Tag: Academic

How do you know if your GC or HPLC is giving good results?

This video walks you through System Suitability, which tests your Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) or Gas Chromatograph (GC) to help you ensure that your system is functioning properly and giving good results.  

How much Vitamin C is in these vitamins?

Vitamin C is a water soluble, key nutrient found in fruits, vegetables and berries.  Unlike many animals, humans cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and must get it from their diets. One way to supplement the intake of vitamin C would be to take a vitamin. I decided to test 3 different vitamins for vitamin…
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Recycling Solvents to Save Money

Solvents are used extensively in labs and chemical manufacturing as starting materials for a chemical process; the diluent for a product, starting material, or reaction; or in the analysis of a starting material or product for quality purposes.  Often times after use, that solvent is then sent into a waste stream to be dealt with…
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How does a Flame Ionization Detector (FID) for GC work?

Join Prof Dan as he explains what an FID (Flame Ionization Detector) is. Other than Mass Spec, FID is the most common type of detector used in a GC (Gas Chromatograph). Imagine blowing a stream of chemicals into a candle then measuring the amount of static electricity, and you’ll get a rough idea of how…
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Allergy Season is Upon Us!

Now that spring is here and all things pollen are happening it’s time to get the allergy medicine ready.  In honor of this wondrous time of year, we thought we would test some allergy meds! While not the usual way to test these medications, I decided to see if I could test using the Lucidity…
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Folic Acid Analysis on the Lucidity LC-UV

Folic Acid, Folate, or Vitamin B9 is a key vitamin used by the human body to generate new healthy red blood cells, form DNA and RNA, and break down a certain amino acid, homocysteine, that can be harmful in high amounts.  The need for Folic Acid is especially important during pregnancy, which is why there…
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How much Ethanol is in my beer?

Whether you drink a beer from a major manufacturer, the local brewer down the street, or even brew the beer yourself, knowing the ethanol content of that beer is an important piece of information.  Up until 1995 the alcohol content wasn’t allowed to be on beer labels at all until the Coors Brewing Company successfully…
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BTEX on the Lucidity GC-FID

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a term given to organic compounds that become a gas at ambient temperatures and pressures.  These VOCs are monitored because many are hazardous to human health, with several being a carcinogen.  The source of these VOCs are industrial processes, vehicle emissions, and even natural sources such as forest fires.…
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Lucidity LC-UV and RI Together

  Like most people, when the new year comes around I always make a resolution to eat healthy and lose some weight. This year I decided to cut back on the amount of sugar I eat on a daily basis. Sugar is a major additive in foods and beverages. The American Heart Association recommends that…
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Rapid Sample Preparation and Analysis of Acetaminophen by HPLC-UV in Tablets

Awhile back, I was involved in a multi car accident, where I was sandwiched in the middle. My car and I both took a beating. This accident left me with major wrist pain to the point that I couldn’t shake a separatory funnel without extreme pain and weakness. For this pain I was prescribed Acetaminophen,…
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