In 1877, Italian astronomer, Giovanni Schiaparelli, was making telescopic observations of Mars when he discovered what appeared to be natural features of the Mars surface which he called “canali,” an Italian word meaning “channels.” This term was mistranslated into English as “canals.” Over time, a myth grew that Martians existed who built these canals. Ever […]
Headspace Analysis and Blood Alcohol Test Errors
As any forensic scientist knows, human error can account for inaccurate information, resulting in a flawed interpretation. In cases involving drunken driving, where the blood alcohol content (BAC) of the driver is requested, defense attorneys have been known to challenge what’s called the headspace analysis. Headspace gas chromatography (GC) is a way of separating volatile […]
The Benefits of Portable FTIR Gas Analyzers
FTIR testing has been around a long time and a service Innovatech Labs has been offering to customers for nearly 20 years. A new facet of FTIR testing is the use of portable FTIR gas analyzers. This device is employed by some companies for use in battlefield chemical warfare agent analysis, civilian hazardous event response, […]
FTIR Emissions Testing: Common Pitfalls
Although Innovatech Labs doesn’t specialize in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) testing for emissions, this type of FTIR analysis has been getting quite a bit of news lately because state and federal emissions and air quality compliance rely on the results of FTIR testing to measure environmental air quality. While Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology is a […]
Gas Chromatography: To Infinity and Beyond
Imagine yourself working in a space station on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. You’ve just taken some soil and atmospheric samples and are sending them “overnight” to our lab for analysis. They will then be injected into our gas chromatograph for GC/MS testing. Sounds like an exciting phase of your career! This science fiction scenario is […]
FTIR Analysis Sampling Techniques
The explosion in the growth of technological applications incorporating new materials and covering a range of industries from nanotechnology to photovoltaics has created consequent growth in the need for FTIR analysis and testing for organic materials. Materials characterization measures the range of wavelengths absorbed by a material such as crystals, polymers, composites, liquids and liquid […]
Resource Materials to Learn More About FTIR
If anyone ever doubted that FTIR analysis is a lifetime study, he or she hasn’t scanned a life sciences or chemistry research library lately. With the advent of the Internet, much of what was once only available in print form is now available in an online and digital format as well. Following is a breakdown […]
CSI Miami Meets Minnesota’s Forensic Chemists
When we hear the term “forensic science,” we often think of the popular CSI crime shows. CSI stands for “crime scene investigation.” But, did you know that chemists, biologists and researchers all are involved with investigative chemistry and forensic analysis across industries? Manufacturers stand to lose millions of dollars in lost time and product if […]
Quality Control Testing Method: Ion Chromatography
Often, manufacturing isn’t finished when a product leaves the production line. Many products – for example, biomedical devices, electronics, and plastics– still have to be tested for cleanliness and contamination. And, sometimes, ion chromatography is the only technique that affords the necessary quantitative ionic cleanliness analysis. Ion chromatography (IC), also called ion exchange chromatography, is […]
Uses For Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Differential scanning calorimetry is a process widely used for both quality testing and research in different industries. DSC is a technique to measure the difference in heat required to increase the temperature of a sample versus a known reference sample. Using this technique, researchers and scientists are able to gather critical data before, during and […]
