The fresh and soothing smell of pine. The tantalizing smell of a holiday ham baking in the oven. The mouth-watering flavor of egg nog. The holidays are a time full of wonderful smells that immediately flood your mind with memories of happy holidays past. These smells evoke fond sentiments and bring a smile to your […]
10 Situations that Require Analytical Testing
You may have heard the term used before, but what exactly is analytical testing? Analytical testing is a branch of chemistry that is used to identify materials and analyze the interactions of chemicals. Analytical testing has many applications in the business world, especially for product manufacturers. Analytical testing can be used to answer questions like […]
GC/MS Analysis Deconstructed
What is GC/MS analysis? GC/MS analysis is an analytical testing method that combines features of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a liquid or volatile sample. GC/MS is commonly used to identify unknown samples, contaminants, or residual solvents. GC/MS analysis is an extremely versatile testing method that can also be used […]
Evolving Microcontamination Testing Methods
Hard drive manufacturers have been pushing the limits of technology since the medium of data storage was invented. It’s amazing that while storage capacity has increased exponentially, the size of the storage vessel has decreased significantly. State of the art devices now store as much as 6 and 8 Terabytes (TB), and hard drives in […]
What’s that smell? Headspace Analysis May Clear the Air
In sodas and other soft-drinks, environmental factors and internal reactions may cause chemical changes resulting in foul odors and tastes. Smell has a huge impact on taste, so finding the cause of an unusual smell is an important to food and drink manufacturers. If you notice that your product is giving off unusual or unattractive […]
What is New Car Smell?
As you’re pulling your brand new car out of the lot, it’s likely that you notice the familiar “new car smell”. The new car smell is something we’ve come to expect so much that if that smell were absent, you might feel like your new car is missing something important. In fact, when selling used […]
Your Guide to Discovering What Type of Materials Testing You Need to Solve Product Quality Issues
As a quality assurance specialist, you’re trained to spot quality issues and product defects. You know that if the fit isn’t right or the specified color mixture is slightly off, you need to find the cause and a solution to fix it. However, quality control is difficult when there’s an unknown contaminant on your products […]
What is Headspace GC?
When packaging a product, some materials will give off gas and fill the remaining volume of the container to a certain degree. This space above the material in the container is known as headspace. Depending on the material or conditions applied to the container, the headspace may become filled with gasses at a concentration not […]
How Headspace Analysis Saved the Hockey Rink
At this year’s Sochi Winter Olympics, the design of the magnificent Bolshoi Ice Dome was inspired by the Fabergé egg. But did you ever consider what lies beneath that ice? It’s either sand or cement. Innovatech Labs used headspace gas chromatography to study the chemical structure of the materials under one particular ice rink. According […]
Guide to Headspace Analysis
Imagine, you’re reveling in being at your favorite Italian restaurant as your waitress, Maria, (also your favorite) places before you their house special spaghetti. She knows that you always want a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Mmmm. It all taste so good. Did you know that’s this is due to the complex combinations of volatile […]
