Thermo Fisher Scientific Introduces EQuan MAX, an Automated High Throughput LC-MS Solution for Water and Beverage Analysis at ASMS 2010

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announces the launch of the Thermo Scientific EQuan MAX an automated high throughput Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) solution for the analysis of contaminants in water and beverages.

EQuan MAX™ combines with the power of the Exactive™ LC-MS system. The Exactive is a high resolution benchtop LC-MS system, powered by Oribtrap™ technology, designed for high throughput screening of target and non-target compounds. In addition, the EQuan MAX can also be used with the full range of Thermo Scientific TSQ series triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometers.

“Exposure to chemical contaminants in beverages and water is a significant and growing concern,” said Dipankar Ghosh, strategic marketing manager for environmental and food safety solutions at Thermo Fisher. “As new contaminants emerge, labs performing water and beverage analysis will be challenged to detect and quantify both target and non-target contaminants, and to do it faster than ever before. EQuan MAX enables laboratories to do both.”

EQuan MAX is a comprehensive solution for the analysis of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors and perfluorinated compounds in environmental water, drinking water and beverages. With EQuan MAX, samples are directly injected for LC/MS analysis, eliminating the need for off-line sample preconcentration. Its unique online sample preparation technique reduces analysis time from days to minutes, designed to increase lab productivity.

Its large injection volume (1-20mL) improves detection limits over conventional LC-MS analysis. In addition to large injection volumes, EQuan MAX now supports injection volumes as low as 1µL. Switching between injection volumes can be automated for overnight operation and increased productivity, without the need to manually change plumbing configurations.

The new EQuan MAX autosampler and plumbing provide out-of-the-box compatibility with the Thermo Scientific Accela 600 high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Thermo Scientific Accela 1250 ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (U-HPLC) systems. This enables users to take full advantage of the most advanced Thermo Scientific HPLC technology to achieve fast, efficient chromatographic separations over an expansive range of flow rates and pressures. The new autosampler is also more compact, reducing total system footprint from approximately 5 to 2.5 square feet, saving valuable lab space.

EQuan MAX can be used with Thermo Scientific TraceFinder software which provides an extensive menu of preconfigured methods and report formats that make screening for routine contaminants simple. A point-and-click interface prompts the user through the steps needed to create methods. The unique ability of TraceFinder™ to perform structural confirmation and library matching enables it to confirm and quantitate hundreds of compounds in a single experiment, increasing sample throughput. To ensure that data is not compromised and that changes are clearly recorded, TraceFinder offers data security with a rights-based user log-in system that limits access to methods and data.