Latest News from Markes.com

Materials emissions expert to present at ‘Healthy Buildings’ conference

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:26:33 GMT

A materials emissions expert from Markes International has been invited to speak at this year’s Healthy Buildings conference. (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia, 8 – 12 July 2012).

Dr Caroline Widdowson, will make two presentations to delegates at the event, providing an insight into: ‘Chemical release from products and materials: Innovations to simplify chemical emission testing for industry’ and ‘Harmonising analysis of VOCs from Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation.’

During the conference, which is supported by the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ), Dr Widdowson will also lead interactive workshops which explore ‘analytical check standards and associated proficiency testing schemes’ and ‘robust measurement of LCI emissions for reliable product assessment.’

The aim of the event is to bring together practitioners, policymakers, analytical professionals, government agencies, architects, academics and researchers, from across the world to discuss built environments and how to make them healthier, more productive and more sustainable places to live, work, and learn.

The conference program will include three symposia, fourteen workshops and nine panel discussions conducted in parallel to conference sessions. In addition to this, organisers estimate that around 600 papers will be presented on a wide range of topics.

For further information on the Healthy Buildings conference, please visit www.hb2012.org

Chemical emissions and the challenges ahead

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:20:37 GMT

Dr Caroline Widdowson of Markes International examines the issue of chemicals in food packaging

A comment piece published in Packaging News

The occasional, but very widespread and damaging, bursts of media attention focusing on the range of chemicals found in food packaging, plastic bottles, wrappings and containers has meant that ‘materials emissions’ has become something of a buzz phrase for many of those working in product manufacturing.

Hard-hitting headlines such as ‘Eating canned soup poses a ‘health risk’ (BBC News), ‘Toxic chemicals from labels seep through packaging and contaminate food’ (Daily Telegraph), ‘Cancer linked to cereal packets’ (Daily Express) and ‘Chemicals in packaging may lower fertility’ (Daily Mail), have meant that the packaging industry has had to face some major challenges.

Even in news stories where an industry spokesperson seeks to assure the public that there is no risk to human health there still remains a difficult, and often long-lasting, public relations barrier to overcome.

Added to this, the increase in regulations and market pressure from many diverse manufacturing sectors (Construction, Automotive, Toys, and Consumer goods) has greatly increased consumer awareness of the potential health risks associated with various chemicals.

But what choice do manufacturers have to proactively and positively manage the potential problems related to the chemicals in their products? Whether you’re concerned with the effects of chemicals leaching from packaging, ink contamination, migration of mineral oils from packaging to food or the re-use of plastic water bottles I’m sure that most people would agree that it’s not acceptable for manufacturers not to know what effect their products could have on a consumer’s health.

While any move to introduce new legislation linked to chemicals in packaging is likely to take years, the pressure from consumers and forward-thinking competitors alike are forcing the hand of many manufacturers.

There are of course numerous companies that are actively embracing these challenges, seeing them as opportunities to improve their overall product offering or brand image. Those of us working in materials emissions testing have seen a growing demand from manufacturers for us to work alongside them to develop a range of simple and quick tests that enable them to fully understand the exact nature and specific chemical make-up of their products.

The use of new innovations and technology to enable effective in-house material emission testing is already common place in related industries and this trend looks certain to gather further momentum in the packaging industry over the coming years.

Dr Caroline Widdowson MRSC is a material emissions specialist for Markes International

Cheese aromas pinpointed by innovative technique

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:34:05 GMT

Food scientists working in the dairy industry are set to benefit from the development of a powerful new technique for analysing the aroma profile of cheese.

The innovative method, which uses technology developed by Markes International to analyse vapours emitted by a sample, will enable analysts to identify the specific chemical compounds released by different cheeses, even when they are present at trace levels and have low odour thresholds.

With the ability to detect odour and flavour compounds at far lower, and previously undetectable, levels than techniques currently used in the food industry, the method also uses state-of-the-art software to target and identify specific compounds even at the lowest of levels.

“Aroma is an important part of the consumer experience of cheese, and investigations have shown that a range of compounds combine to create their distinctive odours,” said Gareth Roberts, Applications Specialist, Markes International.

“Identifying these key aroma components has always been a major challenge for analysts, but we have proven that this technique, coupled with Markes’ cutting-edge technology, offers a straightforward and yet powerful assessment of the many chemical compounds that make up the aroma profile of cheese.

“This process can also be used to identify changes in the chemical composition of cheese over time, providing useful data relating to shelf-life and product safety,” he added.

In testing the method, analysts at Markes examined the different aroma profiles of full-fat Cheddar, low-fat Cheddar, Comte, Emmental and Brie.

Taking the example of full-fat Cheddar, more than 60 chemical compounds were detected, including: acetic acid, which would be expected to provide a vinegary character to the aroma; butanoic acid, which imparts a more rancid note; and acetoin, which generally has a pleasant buttery odour.

Also present at significant levels in the Cheddar sample were pentan-2-one, with its fruity contribution, and nonan-2-one, which provides aromas of Gorgonzola and hot milk. Among the trace level compounds found in the Cheddar sample was phenylethyl alcohol, which can provide a pleasant floral odour to cheese.

For further information on the results of this experiment, please see Application Note TDTS 101. Copies are also available by contacting the company on +44 (0)1443 230935 or via enquiries@markes.com

About Markes International Ltd

Markes International is the world leader in thermal desorption technology and innovation, specialising in the manufacture and supply of thermal desorption instrumentation, sampling accessories and consumables for monitoring volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). Markes’ global customer base includes major industry, government agencies, academia and the service laboratory sector.

New brochure for ALMSCO’s high-definition time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:37:47 GMT

ALMSCO International (Llantrisant, UK), a division of Markes International Ltd, has announced the release of a comprehensive new brochure for the company’s high-performance time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer for gas chromatography (GC), BenchTOF-dx™.

The publication, which will be of particular interest to analytical chemists, contains detailed information on how this innovative product has been designed to bring together a unique combination of break-through features that deliver high-definition mass spectrometry and outstanding performance with every GC application.

Highlighting the capability of BenchTOF-dx to provide full-range spectra at the sensitivity levels of quadrupole instruments running in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, the brochure also explains how the product’s rugged design ensures long-term stability of mass and analyte response, even for the dirtiest of samples.

Additional attributes of BenchTOF-dx include its high-speed spectral acquisition, which makes it amenable to all types of GC, and the product’s capability to produce reference quality spectra to simplify component identification. It also delivers sub-unit mass resolution which allows selective elimination of interferences and significant improvement of signal-to-noise ratios.

Designed to help the reader to find information quickly and easily, the free brochure can be downloaded here.

About ALMSCO International

Since its preliminary introduction to the market in 2008, the BenchTOF-dx has gone from strength-to-strength and is now being used to advance a range of GC and GCxGC/TOF MS areas including environmental contamination, oil exploration, food safety, metabolomics, homeland security and toxicology.

ALMSCO International is the mass spectrometry division of Markes International, the world’s leading supplier of analytical thermal desorption equipment for trace organic analysis.

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