success on the scientific frontier of drug development as
as possible where first-to-market strategies still companies leverage their proliferating product portfolios.
rule the day. When you consider the spiraling
*According to the Kelly Services 2015 Free-Agent Survey
costs and huge risks involved with bringing new
drugs to market (a recent Tufts University study Kevin Duffy is vice president of Global Solutions and industry vertical leader
pegged the price at $2 billion), the unrelenting for life sciences at Kelly Services, a global leader in providing talent supply chain
competition for talent comes into focus. and workforce solutions. With more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare,
As biopharmaceutical companies look to scientific, clinical research, and drug development industries, Mr. Duffy directs
continually diversify their R&D pipelines, the strategic oversight of the global account strategy in the biopharmaceutical
strategic partnering and sourcing will play a and medical device market sectors across all Kelly workforce solutions. For more
key role in providing flexible capacity to level information, contact Mr. Duffy at kevin.duffy@kellyservices.com.
the peaks and valleys of their drug develop-
ment continuums. Vested outsourcing offers
a methodology that leverages the win-win
thinking associated with behavioral econom- Your Chemistry
ics, centers on buying results instead of tasks
or activities, and uses incentives to transform
Might be Complicated
but your Rotary
the work product to achieve trade-ups versus
trade-offs. To that end, better access to scientif-
ic and clinical expertise in the free-agent arena
will further enable organizations to consistently
Evaporator Shouldn't
apply rigorous clinical practice methodology to
their robust process improvement initiatives.
SAFE AND
EFFECTIVE
BIOSAFETY
CABINET USE
Q & A WITH INDUSTRY EXPERT
SEAN KAUFMAN By Jessica Burdg
S
afety in the workplace is import- culture of safety, why it's important, and
ant regardless of where you clock what leadership has to do with it.
in every day, but it's especially
important to master when your profes- Q: TO START, CAN YOU
sional environment regularly contains DESCRIBE A LITTLE OF WHAT
hazardous particulates, harmful chemi- YOU DO?
cal vapors, or radionuclides. Even basic A: I'm a behavioral psychologist focus-
microbiological work has some associ- ing on infectious disease. Biosafety cabi-
ated risks, as oftentimes it is not only nets are pieces of equipmentvery vital
necessary to protect the person sitting at pieces of equipmentbut I focus on
Sean Kaufman
the face of the cabinet but the science human behavior with and around them.
taking place inside on the work surface. You can spend thousands and thousands
It's with this eye toward protection that laboratories have of dollars on a cabinet, but all the control can be negated
rightfully turned to employing the use of biosafety cab- in an instant with inappropriate behavior. I don't think
inets, allowing their technicians to properly and safely the need for biosafety cabinets is any longer debated.
handle biosafety agents requiring BSL 1-3 containment. They work. They're efficient. They're clean. They're one
Simply working in biosafety cabinets alone, though, is of the best engineering controls we have in biosafety
not enough to create a culture of safety in laboratories. today. There are lots of complexities, but the workforce
Rather, one industry expert says he believes it all starts needs consistent investment in preparing them to work
with leadership. effectively in a cabinetthat's where I'm an advocate.
That expert is Sean Kaufman, CEO of Behavior-
al-Based Improvement Solutions. Sean's approach to Q: LET'S START DISSECTING THOSE
the biosafety industry is truly safety-centric, and he has COMPLEXITIES. THERE ARE SO MANY
been called on for his knowledge in various high-profile CONSIDERATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO
circumstances, including the 2001 anthrax attacks and BIOSAFETY CABINET SELECTION. HOW DO
the SARS outbreak in 20022003. He has testified before YOU BEGIN TO CONDUCT RISK ASSESSMENTS,
Congress about infectious diseases and, in 2014, pre- AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
pared the clinical staff at Emory Healthcare to respond A: That's a big question. When you look at a biosafety
to the first cases of Ebola on American soil, and then cabinet, the first and most basic thing you have to do is
traveled to Nigeria and Liberia to prepare healthcare determine what you're going to be using it for. Then decide
workers there to do the same. how much workspace you need. The following questions
While Sean's background is diverse, his message is are important: Are you going to be working with animals?
simple: Safety matters. The following question-and-answer What type of connection does your science requireare
session illustrates Sean's thoughts on how to create a we talking recirculated A2 or thimble-connected A2? Maybe
* BioSafe is a term intended to describe the enhanced Biosafety features of our products.
Validation of microbiological containment was done at an independent, third-party facility (CAMR, Porton Down, UK or
USAMRIID, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA). Improper use or maintenance may affect seal integrity and, thus, containment.
** BioCertified is a term used to describe our products which have been tested and validated to demonstrate containment of
microbiological aerosols by an independent, third-party facility (Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, UK or USAMRIID,
Ft. Detrick, MD, USA). Improper use or maintenance may affect seal integrity and, thus, containment
2016 Beckman Coulter, Inc. All rights reserved. Beckman Coulter, the stylized logo, and the Beckman Coulter product and service
marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Beckman Coulter, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
For Beckman Coulters worldwide office locations and phone numbers, please visit Contact Us at beckman.com
CENT-1653STE05.16-A
technology
$ 3,892.00
designed
for scientists IKAworldwide | #lookattheblue
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health & safety
PRESSURES ON
SAFE HANDLING OF COMPRESSED
GAS CYLINDERS by Vince McLeod
F
ortunately, the explosion occurred at night and no Know what you are dealing with
one was present in the laboratory when a small steel Most workers in laboratory settings are familiar with
compressed gas lecture bottle ruptured violently, the physical hazards of dealing with high-pressure,
destroying the hood it was stored in.1 It could have been heavy, metal cylinders that come in all sizes and shapes,
much worse. Although the cause was never positively de- from little one-pound lecture bottles to railroad tank
termined, it is suspected that chemical reactions, internal car-sized vessels. But too many get cavalier about safe
corrosion, and/or contamination led to the blast. The handling of these potential bombs and associated
cause is not important. What is important is that com- hazards. The size most commonly used in research
pressed gas accidents occur too frequently and usually laboratories and facilities is the 100-pound-plus cylinder,
produce serious consequences. The Safety Guys feel this referred to as a K-sized bottle. They are about eight
warrants a review of our use and storage of compressed inches in diameter and 48 inches tall, and can contain a
gases in laboratory settings. wide array of compressed gases.
The requirements for manufacture of cylinders are
detailed in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part
Compressed gas accidents occur 178, Specifications for Packaging, referenced below for
those who like to get into the details.2 But for our purpose,
too frequently and usually produce we just want to point out the important markings that all
cylinders should have permanently stamped on the shoul-
serious consequences. der. These should show the Department of Transporta-
tion specification, the proper service pressure (in gauge
pounds per square inch), the manufacturers symbol and
We know most laboratory facilities use a wide variety serial number, the owners symbol, and, most important
of compressed gases. These can range from the classic for safety, the date of the initial qualification test and any
inert gases like nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon to the subsequent tests. Cylinders need to be retested every five
highly flammable like hydrogen, acetylene, and oxy- years of service. In addition to the permanent markings,
genand the one involved in the accident above. They the cylinder should also have an identifying label on the
are used by maintenance personnel for welding and by shoulder indicating the cylinders contents.
researchers for animal anesthesia, among many others.
The hazards involved in compressed gas use run the Safe handling of cylinders from acceptance to zero (gas left)
gamut from oxygen displacement (inert gas use), fires, The Compressed Gas Association publishes an excel-
explosions, and toxic exposures to the physical hazards lent reference3 as well as a large number of pamphlets
of high pressurization. So in this issue, the Safety Guys on specific gases with detailed information. We will not
offer some tips on accident prevention and safe use of attempt to cover all the different classes of compressed
compressed gas cylinders. gases, as that is beyond the scope of this article. What
follows are recommended, condensed, general safe-handling rules. We Finally, make sure all cylinders have
strongly encourage anyone who handles cylinders regularly to become a durable label that cannot be easily
very familiar with these. removed and that clearly identifies
the contents.
Develop written safe-handling procedures
Develop specific safe-handling and use procedures for your compressed gas When moving cylinders
cylinders. Transport compressed gas cylinders
Depending on the specific gas used, safety procedures can become with care.
quite complex. For example, extremely hazardous gases may require Since vendors usually move cylinders
dedicated ventilated storage cabinets, safety interlocks, and elaborate from the supply truck to our storage
alarm systems. Consult experts for assistance, if necessary. area, we need to focus on moving them
from the storage room directly to the
When accepting full cylinders laboratory. Please do not perform this
haphazardly or with a cavalier attitude.
Before accepting or receiving compressed gas cylinders, perform a quick inspection.
When transporting, ensure all
All cylinders should be shipped with regulators removed and
cylinders are properly secured.
safety caps in place.
Compressed gas cylinders should be
Check cylinders for heavy rust or pitting and refuse any transported only using wheeled carts
questionable ones. designed for this purpose.
Check the certification date(s). Make sure safety caps are in place
and cylinders are secured to the cart.
Common methods include chains,
straps, and specialty clamps.
When moving multiple cylinders
do not allow them to bang against or
strike each other.
Finally, become familiar with the
route you will travel and be sure to
remove all potential obstacles. If
Lab lift gates or ramps are used, enlist
Spaces a spotter or helper before moving
cylinders.
UniLine Laboratory Casework
UniFlow Laborator y Fume Hoods
Epoxy Lab Tops & Lab Ventilation Systems When using cylinders
HEMCO
Laboratory Planning Solutions
R
For Prompt Service
Call (800) 779-4362
www.HEMCOcorp.com
Double-check the contents to
ensure the material is what you think it
is and what the label says it is.
Ensure all cylinders are secured in
the work area before making connections.
Common methods include chains, straps,
and specialty clamps.
UniFlow Laboratory EnviroMax Install a proper regulator when
Fume Hoods 1805 Vented Enclosures Modular Clean Labs
Engineered to safely exhaust
in use, and when not in use remove the
Most extensive line of A cost effective solution to
Fume Hoods in the Industry fumes from lab automation expanding existing Lab regulator and install safety caps.
instrumentation. Space or as a stand-alone
Bench Mount and Floor Designed and equipped with Quality Control Clean Lab
Mount hoods to sized to suit breadboard surfaces, computer
racks, vacuum cabinets and Modular design for quick
Auxiliary Aire, Clean Aire I, installation, can be easily
plumbing / electrical services.
Perchloric Acid, PVC Acid A wide selection of standard expanded or disassembled
Digestion, Trace Metals, sizes in Vented or HEPA ltered & relocated for future
Radioisotope hoods models are available. requirements
health & safety
Maintain adequate ventilation and temperature con- cost and easily installed and maintained. Compared with
trol for the use area. the costs associated with the alternatives it is hard to
Finally, close the valve and purge or release the argue against a good compressed gas safety program.
pressure in the system as appropriate and follow your
written standard operating procedures at the end of References
each use. 1. Lab Safety Gas Cylinders Incidents. American Indus-
trial Hygiene Association. Falls Church, Virginia. 2016.
Cylinder storage https://www.aiha.org/get-involved/VolunteerGroups/
LabHSCommittee/Incident%20Pages/Lab-Safe-
Designate a dedicated area for compressed gas cylin- ty-Gas-Cyclinders-Incidents.aspx.
der storage, particularly in large facilities and those
with high-volume use. 2. Title 49 CFR Part 178, Specifications for Packaging.
U.S. Department of Transportation. January 2005.
Segregate cylinders according to fire codes and com- http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_04/49c-
patibility. It is important to store by compatibility with fr178_04.html.
proper separation between hazard classes. Be sure to
check local fire codes, which specify distances and 3. Handbook of Compressed Gases, Compressed Gas Associa-
quantities allowed. tion, Arlington, Virginia. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New
York
Secure cylinders to prevent tipping, falling, and knock- latest edition.
ing together.
Ensure regulators are removed and safety caps are Additional resources
installed.
Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, National Research
Maintain good ventilation and temperature control. Council. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.,
Lock and secure the area against theft and vandalism. latest edition.
Locate the cylinder storage area away from emergency How Do I Work Safely with Compressed Gases?
exits. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
July 2008. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/
Finally, clearly mark all empty cylinders and segregate
comp_gas.html.
these from full cylinders. Empty cylinders should be
moved and handled with the same care as full ones and
Vince McLeod is an American Board of Industrial Hy-
returned to the vendor promptly.
giene-certified industrial hygienist (IH) and the senior IH with
Ascend Environmental. He has more than 35 years experience
Summary in industrial hygiene and environmental engineering services,
Taking the time to develop and implement a com- including 28 years with the University of Floridas Environ-
pressed gas safety program for your laboratory research mental Health & Safety Division. His consulting project expe-
or production facility is paramount in preventing acci- rience includes comprehensive IH assessments for major power
dents and potential tragedy. Doing this correctly is low generation, manufacturing, production, and distribution facilities.
industry insights: clinical
INSIGHTS ON DEVELOPING
DIAGNOSTICS WITH RAMAN
THIS VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY SEES
THINGS THAT WE MISS by Mike May, PhD
W
hen light hits a molecule, it vibrates and the In addition, this group of scientists pointed out that
scattered light creates a fingerprint of that data sets from healthy and diseased patients can be used
molecule. This Raman spectroscopy opens to train a Raman-based system.
new approaches in clinical diagnostics for many medical So far, only a couple of companies have Raman devices
conditions. Its a biochemically specific technique that is on the market for clinical applications. Richmond, Brit-
sensitive to subtle changes in human biochemistry, physi- ish Columbia-based Verisante Technology, for example,
ology, and pathology, says Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, offers devices for cancer detection. In Tokyo, Japan,
Orrin H. Ingram Professor of Biomedical Engineering Kanebo Cosmetics uses Raman spectroscopy to study
at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and changes in human skin.
director of the Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center. Raman In describing the status of using this technology in
spectroscopy can differentiate between subtle things like medical diagnostics, Mahadevan-Jansen says, Its mostly
hormonal changes, things that many other techniques small start-up companies trying to penetrate the market.
ignore. Consequently, clinicians can use Raman spec- She adds, Only a few people are doing clinical Raman
troscopy to provide differential diagnoses with higher spectroscopy because its so challenging. Nonetheless,
accuracy than ever. But all of Ramans upsides come she notes that the technology and computational power
with challenges, and the biggest one is that the signal is already exist to make this technique a valuable new di-
weak. So capturing molecular information with Raman agnostic tool. So, we just need to develop a database to
spectroscopy requires very sensitive instrumentation. As show that it works well, she says.
a result, this technology is really only beginning to reveal
the extent to which it can change diagnostic science. SCANNING THE SKIN
As explained by Haishan Zeng, distinguished scientist More than a decade ago, Zeng started working on
at the imaging unit in the integrative oncology depart- Raman technology as a potential diagnostic tool. At that
ment at the BC Cancer Agency Research Centre in Van- time, it took about 20 seconds for one scan, and that, says
couver, British Columbia, Raman spectroscopy is a very Zeng, was too slow for clinical applications. In 2012, he
powerful analytical measurement that has been used in and his colleagues reported in Cancer Research that Raman
chemistry labs for many years. Nonetheless, the time spectroscopy can distinguish between cancerous and
required to collect the data took too long for medical benign skin lesions. The first organ to attack is the skin,
applications. In the past decade, Zeng says, advances because it is easily accessible, Zeng says.
in laser technology, CCD cameras, and optics shortened With advanced optics, lasers, CCD technology, and a
the time for collecting Raman spectra. That made it proprietary Raman probe design, Zeng and his team im-
fast enough for medicine. Now is the time to push for proved the signal-to-noise ratio by more than 16 times and
clinical applications, he says. accelerated the process so much that it takes them only 1.5
Some of the pushing is underway. As Ioan Notingher, seconds to collect and analyze a Raman spectrum. That
professor of physics at UK-based University of Notting- opened the door to clinical applications, Zeng says.
ham, and his colleagues wrote in 2015 in Advanced Drug Zeng is working with Verisante to commercialize this
Delivery Reviews, The key hypothesis underpinning this process. It helps physicians decide which lesions to
field is that molecular changes in cells, tissues, or bioflu- biopsy, he says, and the likelihood that a lesion is can-
ids that are either the cause or the effect of diseases can cerous or benign.
be detected and quantified by Raman spectroscopy.
This research produced the Verisante Aura to detect somewhat dated. During surgery, for example, a breast
skin cancer. According to the Cancer Research study, this tumor gets removedalong with samples from some
device can detect 95 percent of skin cancers and also presumably safe margin to ensure excising all the can-
reduce unnecessary biopsies by one- to twofold. cerous tissueand the samples go to histology, while the
At the moment, the only commercial application is in patient is stitched up and sent home to await the results.
detecting skin cancers, says Michael A. Short, senior If the margin samples show cancer, the patient goes
scientist at Verisante. Experimental devices at various back for more surgery. Beyond the stress of waiting and
stages of development are also being tested in collabo- the inconvenience of a second surgery, it also creates a
ration with clinicians from various organizations. For second opportunity for infection.
example, the company is working with colleagues at With Raman spectroscopy, the outcomes of breast
the BC Cancer Agency on lung and colon cancers and cancer surgery could improve. Mahadevan-Jansen is
at Imperial College London on brain cancer. An initial developing a tool that can be used to scan a tumor in the
collaboration with the Harvard School of Dental Med- operating room and tell a surgeon in real time if all the
icine and the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center also cancer has been removed. Using a point-by-point scan-
showed that Raman had great potential in detecting oral ning technique, Mahadevan-Jansen and her team have
cancers. For skin cancer, Verisantes technology is ap- scanned entire tumorsusually a couple of centimeters
proved for clinical use in Canada, Australia, and Europe, in diameterin about eight minutes. We can scan the
and the company is applying for approval from the U.S. tumor while the surgeon is doing other things, like clot-
Food and Drug Administration. ting blood, she says. Its parallel processing. Her team
has also developed a 3-D scanner.
Although Mahadevan-Jansens technology is currently used
to examine tissue removed from the patient, she is working
on technology that can collect data from the surgical cavity.
They are also using it to look at lymph nodes in the cavity to
see if the breast cancer has spread.
Beyond the technological challenges, this field also
faces financial ones. Like all diagnostic medical devices,
ones based on Raman technology need to be developed
and then approved through clinical trials, which usually
requires a company licensing the technology. Although
Mahadevan-Jansen has patented some of her technology,
no company has stepped forward to develop it for com-
mercial use. Still, she remains optimistic, despite other
companies testing other techniques for similar applica-
The Verisante Aura distinguishes between cancerous and
tions. We get better accuracy and reliability than others,
benign skin lesions, which reduces the need to perform biopsies.
Mahadevan-Jansen says, but that still requires translation
(Image courtesy of Verisante Technologies.)
for research and development to the market.
The applications for Raman spectroscopy in cancer will also
BETTER BREAST CANCER SURGERY expand, because Mahadevan-Jansen says that it can be used
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for other solid tumors. As she points out, It just requires
Breast cancer is the top cancer in women, both in the studying them and developing a database and algorithms.
developed and the developing worlds. WHO also points And at some point, this approach could move beyond
out that longer life expectancy, increased urbanization, clinical diagnostics for cancer to surgical guidance. That
and lifestyle changes combine to increase the developing is, a surgeon could use the information from a Raman
worlds incidence of cancer. Despite the increasing inci- signal in real time, essentially seeing what is cancerous
dence, some of the tools for fighting this disease remain tissue and what is not during an operation.
industry insights: clinical
Mike May is a freelance writer and editor living in Ohio. You can reach him
at mikemay1959@gmail.com.
P.O. Box 39, 436 Farm Rd. Summertown, TN 38483
1-800-293-5759 | Fax: 931-964-3564
www.seintl.com | radiationinfo@seintl.com
industry insights: environmental
INSIGHTS
ON TRACKING TRACES OF ORGANICS
SENSITIVE TECHNIQUES FOLLOW CONTAMINATION FROM FRACKING
TO PHARMACEUTICALS AND BEYOND by Mike May, PhD
I
ts a war out there when it comes to organic contami- Some applications require novel methods. In a 2016
nants in the environment. Carcinogens are assumed issue of the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and
to have no safe levels of exposure and are therefore Toxicology, a research teamAmber Russell, David
of concern at any level, says Elise Elliott, a doctoral Martin, Michael Cuddy, and Anthony Bednarfrom the
student at the Yale University School of Public Health U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Centers
in New Haven, Connecticut. However, technological (ERDCs) environmental laboratory in Vicksburg, Mis-
advances have enabled us to analyze increasingly lower sissippi, points out that the United States alone suffers
concentrations of chemicals, which has made it clear an average of more than 30,000 oil spills a year. As they
that other non-carcinogenic organic contaminants are write: The detection of trace quantities of petroleum
also associated with adverse health effects at very low products in soil and water samples is necessary to iden-
levels. To study such concerns, scientists seek increas- tify the areas impacted by a spill, and in doing so help
ingly sensitive and robust methods of analysis. guide efforts to mitigate the environmental impact. To
The techniques that work best depend on the matrix study such contamination, these researchers developed
or sample type, the physical properties of the contami- fluorescence-detection equipment that can be used in
nant, as well as the desired detection limit, says Richard the field. As Bednar, analytical geochemistry team leader
Jack, senior director for the environmental and industrial at ERDC, says, We developed this technique as a rapid
screening technique for detection of petroleum hydro-
carbons in soil and water matrices. He adds, The initial
Carcinogens are assumed to have impetus for this technique was an oil spill on the lower
Mississippi River in 2008, where dredging operations
no safe levels of exposure and are were impacted by the inability to detect oil in near real
time, and thus impacted dredging decisions.
therefore of concern at any level. As we shall see, different organic contaminants in dif-
ferent environments fuel different approaches.
markets for the chromatography and mass spectrome- IMPROVING THE PREPARATION
try businesses at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Waltham, Over time, the ERDC team kept improving its tech-
Massachusetts. Methods used for trace analysis typically nology. They included calibration standards and added
involve two parts: contaminant extraction and compound a digital fluorometer. These improvements, Bednar
analysis. The extraction tends to be more complicated says, moved the technique from screening level to
in soil versus water samples. The detection can involve semi-quantitative to essentially quantitative.
various techniques, from ultraviolet and fluorescence Working in the field, though, adds complications to any
detectors to mass spectrometry (MS). Generally, mass technique. The limitation on the quantitative nature is
spec is most often used for trace analysis due to low more related to challenges associated with rapid ex-
concentrations of the contaminants and the presence of traction of hydrocarbons from the soil or water matrix
interference from the sample matrix, Jack says. While in the field, where you dont readily have enhanced
providing lower detection limits, in most cases, MS also extraction techniques, such as sonication, pressure,
provides a measure of confirmation through mass-to- or heat, Bednar explains. In its present state, we use
charge ratio assignment for each contaminant. hexane as an extraction solvent, and simply hand shake
the sample for a minute or two. The scientists applied approaches to developing sources of oil and natural gas,
let the phases separate, remove the hexane, and such as fracking. They wrote: Hydraulic-fracturing fluids and
then analyze the sample with, as Bednar ex- wastewater from unconventional oil and natural gas development
plains, a digital or human optical fluorometer to contain hundreds of substances with the potential to contam-
measure fluorescence from polycyclic aromatic inate drinking water. This team evaluated 1,021 chemicals
hydrocarbons present in the petroleum. identified in fluids used for fracking and the wastewater from the
Several variablesweathering of the petro- process, and they found that toxicity information does not exist
leum, where it came from, and the calibration for 76 percent of them. Where toxicity data do exist, 43 percent
standards being usedimpact the accuracy and 40 percent are implicated as reproductive and developmen-
of this technology. Still, Bednar says, In most tal toxins, respectively, and 17 percent are indicated as both. The
cases, the data obtained is in rough agreement
with more sophisticated laboratory analyses, as
described in the paper. He adds, The prima-
ry benefit of the technology is the time from
collection to data in handa few minutesat
SAFE TO DRINK?
Although any environmental contamination
can stir large concerns, people really worry
about contaminated water. The U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, EPA, has set legally
enforceable public water system standards
maximum contaminant levelsto limit the lev-
els of contaminants in drinking water, Elliott
explains. These drinking water standards give
an indication of which organic contaminants
are of greater public health concern at lower
levels. Although the EPA sets these levels in The 2015 edition of NFPA 45: Standard on Fire Protection for
hopes of protecting everyone, sometimes even Laboratories Using Chemicals requires an automatic fire extinguishing
a trace isnt safe. As Elliott says, Out of the system for those chemical fume hoods determined to be at-risk for
53 organic contaminants with a drinking water fires. A Firetrace system can meet NFPA 45 standards and will
standard, 23 have a maximum contaminant lev- suppress a fume hood fire quickly and reliably.
el goal that indicates there are no assumed safe
levels of exposure for that chemical. Some For more information call 1-(480)-607-1218 today.
examples include benzene and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs)both of which are known
carcinogens.
In a 2016 issue of the Journal of Exposure
Science and Environmental Epidemiology, Elliott
A HALMA COMPANY
and her colleagues explored the potential dan-
gers to drinking water caused by increasingly
More than 250,000 Firetrace systems have been sold worldwide!
TRACKING CONTAMINANTS
Brian Drollette, a doctoral student at Yale in the department
of chemical and environmental engineering, took a different
approach to studying organic contamination in water caused by
fracking. In a 2015 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, Drollette and his colleagues described the fate of
chemicals injected when fracking. In particular, they wanted to Fracking takes lots of water, as shown in this tempo-
know if the chemicals affected the quality of local water. rary freshwater impoundment to be used for it, and the
In this research, says Drollette, the team focused on hydropho- process can contaminate water with organic compounds.
bic organic compounds in shallow groundwater near areas of (Image courtesy of Chuck Anderson, Penn State.)
unconventional natural gas production. They took samples from
more than 60 residential wells and analyzed them for organic and This work depended on very sensitive anal-
inorganic compounds. Our findings indicated that there was a ysis, because the contaminants were in the
significant relationship between the levels of diesel-range organic parts-per-billion range. So the team used
compounds in the groundwater and the location of natural gas two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCx-
wells, Drollette says. Furthermore, we saw this relationship be- GC) plus time-of-flight MS (TOFMS).
tween the organic compound levels and gas wells that have had en- According to Drollette, this technology is
vironmental health and safety violations in the past, indicating that one of the most exciting advances in our field
the natural gas operations may be impacting local groundwater. for analyzing trace organic contaminants.
www.carverpress.com
Tel: 260-563-7577 carverpress@corpemail.com
separation science
SPONSORED BY
Separation Science
HPLC
Used to separate, identify, and quantify compounds
based on the interactions between the stationary
vs.
GC
Used to separate and analyze compounds that can
be vaporized without decomposition.
phase, the sample, and the solvents used.
1
Solvent 2 1
Pump gas He
supply N
3 AUTOSAMPLER Ar
2 sample
injector
HPLC COLUMN 4
3
5 Detector Capillary
column
oven
4 Detector
6 5
CHROMATOGRAM CHROMATOGRAM
LC or GC
Which is right
for your lab?
We continue our series of infographics on lab equipment
buying tips, this month with a focus on LC-GC systems.
Among the most expensive lab instruments you can buy,
high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and
gas chromatography (GC) purchases must be considered
carefully. With even used or refurbished systems costing tens
of thousands of dollars and labs purse strings tighter than
ever, it pays to do your research when it comes to deciding
between LC and GC.
But which technology is best for your lab? Where do you
even start? And what about all of those accessories?
On top of just choosing and buying the system as a whole,
there are many accessories and moving parts to consider
which pump is best if youre going with an HPLC system?
How about gas supply options for GC? Do you need an
autosampler? Options such as these can add a few thousand
dollars to your purchase and will have just as important an
effect on how well your lab is able to do its work, so they
require careful consideration as well.
This months infographic, available now for download on
LabManager.com, compares six main aspects of HPLC and
GC systems, including analytes, sample mobility, sample
delivery, columns, detector, and data analysis to help you
download the full
determine which technology is best for your lab and which
accessories are the right fit for the work you do. The graphic infographic
also nicely summarizes which key applications each of these Labmanager.com/separation-science
analytical technologies are used most often for. We hope it
provides a clear starting point as you begin your research on
these critical systems and their related components and will
help lead you to the right decision for your lab.
Q: What sort of work does MVA 100 micrometers and smaller. It could particular area very, very quickly. That
Scientific Consultants do? be a single particle or just a couple of saves us time, saves the customer time,
particles that have to be taken through and eventually saves everyone money.
A: Were a full-service analytical three or four different microscopy labs.
microscopy laboratory. We offer cus- Well use a number of different analyti- Q: What process do you go
tomized contract testing, investigative cal techniques, like FTIR microscopy or through in your sample prep?
analysis, particle sizing, and consulting Raman microscopy, SEM, and polarized
services to help all types of industries light microscopy on the same particle A: The first thing that we do is look at
solve problems. We do that with our or on sub-samples of particles from the the sample and make some determina-
microscopeswe have scanning electron same sample. So it could take an hour or tion as to what we have. So if we have,
microscopes, transmission electron it could take several days. We had one say, a collection of black particles, some
microscopes, polarized light microscopes, sample where the prep, since it was a of them could be elastomeric (rubber)
and interference microscopes for surface total unknown, took us several days to and some of them could be plastic,
roughness, just to name a few. We have actually separate it from the substrate of which means they basically deform
21 staff members, though that number when you press on them and they dont
interest. That was a fun one.
varies with interns coming in and out. spring back, so immediately weve got
Q: What main trends or chang- two different types of material we have
Q: What kind of sample prep to deal with. Some could be glassy,
es have you seen in sample prep
does your work involve? some could be mineral, and some could
over the years? be metallic. Each one of these particle
A: The work we do for the most part is
A: What were seeing is that in some types would go through a micros-
nonstandard, so the sample prep really
of the tools that we use to prep, like ion copy laboratory in a different order,
depends on what type of particle sam-
mill cross-section polishing, equipment or subsamples would go to different
ple we get. Sometimes they can be mul-
is getting better and more precise. So microscopes simultaneously so that
tiple particles agglomerated together,
even though the person whos actually we get the most information out in the
or it could be a large piece of material
doing the sample prep has to spend least amount of time. Not that we do
that needs to be cut up or sectioned so
some time learning the technique, they things so quickly that we dont do good
that we look at particles that are either
have better tools. We have better ways workeverything we do, we study.
inside of it or adhering to it. Particle
of cutting and polishing samples to get
prep is done manually and its a very
time-intensive and skill-oriented type
them ready for analysis. The sample Q: How do you handle that chal-
prep tools are becoming much more lenge of moving quickly while
of work for us.
reliable, too, so it saves us time in the avoiding mistakes?
Q: How long does that sample long run. The tools we use to do the
actual analysis are also getting better. So A: We try to minimize sample handling
prep take? time so that we can do either multiple
if we have a technique that can analyze
A: It varies. Sometimes [were working a surface that needs very little sample techniques simultaneously if the sam-
with] a single particle, a particle being prep other than putting it under the mi- ples big enough or we can hand-carry
usually less than a millimeter, or we have croscope, thats a nice technique for us it from one laboratory to the next so
visible and sub-visible [particles] that are because we can do a lot of analyses on a the people involved in the analysis can
communicate at that point and say, This
black particle is what I need analyzed. Never mind that makes our work interestingwhat are these particles and where
the other two. They have a system set up so that do they come from, and why are they in my product?
we dont waste any time thinking about, Was that
the one I was supposed to do? We really have Q: What changes do you expect to see in the future for
to have that communication going among all the your lab, in terms of sample prep?
staff to make sure that we do the right material
that gives us the opportunity to provide a timely A: On the sample prep side, I hope to see the trend toward better tools
analysisand also perform reliable work. Once increase. Its still going to be a very tedious, manual sample prep, but
[samples] go through different microscopy tech- Im hoping at some point well be able to come up with instrumentation
niques or different microscopes, different analyses, that can do more with less sample prep and help get things through the
all those tests should correlate. For example, if laboratory faster without compromising any of the analytical abilities
the FTIR microscope finds a nylon material and that we have or any of the time that we spend on samples.
theres an indication that theres clay filler, then
polarized light microscopy should have seen the Q: What key advice would you have for labs that are
polymerthe nylonand if its transparent, they just getting into sample prep for analytical microscopy?
should have seen that there was some type of filler A: Be prepared to work. This is highly skilled work that takes a
in it. So we have to communicate at that level, good amount of experience and time. In my professional dealings,
too, once the process is done to make sure that theres some apprehension when looking at a new sample. You dont
everyones on the same page for quality analysis. know where to start. You dont know if youre going in the right di-
If we do see a difference, we back up and try to rection. In this industry, you cant be afraid to fail. You have to come
determine if we need more testing. Thats the most up with a protocol, stick to it, follow it to its end point, and then
important part of our work, maintaining commu- see if you need to do more work. You just cant be afraid to work
nication so that we dont lose any time. because its very time-consuming and very challenging.
Q: What are some of the most interesting Rachel Muenz, associate editor for Lab Manager, can be reached at
or strange samples youve worked with? rachelm@labmanager.com or by phone at 888-781-0328 x233.
A: Weve done such a variety of things that its
really hard to pick the most interesting. Offhand,
just about everything we look at is new to us. A lot
of times we look at new materials that have just
been produced by a new process and sometimes
were either the first to see them microscopically or Claisse offers a complete solution in sample
were one of the first groups of people to see them
microscopically. One example of an interesting
preparation for spectroscopy analysis
project we did is examining portable airfields. The
military can place a portable airfield in just about
any location in the world if they have enough of
these mats and enough Marines to put it in place.
What was happening is that when the mats were
Consistent Enhanced
being refurbished, they were popping, or setting Accuracy Performance
off a small discharge when workers arc-welded
them. So we were looking for things like jet fuel
Efficiency
contamination, and it turned out to be just the fact Higher
that these sealed aluminum pieces had been in ser- Quality
vice for 20 to 30 years. When they did the original
work, they sealed up enough material inside to
cause a little bit of corrosion and it built up hydro-
gen over time. So when they were opened and they
struck an arc, they [had] a little bit of hydrogen
to burn, which was enough to frighten the people
doing the welding. Its mostly the investigative part
The expertise of our team combined with our instruments,
consumables and services is the key to reach efficiency in
your laboratory www.claisse.com
product focus | HILIC
T
give you much easier, much more reliable, and much
o analyze any life science sample, taking it faster results than C18-based efforts.
apart really helps, and that often requires
some form of chromatographyusually That said, HILIC is not magic. One challenge
liquid chromatography (LC). The best technique for is optimizing chromatographic media, injection
separation depends on the physical characteristics of conditions, and solvent miscibility, Fiehn says, but
the sample. Many LC setups use columns that include thats true for all LC-MS methods. He adds, We
C18 to split up the component, but that doesnt always have seen that HILIC methods are very reproducible
work. Highly polar compounds, like metabolites, in retention times, unlike other authors have observed,
are typically poorly retained on C18 columns, but we have also found that quantitative data are often
says Wayne K. Way, technical marketing manager less easy to reproduce than using GC-MS or C18 LC-
at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. life science business of MS methods.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. To separate the
components of such samples, life scientists often turn To optimize HILIC, life scientists need to do some
to hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography fine-tuning for the application at hand. It is not easy
(HILIC). According to Way, HILIC provides to predict which metabolites will be retained by
increased retention of highly polar compounds, which HILIC phase and under which HILIC buffer
and it also provides better mass-spec sensitivity conditions, Fiehn explains. Finding the right column
than a highly aqueous mobile phase. In general, with the right chromatographic eluents is still an art,
when working with highly polar compoundslike and much trial and error is needed. So getting the right
nucleotides, amino acids, or drug metabolitesHILIC setup for a particular sample takes some exploring.
tends to be the best choice for separation.
To simplify the optimization, some vendors This, however, will definitively lead to problems
supply method-development tools. For example, for the chromatographer. He suggests using a 95
Waters Corporation in Milford, Massachusetts, percent organic solution in water or a composition
created a wall chart that includes help with similar to the mobile phase but without buffer
selecting the column, mobile phase, and salts when washing samples for HILIC.
organic modifier (see the link at www.waters.
com/HILIC). This chart also explores method
optimization, including a flowchart for selecting
Powerful platforms
LOOKING AT
If this technology sounds like what your lab
Typical eluents for HILIC needs, it could already be a good fit with some
OTHER TYPES
of your equipment. In most analytical labs, OF LIQUID
consist of 40 to 97 percent Ni says, HILIC is the perfect complement CHROMATOGRAPHY?
acetonitrile in water or a vola- to reversed phase since it uses the same
equipmentpumps, injectors, detectors, and
tile buffer. even eluent solventsand shares both practical
and theoretical features with reversed phase
chromatography. LabManager.com/
HPLC-UHPLC-buying
Some of the newest platforms also provide
a method based on the analyte being studied. In flexibility in separation options. Way says,
a section on the sequence of optimizing a HILIC Our Ascentis Express HILIC column offering
method, this chart advises: Once the stationary has several phases including OH5, F5, and
phase, organic modifier, and mobile phase pH HILICbare silicaproviding several unique
have been chosen, retention and selectivity can selectivities for optimum method development.
be further optimized by altering gradient slope
and column temperature. It goes on to provide Some applications might require specific
a specific series of steps for accomplishing this. columns. For example, says Ni, The U.S. Food
When performing these optimization steps, and Drug Administration has recommended
Waters encourages users to evaluate the results SeQuant ZIC-cHILIC columns for the analysis Here are nine
after each step, and then stop after criteria for of melamine and related substances. He adds questions you
success [have] been met. that these columns enable selectivity tuning in may want to ask
chromatography through altered interaction with
Matching the technology to the analyte also anionic and cationic molecular moieties.
if youre buying
improves the outcome, and that often requires either an HPLC
specialized columns. As an example, Waters So getting HILIC started in your lab depends or UHPLC system.
developed its ACQUITY UPLC Glycoprotein on getting the right platform and setting it up
BEH Amide 300 1.7-m column to analyze with the components that work the best for your
glycan molecules in therapeutic proteins. applications. It might turn out, though, that
some of your existing devices fit in with HILIC,
As Ni concludes, The choice of an appropriate smoothing the addition of this tool to your
separation column is highly dependent upon the analytical arsenal. HILIC will also expand the For additional
analytes to be separated. The sample matrix may range of samples that your lab can handle. resources on liquid
also play an important role for the decision. chromatography,
Mike May is a freelance writer and editor living in including useful
Getting a sample prepped for HILIC also takes
Ohio. You can reach him at mikemay1959@gmail.com.
some twists. Because of the similarities to articles and a list of
reversed phase chromatography in mobile phase manufacturers, visit
conditions, it can be tempting to apply the same
routines for preparation for HILIC, Ni says. LabManager.com/LC
Methods used to measure pH as reported by survey respondents: 3. What accessories are included with the meter?
What is the complete cost of all accessories needed to operate the meter?
Glass-electrode method 67%
Hydrogen-electrode method 11% 4. What type of after sales support is offered?
If something goes wrong with the meter, can it be fixed locally?
Indicator methods 9%
What is the general turnaround time for repair?
Metal-electrode methods 8%
5. What makes the company different from other companies that manufacture similar products?
Quinhydrone-electrode method 1%
Other 3% 6. What additional types of features are offered? (GLP data, PC connectivity (USB vs RS 232), calibration timeout, number of calibra-
tion points, ISE concentration readout, incremental methods for ISE and mv readout of concentration during calibration process).
66+18+538C
Setting up a new lab 5% 770=
First time purchase 3% RESOLUTION AND ACCURACY OF THE METER 75%
Other 8% 750=
LOW MAINTENANCE / EASY TO CLEAN 72%
720=
AUTOCALIBRATION WITH TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION 66%
660=
AVAILABILITY OF SUPPLIES AND ACCESSORIES 46%
460=
HEAVY-DUTY AND WATERPROOF 42%
420=
DETACHABLE ELECTRODE PROBE 42%
420=
LONGER-LIVED REFILLABLE ELECTRODE TYPE 40%
400=
WARRANTY 39%
390=
SERVICE AND SUPPORT 38%
380=
For more information on pH meters, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers,
visit www.labmanager.com/ph-meters
www.evergreensci.com
1.800.421.6261
Q: Can you discuss some of the with submicron precision. This work has the image, just involves processing or recon-
innovative work you are doing in led to the discovery of new types of sperm struction of these shadows. These shadows
microscopy? motion in 3-D. This has not been seen before are, in fact, holograms of the objects, so we
with traditional microscopes because of do holographic processing to convert these
A: Our laboratory has been working on their limitations in terms of imaging area, diffraction patterns into 3-D transmission
computational imaging techniques, where depth of field, imaging volume, and chal- images of the objects. This type of micros-
we have pushed forward image reconstruc- lenges with instant autofocusing. Its been copy is also called lens-free on-chip imaging,
tion algorithms, especially for holography a fascinating journey for us where we have since there is no lens involved in its design.
and holographic imaging techniques. That shown that computation can create powerful Its all diffraction-based imaging, with the
effort has led to a series of new devices and microscopic imaging and sensing tools for sample sitting on the chip, which gives
microscopes that have benefited from these various applications, from fundamental mea- us the extremely compact, cost-effective
reconstruction algorithms to simplify their surements to applications in field medicine, design of the microscope. Overall, you are
imaging architecture drastically. We have mobile health, diagnostics, and related fields. looking at a ten-centimeter-long microscope
created microscopes that generate images that can fit into the palm of your hand. Its
with extremely high resolution, containing Q: Can you describe what your also very lightweight because there are no
about a billion useful pixels, with a wide field device looks like and how it differs bulky optics involved, and that makes the
of view [that look] at very large volumes. from a traditional microscope? entire device portable and able to perform
At the same time, these imaging devices highly advanced imaging tasks demanded by
can easily fit into your pocket and typically A: The basic component of a computa-
professionals.
weigh less than 200 grams. This has been tional microscope is an imager chip, similar
enabled by the fact that we got rid of a lot to what is present in every digital camera. Q: What are some of the
The chip is an optoelectronic sensor, either
of the mechanical and optical components limitations?
that you find in a traditional microscope and a complementary metal oxide semiconduc-
have replaced their functions with recon- tor (CMOS) or a charge-coupled device A: What I have just described is a trans-
(CCD) detector, which records and digitizes mission design microscope that can image
struction algorithms.
the images. For instance, in a ten-megapixel only transparent objects. However, there are
Thats been a theme in my lab and has led to camera, you will have ten million small different designs of this lens-free on-chip
the creation of field-portable, cost-effective photodetectors located at the back of the imaging device that can perform reflec-
microscopes that can be used for pathology, camera, which digitize the image. We place tion-based holographic microscopy, using
microbiology, material science, long-term optical samples that are of interest to us ideas similar to the transmission imager, to
monitoring and analysis of cells, and many such as tissue samples, blood smears, cell image opaque objects. Many of our technol-
other applications. Sometimes this inno- lines, or gelsdirectly on this chip. When ogies are based on the transmission imaging
vation is not just about miniaturization or light shines through the object without any design because most of the samples in the
being cost-effective; its also about perfor- optics in between the object and the sensor, medical field used for diagnostic applications
mance. We have shown that these kinds the diffraction pattern of the transmitted are, in fact, transparent. For example, the
of microscopes can reveal a lot more than light through the object is recorded. This is standard tissue samples and slides that are
traditional microscopes can. One example similar to the creation of microshadows of sub-10 micron in thickness are transparent
is where we use these microscopes to track a specimen against light using a standard and can be beautifully imaged using our
hundreds of thousands of sperm in 3-D imager, and the rest, in terms of creation of computational imaging technology. We
A lens-free computational microscope that can image and size nanoparticles and viruses using a
field-portable platform. More information: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.5b00388
(This article is open access and is free to download from the ACS site.)
can also image blood or plasma samples as long as the Q: What are some of the opportunities that you are looking
thickness or the height of the microchannels used is less to tap into?
than 50 microns.
A: Whats exciting is that big data analysis and machine learning are now
Q: Are any of these products that you have coming together to analyze and label images, and this is helping the expert
developed commercially available yet? for example, a pathologist or a microbiologistusing that image make much
better and faster decisions. Its an exciting time for us not to stop just at the
A: Some of these techniques have been licensed through image computation or image creation point but to move several steps further
UCLA by a start-up company that I cofounded. In the toward image annotation and labeling to try to give statistical recommen-
diagnostics market, there is a need for cost-effective and dations to the user. There is so much potential there to make the entire
field-portable measurement tools, and some of our pat- microanalysis much more efficient and accurate, giving not only high-qual-
ented products are being used in more than ten countries. ity, mobile, on-the-spot, large gigapixel images but also [giving] a front-end
Some of the work that I have described can also be inte- analysis telling the expert where to look and what to expect, at least in the
grated with mobile phones. The imaging interface on a statistical sense. A gigapixel image is wonderful and has a lot of information
mobile phone is very advanced, and some of these recon- in it, but at the same time there is a lot to look at, and if you dont know
struction and image analysis tasks can also be conducted where and how to look, the analysis can take a lot of time. Thats where we
on the phone. With the connectivity of the smartphone, can make recommendations on which subregions of the image to look at,
you can get results, process them, and tag them with space guiding experts and making diagnosis more efficient and accurate.
and time details to be integrated with other digital records
or databases, resulting in a set of distributed measure- Tanuja Koppal, PhD, is a freelance science writer and consultant based in Randolph,
ments that can be mapped as a function of time and space. New Jersey. She can be reached at tkoppal@gmail.com.
Using the phone as a way to read and measure diagnostic
tests has already resulted in a marketed product. We are
open to new directions for applying our know-how in
computational imaging, sensing, and diagnostic tools to
create competitive mobile systems that can perform the
same tasks as traditional lab instruments do. We do collab-
orate with a diverse group of researchers from all around
the world in different fields, but we are also aware of the BioSpec Products
fact that not all the projects that we are working on in the
lab can be and should be translated into products. has your homogenizer needs covered.
T
o lyse cells, purify proteins, or develop shearing. Qsonicas Q800R2 can shear DNA for
nanotechnology, scientists and next-generation sequencing applications. Plus,
technologists often turn to ultrasonic it can simultaneously prepare multiple samples.
liquid processors. Instead of chopping up samples As Lustig explains, We are able to focus high-
with mechanical blades, more or less like a food intensity ultrasonic energy to a wide area and
processor, an ultrasonic liquid processor uses a effectively shear 20 sample tubes at one time. He
piezoelectric transducer to convert electrical energy adds, This is a high throughput solution for labs
to mechanical vibrations that a probe amplifies that need to process many samples per day.
into pressure waves in the sample. This process
creates cavitiesbubblesin the sample, and
then cavitationthe bubbles implodingshears
the sample. This seemingly violent process can be Optimizing the options
controlled to process samples of various sorts.
The features that matter the most in an ultrasonic
At Virginia Commonwealth University in liquid processor depend on the users needs.
Richmond, Ram B. Gupta, associate dean for The trending applications vary from industry
research and an engineering professor, says, I use to industry, says Kathrin Hielscher, marketing
the processor for reactions that contain both solids manager at Hielscher Ultrasonics in Teltow,
and liquids. He adds, The intense mixing that Germany. In the food and pharma industry,
comes out of physical movement and cavitation ultrasonic extraction is a hot topic, whilst the
greatly increases the reaction rate. paint and coating industry is mostly interested
in the nano-size milling and dispersing. She
adds, Especially demanding tasks, such as those
in nanotechnology or biology, often cannot be
Smashing the small fulfilled with a traditional mixing device and
require a powerful homogenizer that can be
Dispersing and deagglomerating nanomaterials precisely controlled.
has become one of our largest applications, says
Marc Lustig, director of business development at In general, says Hielscher, Sonochemical
Qsonica in Newtown, Connecticut. Ultrasonics reactions are a very important field where a lot
is highly effective for breaking the bonds that of research is undertaken by investigating the
cause nanoparticles to aggregate. As nanoparticles ultrasonic effects on chemical reaction systems.
get used morefrom biology and medicine She adds, Power ultrasound and the resulting
to industrial and consumer goodsthe use of shear forces can create unique results in chemical
ultrasonic liquid processors will continue to grow. systems, including the initiation of reactions or
the change of reaction paths. When a scientist To ensure you get an ultrasonic liquid processor
is working on catalytic reactions and synthesis, that keeps providing the performance that
Hielscher points out, the use of ultrasonic your lab needs, get one that is guaranteed. For HOW
homogenizers enables the achievement of
higher yields, more complete conversions, faster
instance, Lustig says, We are able to offer a two-
year warranty because we are so confident in our ULTRASONIC
reaction speed, and/or [fewer] byproducts. As products. We design, develop, and manufacture HOMOGENIZERS
the search for efficiency expands in research and everything in house, so we know its done
manufacturing, scientists and technologists will right. He adds, All facets of manufacturing STACK UP
grow even more interested in getting more of are certified by a third party to ensure we meet
want they wantyieldand less of what they international safety and quality requirements.
dontbyproducts.
In addition to a guarantee, though, get the product
that does what you need it to do. When asked what LabManager.com/
a lab manager should look for, Lustig says, Most
The features that matter important is that they buy the correct unit and homogenizers-2015
probe size to match their application and sample
the most in an ultrasonic volume, and for this they should consult with the
manufacturer. As he says, Using the incorrect
liquid processor depend size probe will make it difficult to process samples
effectively, and this wastes time and often ends up
on the users needs. with the customer having to purchase additional
accessories afterward.
For more information on PCR equipment, including useful articles and resources, visit www.labmanager.com/PCR
Join Linda the lab manager in this video as she explores some of the main factors
that must be considered when purchasing a biological safety cabinet (BSC), including:
a safety risk assessment, determining what class of cabinet you need, the chemicals
youll use, customization options, ergonomics, and cost.
LabManager.com/BSC-video
product focus | fume hoods
I
n my lab days, most fume hoods looked the primary filter nears saturation, an
alikea glass sash that could be raised alarm sounds. Youre still safe because
of the secondary filter, Crooks says, but
IF YOURE
or lowered, one switch for a light and
another to turn air on and off. Todays fume you want automatic detection. That way, CONFUSED
hood world features many options, including you keep lab personnel safe, and you get
the most out of your filtersreplacing ABOUT WHICH
filtered hoods. In brief, a traditional hood
vents to the outside, and a filtered one them only when needed instead of FUME HOOD
guessing when its required.
doesnt. Instead, a filtered hood works where
a lab manager cant get a hood to a duct Erlabs Neutrodine filters have such a
OPTIONS ARE
system, doesnt want to add one, or wants good reputation that Labconco uses them BEST FOR
to stay as energy efficient as possible by not in its newest filtered hoods. There are
pulling out a labs conditioned air. Were some carbon-filtered hoods meant for YOUR LAB
seeing filtered hoods used more, no doubt, minimal use, Mankameyer explains,
says Ken Crooks, director, GFH Technology but our hoods that use the Neutrodine
NA at Erlab in Rowley, Massachusetts. filters are the closest thing to a general
chemistry ducted fume hood that works
For example, Erlab recently installed LabManager.com/
13 filtered hoods at Bristol Community with acids, bases, and solvents.
lab-air-quality
College in Massachusetts. Its the first net- When shopping for a filtered fume
zero energy lab in Massachusetts, Crooks hood, its very important to perform an
says, and education is our primary sector, assessment of the chemicals that will
but biotech and pharma come in second. be used in the hood and to compare
In addition to the expanding number of them against the list of chemicals that
installations, lab managers get more choice. As are removed by the filters, says Alison
Beth Mankameyer, sales engineer at Labconco Farmer, senior engineer II at California-
in Kansas City, Missouri, says, Theres more based kW Engineering. While todays
variety in filtered fume hoods due to demand. filtration systems can remove a wide This on-demand
She adds, Some people need the filtered fume range of chemicals, its vital to confirm
that the selected hood is suitable for each webinar helps
hood if a lab is in a basement or a place where
they cant put any more makeup air. application. She adds, Some applications you figure out
will necessitate a traditional ducted hood. which air quality
At AirClean Systems in Creedmoor, North
Carolina, inside sales manager Dustin Baskett Once you find that a filtered hood meets solution is best for
says that his company offers a variety of your needs, keep it functioning properly.
Its important to implement a maintenance your labs current
filtered solutions. The solutions range from
simple ductless workstations for histology, plan for the filtered fume hoodsto and future needs.
a polypropylene line that wont rust and maintain user safety, filters will require
provides a deep filtration bed to handle a regular replacement, Farmer explains.
variety of chemistries, and at the top end, the Ultimately, a filtered hood needs to fit
Independence ductless fume hood that can your needs. A misconception is that every
accommodate multiple applications with one ductless or filtered hood is the same, says
filtration media. He adds, Our hoods come Baskett. But they come with different
with different standard safety features, such features, he says, such as the three different
For additional
as electronic gas and airflow monitoring and gas-detection methods in the Independence resources on fume
real-time readings of both airflow and gas hoods. Ultimately, safety should top your hoods, including useful
levelsall on a user-friendly display. list when deciding which hood to use.
articles and a list of
Mike May is a freelance writer and editor manufacturers, visit
In sync with your situation living in Ohio. You may reach him at
To get the longest filter life, make sure mikemay1959@gmail.com. LabManager.com/
to get a product with a breakthrough fume-hoods
I
industries have the most severe
t would be nearly impossible to go requirements in terms of making sure WHICH
without using some kind of liquid
material in our daily activities:
that everything is foolproof, Bob
McGregor of Brookfield AMETEK Inc.
VISCOMETER
Pouring cream or milk into a cup of (Middleboro, MA) explains. Instruments IS BEST FOR
coffee. Applying moisturizer after washing
your hands. Rolling on a new coat of
now have a built-in program for testing
viscosity that the operator never needs to
YOU?
paint during a renovation. accessor modify. The pharmaceutical
What would the reaction be if the milk industry has certainly pushed things
or cream flowed like syrup from the in that direction with their intention
of making the instruments secure, and LabManager.com/
container after being in the refrigerator?
What if the moisturizer felt like it could making sure the data that comes out of ProductFinder/
be squeezed out only by using a rolling the instrument is secure. Viscometers
pin? What if the paint were too watery, For laboratories that run a wide range
running down the wall before it dried? of processesanalyzing many different
Viscosity (plainly put, the thickness samples with varying viscositiesthe
of a liquid) is measured across a wide versatility of the viscometer may be the
range of industries. Wherever there are deciding factor in the purchase. With
materials that flow, there will likely be a glass capillaries in traditional methods,
viscometer nearby to ensure the quality you have to change out a glass capillary
and efficiency of the material. The type tube depending on what you want to
measure. With our instrument, you Our Viscometers
of materialand its applicationwill
have a large impact on the viscometer can inject olive oil, hit run, and let the Product Finder
setup utilized. instrument do its thing, and then with asks you questions
honey do the same. There is no changing
The viscosity of water reduces by out of parts or components, so it
about your
approximately two percent per degree eliminates user error and increases sample applications to help
Celsius around ambient temperatures, throughput for labs that have multiple you narrow down
while for asphalt or bitumen this can be in viscosities or sample types, explains
excess of 15 percent. Hence, temperature your search for the
Ross Roberts, product specialist on the
accuracy is important for viscometry in Stabinger viscometer for Anton Paar USA right viscometer.
general, but more so when measuring Inc. (Ashland, VA).
high-viscosity materials such as asphalt,
says John Duffy of Malvern Instruments In making the final decision on which
Ltd. (Worcestershire, UK). For this viscometer is the best fit for their purpose,
reason, some of the most stringent users need to have a firm knowledge
temperature requirements are found of their processes and ask vendors the
appropriate questions based on those
For additional resources
for the standardized testing of asphalt
binders where temperature accuracy of processes from the start. on viscometers,
0.1C or better is required. including useful
Ryan Ackerman, assistant technology
Whereas temperature precision is a editor for Lab Manager, can be reached at
articles and a list of
key deciding factor in the setup of a rackerman@labmanager.com or by phone at manufacturers, visit
viscometer for the asphalt manufacturing 888-781-0328 x297.
industry, other industries look more LabManager.com/
toward the software and compliance viscometers
For more information on mills and grinders, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers,
visit www.labmanager.com/mills-and-grinders
ARE YOU IN THE MARKET FOR AN...
EVAPORATOR?
Evaporators have for decades been staples in labs and industries performing chemistry, including
labs in the chemical, environmental, materials, life science, and forensics industries. Key applications
include sample concentration, solvent recycling, extractions, and separation of solvent mixtures.
Types of laboratory evaporators used by survey
respondents:
Rotary evaporators 64% TOP 5 QUESTIONS
Vacuum system evaporator 42% You Should Ask When Buying an Evaporator
Nitrogen blowdown evaporator 22%
Vortex evaporator 9% 1. What are your sample sizes? Microtiter plates and micro centrifuge tubes work best in a centrifugal vacuum concentra-
tor. For large samples up to 450mls, a vortex evaporator is recommended.
Primary purpose of evaporator as reported by survey 2. What are your samples? Acids require an acid resistant system. Solvents damage plastic and rubber components;
respondents: an appropriate system to prevent damage is recommended. A -50C cold trap is ideal for aqueous based samples, a
Concentration of substances 60% -85C cold trap traps most solvents and a -105C cold trap is recommended for alcohols.
Sample preparation 44% 3. Are your samples heat sensitive? Even at ambient set point, vacuum concentrators add heat through friction. A
Extractions 37% concentrator that has refrigeration built into it will give you the temperature control recommended to maintain the
Distilling of low-boiling solvents 35% viability of heat liable samples.
Distilling of temperature-sensitive substances 4. Do you have limited space? A floor model with casters or a small all-in-one benchtop model can be moved out of the
25%
under vacuum way when not in use.
Recycling of solvent waste 7%
Separation of material mixtures 7% 5. Do you prefer vacuum evaporation or nitrogen blowdown? Some samples require evaporation under nitrogen (which
is more gentle) for volatile solvents.
Chemical synthesis under reflux 7%
Distilling of oxygen-sensitive substances under inert gas 1%
Other 1%
TOP 10 FEATURES/FACTORS
Respondents Look for When Purchasing an Evaporator
Nearly 36% of respondents are engaged in
purchasing a new evaporator. The reasons for these RELIABILITY 69%
purchases are as follows:
Replacement of aging system 43%
690=
SAFETY 65%
First time purchase 33% 650=
Addition to existing systems, increase capacity 13% EASE OF USE 62%
Setting up a new lab 10% 620=
Other 1% LOW MAINTENANCE / EASY TO CLEAN 61%
610=
LOW OPERATING COST OF OWNERSHIP 52%
520=
PRICE 48%
480=
EASE OF INSTALLATION 43%
430=
FULLY INTEGRATED - THE EVAPORATOR, THE VACUUM PUMP, 37%
THE VACUUM CONTROLLER, AND THE RECIRCULATING CHILLER
370=
SERVICE AND SUPPORT 37%
370=
BUILT-IN VACUUM CONTROLLER 36%
360=
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Raman Benchtop Spectrometer
MacroRAM
GC-MS ON THE GO Brings simplicity to Raman measurements without
PORTABLE TECHNOLOGY REMAINS AS RUGGED, compromising the ability to handle complex samples
RELIABLE, FAST, AND EASY AS EVER Compact and robust design, including Class 1 laser
When it acquired Torion Technologies back in safety, means it is safe for use in most environ-
April 2015, PerkinElmer added a portable ments, from undergraduate teaching
GC-MS to its analytical offerings for the first
timethe TRIDION-9 system. Already an labs to industrial QC applications
innovative technology, PerkinElmer hasnt Includes a standard interlocked sample compartment and holders for cuvette-based liquid
made any changes to the GC-MS, apart from measurements, along with a solid sample holder
renaming it the Torion T-9.
The system is still fast, reliable, and easy to use out in the field, whether its used HORIBA Scientic www.macroraman.com
for the rapid screening of chemicalsincluding environmental volatiles and
Size Exclusion Chromatography
semivolatiles, explosives, chemical warfare agents, and hazardous substances
or for food safety and industrial applications.
The system is ready to analyze samples in under five minutes from a cold start, Option
allowing users to analyze around 12 samples an hour, on average. And, though its SC2000
compact enough to carry around test sites, the GC, according to PerkinElmer, provides
equivalent chromatographic resolution and performance to a benchtop system. Offers excellent flexibility in advanced SEC/
GPC analysis
And the systems miniaturized MS is unique as well, using a toroidal ion trap
configuration to boost signal and reduce noise, allowing for large trapping volumes The first truly modular multi-detector SEC
despite the small size. That results in high ion counts and increased sensitivity, low system available allowing flexible access to a
noise levels, and excellent spectral quality, PerkinElmer says. wide range of applications
Also, as youd expect from an instrument meant to be used in harsh environments, The economical, flexible, and scalable SC2000
the Torion T-9 is designed to take a beating. The GC-MS can also run on battery is an excellent option for the Postnova FFF
power for up to two and a half hours and features an on-board disposable helium characterization platform
carrier gas cartridge capable of up to 150 sample runs. And with its simple
navigation buttons and color touchscreen interface, operators of all skill levels can The 2000-Series characterization platform
feel comfortable using the T-9. offers both FFF and SEC capabilities
For more information, visit http://torion.com/products/torion.html Postnova Analytics www.postnova.com
Chemometrics Package
TruTools
Integrates with the Thermo Scientific
Back Pressure Regulators
BR
TruScan RM handheld analyzer
Feature a blockage resistant design geared toward supercritical
Allows users to build customized models
CO2 extraction as well as other processes in which clogging,
for both qualitative and quantitative
blocking, or freezing are potential problems
sample predictions
Design allows the BR to precisely regulate back pressure during
Enables faster, more informed decisions
processes involving gas expansion
at the point of need, leading to faster process times
Back pressure control valve is available in pressure ranges up to
Leverages Eigenvector Research Inc.s SOLO standalone chemometrics software
5000 psi in standard trim as well as pressure ranges up to 10,000 psi in high pressure trim
Thermo Fisher Scientic www.thermoscientic.com/truscanrm
Equilibar www.equilibar.com
BASIC LAB
Communication Package
Analytical Ultracentrifuge for Process Sensors
Optima AUC ArcAir
Fast, sophisticated, and easy-to use analytical research tool Enables reliable, economical Bluetooth 4.0 wireless
Includes a 38.1 cm (15 inch diagonal), touchscreen display connectivity in all environments
that eases operation and boosts efficiency Bluetooth capability allows users to view or control
Modern, intuitive software enables simple run-monitoring Hamilton Arc sensors from a wide range of devices,
and data exports performed either locally or remotely including smartphones and tablets
The optics are contained outside the rotor chamber, making it ArcAir apps are available online for both Android and iOS
easier to clean, and reducing the impact of the g-force on the optics platforms in three versions: ArcAir Lite (free), ArcAir Basic, and ArcAir Advanced
Beckman Coulter info.beckmancoulter.com/OptimaAUC Hamilton Company www.hamiltoncompany.com
Diagram 1: (Two Phase Reactor with High Pressure Diagram 2: (Two Phase Reactor with Low Pressure
Separator) Traditional back pressure controllers work with a Separator) The Equilibar back pressure regulator works well
single phase. This schematic shows a traditional solution using a with simultaneous liquid and gas flows. This allows for a much
high pressure separator along with liquid level control and a gas simpler control of reaction products while avoiding the expense
phase back pressure controller to control reaction products. of a pressure rated separator.
Solution: Here are some energy saving solutions to lab ventilation rates. A systematic reassessment of
consider when evaluating your labs energy consumption: lab airflow requirements often leads to a reduction in
1. Educate staff on latest equipment and best practices. occupied ventilation rates, dramatically reducing fan,
Lessons learned through training opportunities will provide heating, and cooling energy use.
lab managers with the necessary tools to implement changes Reduce fume hood exhaust: Fume hoods are often the
that can optimize productivity and efficiency. drivers of lab ventilation ratesa single fume hood
uses about the same energy annually as a single family
2. Complete a benchmarking campaign. Benchmarking house. Measures that reduce fume hood exhaust can
provides laboratories with a comparison on how their facilities produce substantial savings.
match up to similar laboratories and provides analysis on
potential areas to reduce energy consumption. For example, o Sash monitoring programs or sash management
the Labs21 Energy Benchmarking Tool is an online tool systems can reduce energy loss by closing the
allowing whole-building and system-level comparisons of fume hood when not in use.
energy use with data from more than 200 laboratory facilities. o Decommission or hibernate unused fume hoods
to prevent energy loss.
3. Identify the optimum ventilation rates based on the
type of lab and safety profile. Required ventilation Install efficient lighting and lighting controls. A
rates can be affected by the density of fume hoods, combination of energy efficient lighting and
chemical exposure, and the space use profile (type of occupancy sensorsa sensor that will automatically
lab, processes, and equipment used). For example, a turn off lights when a room is not occupiedcan
biological labs ventilation rates will be high due to the reduce lighting costs by 30 percent while improving
usage of hoods, biosafety cabinets, refrigerators, and low- light quality.
temperature freezers. A detailed lab-specific assessment Install efficient boilers, chillers, and steam traps. Newer,
can help in right-sizing ventilation rates based on the energy efficient boilers and chillers combined with
particular lab type and its safety profile. variable speed pumps can significantly reduce energy
costs and water usage. Additionally, efficient steam
4. Assess the equipments energy output. Older equipment, traps can make lost steam essentially non-existent.
while in good working condition, may be the reason
behind excessive energy consumption. Many newer For more information, please visit www.eversource.com
models of equipment are designed with energy efficiency
in mind, and therefore may result in lower annual energy
costs. For example, freezers get less efficient by about three
percent annually as they age. This means that a ten-year-
old freezer is 35 percent less efficient than a new one.
5. Create a timeline to complete the energy efficiency
enhancements. After analyzing the benchmarking data and
identifying the ventilation needs and equipment output,
devise a plan that focuses on energy efficient solutions and
will result in the most savings. Some areas to consider include:
Optimize ventilation and air change rates. Older labs with
low fume hood counts operate at ten air changes
per hour (ACH) or above, 24 hours a day. New
technologies combined with new national standards Eversource worked with The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) on making its
for lab ventilation allow labs to substantially reduce Genomic Medicine facility in Farmington, Connecticut more energy efficient.
www.velp.com
631 573 6002
Claisse www.claisse.com 49
Conquer Scientific ConquerScientific.com 73
Drummond Scientific Company www.drummondsci.com 21
ELGA www.elgalabwater.com 23
1 2 3
LAB MANAGER
1 Number of Women a Problem
ONLINE
We look back at our web content since the May issue and look forward to whats in store for the upcoming July issue.
2 Trending on Social Media: The 3 Most Popular Webinar
in STEM? Not So in Forensics Frozen Zoo: Freezing for the Future Last months top webinar on LabManager.
While theres been a big push recently to As of May 18, Lab Managers top May issue com with 553 registrants was Creating an
draw more women and girls to STEM-re- article posted to Facebook and Twitter was Effective Lab Safety Program, presented
lated fields, no such push is needed in fo- our Labs Less Ordinary profile on the Fro- by Vince McLeod, CIH. This presentation
rensic science where some programs have zen Zoo at the San Diego Zoos Institute shared all the most important elements
as high as a 90:10 ratio of female to male for Conservation Research. In this article, we of creating a safety program for your lab.
students enrolled. We take a look at some shared the challenges the Frozen Zoo faces Though it ran on Apr. 27, you can still catch
of the possible factors behind this interest. and the best aspects of working there. it on demand at the link below.
Read more at LabManager.com/forensic-women Read more at LabManager.com/FrozenZoo Read more at LabManager.com/safetyprogram
TFI Inline Design is recognized around the Please contact us at 800-288-6823 and we
world for manufacturing laboratory products will connect you with your TFI Inline Design
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a safe environment for lab staff and customers. www.tfiinlinedesign.net
EVERY DAY
EVERY WAY
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Put your trust in the LC platform that runs, and runs, and runs. Forming a solid
foundation for the Agilent InfinityLab family, the new 1260 Infinity II LC combines
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