The LaserMethane mini (LMm) methane detector from Crowcon Detection Instruments, is lightweight and compact, providing users with a long range instrument capable of detecting ppm levels of methane from a distance of upto 100 meters. Not just portable, but truly handheld the LMm weighs only 600g and measures W70mm x H179mm x D42mm.

With advances including automatic ranging, colour LCD, five hour battery, extended temperature range and IP54, the unit complements in the previously launched LaserMethane Detector (LMD) and utilises the next generation of Tuneable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS).

The LMm can be used in Zone 1 areas for on-plant use as well as detecting escape passages in hard to reach for inaccessible areas such as roof spaces, pipes crossing rivers or roads, and fenced enclosures. This means there is no longer a need for personnel to put themselves at risk by entering suspected escape areas.

The LMm uses an innovative laser diode tuned specifically to the characteristics of methane, and the level of this one gas is then displayed on the ppm.m (ppm.m = parts per million meters, a unit of gas measurement showing the total amount of gas in the path of the laser beam between the unit and reflection point) readout. The instrument performs a self check on start-up and verifies the operation and calibration of the laser diode by referencing an inbuilt methane cell. This eliminates the need for expensive and time consuming calibration or the refilling and transportation of hydrogen bottles associated with traditional FID based instruments.

The use of natural gas, of which methane is the principal component, for both industrial and domestic installations is increasing worldwide, and Crowcon foresees applications in leak survey, transmission integrity, plant and facilities management, agriculture and waste management, as well as process engineering applications such as coke and steel

roduction. Each of these areas have situations where access may be difficult, combined with the need to put personnel protection. Opportunities for the LaserMethane mini are substantial – put simply, it allows users to reliably detect methane at a safe distance.

For further details contact:

Email: sales@crowcon.com

Website: www.crowcon.com

Corona Charged Aerosol Detector measures organic impurities at nanogram levels

The measurement of the level of organic impurities in an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) is critical to the development and manufacturing process. The level of organic impurities - which may include unreacted starting materials, by-products, inter-mediates, degradation products, reagents, ligands, and catalysts - is tightly controlled and heavily regulated to ensure patient safety.

Many of the impurities present in pharmaceutical preparations are difficult to measure with traditional technologies because they have poor UV signal or may lack chromophore. This problem is especially acute with newer pharmaceutical preparations involving the formulation of proteins, peptides, or complex molecules in lipid or polymer containing formulations.

In this study, the Corona Charged Aerosol Detector (CAD) was tested for its ability to quantitate organic impurities (0.05 - 10% level) in a series of APIs. The isocratic HPLC method used in the study reproducibly and accurately measured non-chromophore and chromophore-containing impurities down to the 0.005% level independent of chemical structure. The method also showed excellent precision (RSD < 2.5%) for a nebulisation technique and offered a dynamic detection range from micrograms to nanograms.

The Corona CAD system offers many advantages over other HPLC detection methods (UV, ELSD, CLND, and LC-MS) that historically have been used for impurity testing. These include low-nanogram sensitivity, a dynamic range exceeding four orders of magnitude, good precision response factors that are independent of structure, and no/low analyte level response ‘drop-off’.

The ideal complement to UV detection, Corona CAD provides HPLC detection of non-volatile and many semi-volatile compounds, making it a valuable technique for detecting organic impurities. It is a robust, reliable, plug-and-play device requiring minimal training to operate. It has been adopted widely by many leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide because it addresses analytical chal-lenges that remain unresolved with other technologies.

For further details contact:

Email: coronacad@esainc.com

Website: www.esainc.com