Delta Analytical - The Lab

JY Ultratrace ICP

A sequential ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer) with autosampler and data analysis software is routinely used for determining nutritional minerals and heavy metal contaminants in raw material matrices.

ICP Argon Gas Flame

Samples are prepared by acid digestion and/or ignition. They are then introduced to a 10,000 °C (18,032 °F) argon gas flame. The ICP measures the plasma-excited electrons in a manner that is unique to each mineral. This process permits identification and quantification of each raw material.

Shimadzu HPLC

A low pressure gradient HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) with autosampler, degasser, PDA (photodiode array) detector and data analysis software is routinely used for the determination of non-mineral active ingredients such as vitamins, amino acids and phenolic (antioxidant) compounds. Samples that have been prepared by various wet chemistry methods are injected onto columns of various chemistries selected to separate components of interest by their retention times (order of elution from the column) and UV-Vis (ultraviolet visible light) absorption spectra. The PDA is capable of determining the entire UV-Vis spectrum of each component.

HPLCs are configured with powerful Photodiode Array software that can facilitate interpretation of data by expressing results in three dimensions, as illustrated in the pictures above.

Thermo Electron HPLC

This is another HPLC system with identical capabilities as the Shimadzu HPLC but equipped with a dual UV-Vis detector. The detector allows 2 wavelengths to be monitored simultaneously.

Gel Electrophoresis Equipment

This equipment routinely used to characterize small proteins and large poly-peptides in product matrices. Samples are typically prepared by denaturing proteins/peptides with SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate), which produce a negatively charged complex that differentially migrate through a polyacrylamide gel exposed to an electric current as a function of its molecular weight (size). Bands are apparent after "staining" the gel to visualize them and molecular weights are determined by comparison to a standard mixture of proteins of known molecular weight.

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

Routinely used for the determination of non-mineral active ingredients such as phenolic (antioxidant) compounds in raw material matrices. Samples that have been prepared by various wet chemistry methods to generate a chromophoric substance in proportion to its concentration are introduced into a cell that measures the amount of light absorbed by a liquid sample at a wavelength selected from UV-Vis spectrum.