Supplying an analytical advantage

Potential environmental risk is something all manufacturers need to be aware of which has driven the ‘environmental analytics’ market to grow in recent years. Here we learn that gas is vital to this sector As standards of living increase, so too does awareness about various forms of environmental pollution. Manufacturing companies, local authorities and engineering firms are increasingly required to investigate, in advance, whether products, building plots or contaminated sites pose a danger to people or their environment. Detecting contaminants requires extremely accurate methods of analysis, which are usually carried out by specialist service providers.

Numerous processes exist for analysing solid materials and liquids. Ultra High Purity industrial gases are often used in these processes as carrier gases, combustibles or backflushing gases.

The market volume for ‘environmental analytics’ alone is estimated at around €4 billion. Growth is being driven by rising security requirements from the point of view of consumers and manufacturers, as well as legal regulations and the increased need for companies and organisations to outsource analytics.

In the drive to protect people and the environment from contaminants and pollutants, engineering firms and local authorities, as well as industrial companies, have focused on analysing ground and water samples. This is to guarantee that toxic substances do not contaminate the environment, in particular water supplies. Whereas previously, large industrial areas were analysed and decontaminated, the objective nowadays is not just decontamination but also preventative observation. By conducting regular ground water sampling and analysis, it is possible to observe nature's ability to purify areas itself. In doing so, any environmentally critical pollutants can be identified, quantified and quantitatively analysed as they first start to appear. Therefore, costly purification measures are only carried out when there is an actual need to act.

If a building is to be demolished, engineering firms often carry out analysis in advance of the demolition to determine whether the rubble will be contaminated or not. This means the waste can be disposed of appropriately and selectively. Similarly, investors want to know whether a potentially lucrative investment might turn out to be a costly waste management exercise due to ground contamination.

These circumstances all contribute to the need for exacting and comprehensive sample analysis, as – depending on the different material properties – even traces of some contaminants can cause considerable damage.

Facing a high volume of orders for sample analysis at its Wesseling site, Eurofins’ laboratory has implemented highly efficient processes and an optimised work allocation system for the site’s 120-strong workforce.

"Just switching from three floors to one has already produced significant efficiency savings," says Dr. Hartmut Jäger, Technical Director at the Wesseling plant.

Previously, individual employees performed several stages on one sample. Now, considerable benefits have been gained from dividing tasks into sensible sub steps. Quality, speed and efficiency have all improved as each employee is able to concentrate on specific work processes.

“In the drive to protect people and the environment from contaminants and pollutants, engineering firms and local authorities, as well as industrial companies, have focused on analysing ground and water samples”

When the cooled samples arrive, they are all labelled with a barcode and details entered into the Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS). The saved data determines the precise stages that the samples will go through in order to prevent any confusion. Solid materials are first prepared mechanically and then if needs be, just like liquid samples, are extracted using solvents or mixed with water in order to determine any possible ground water contamination. This preparation stage allows subsequent analysis to be carried out using various test procedures to identify and quantify every chemical compound. As a general rule, clients tend to request the analysis of approximately 30–40 compounds.

When investigating samples, spectrometric and gas-chromatographic procedures are often used. As part of inductive coupled plasma analysis (ICP), the sample is fed into an ultra-hot argon plasma. The light emitted from the atoms (ICP-OES) is then analysed to determine the composition of the sample. Newer routine methods now enable ICP to be coupled with mass-spectrometers, as trace analyses detectors that have extremely sensitive detection boundaries compared to traditional, optical ICP devices. ICP-MS and ICP-OES are primarily used to analyse elements in all sample matrixes. The three ICPs operated at Eurofins alone consume around 50 litres of argon every minute.

Another method used by Eurofins to analyse organic compounds is gas chromatography (GC). The sample is sprayed into the gas chromatograph and is transported by a carrier gas – usually Ultra High Purity helium – through the analysis machine. The GC/MS process uses a mass-spectrometer linked to a gas chromatograph. This allows selective detection with detection boundaries lower than can be achieved using traditional GC.

The majority of test results at Eurofins are automatically entered into the computer system after being validated by qualified employees; the results are then assigned to the relevant samples. The outcome is an extensive test report which is validated once more by an experienced test leader before being sent to the client to provide them with detailed information regarding the chemical composition of the samples submitted. The samples are then transferred to the archive, if necessary, in order to assist with further investigations.

To ensure the laboratory facility is used most effectively, automated processes guarantee 24 hour operation. These processes are controlled by the LIMS computer system.

"Our most important method of leveraging a commercial advantage is to increase and improve productivity. We therefore place considerable emphasis on processes and cost factors," explains Dr. Jäger.

In order to keep to schedules without impacting on quality, especially when handling large numbers of samples, operational processes and infrastructure must be perfectly aligned with one another. This is due to ever-increasing demands for accurate analysis, quicker processing times and higher levels of productivity.

A reliable Ultra High Purity gas supply is crucial for ensuring quality and efficiency. At the Eurofins laboratory, large volumes of argon and helium are required, so too are oxygen and hydrogen as combustible gases. Nitrogen is also used as a backflushing gas. Without these consumables, important areas in the production facility would grind to a halt.

"It all centres on availability and delivery reliability,” adds Dr Jäger. “If, for example, we did not automatically receive a delivery of argon every Monday, this would prevent us carrying out any element analysis – an important part of our operation."

The laboratory is supplied with the gases it requires via a pipeline to the point of use from a central gas storage facility.

In addition to using helium cylinder bundles, Eurofins also relies on CryoEase service tanks from Air Products for the large volumes of argon it needs. The CryoEase system uses tanks with capacities of between 200 and 2000 litres. This mode of supply removes the need for time-consuming gas cylinder exchanges as well as shipping and handling. It also reduces the administration associated with ordering. In addition, using a pipeline to supply the gases prevents them becoming contaminated which can sometimes happen when switching over gas cylinders. This ensures the quality of the analysis remains consistent. CryoEase tanks are refilled automatically at regular intervals. The fleet consists of small tanker lorries that can easily access even hard-to-reach locations. Filling is automatic and does not require a special order. In the case of Eurofins, the gas consumed the most is liquid argon (500 litres each week). Thus, a 1,000 litre CryoEase service tank easily covers the total supply requirements.

"The CryoEase supply service represents an economical and convenient alternative for large consumers. Any plant consuming more than 10 large cylinders per month should consider switching to this mode of supply as it can help to improve their competitiveness," said Terry O'Reilly, Business Manager for CryoEase Europe at Air Products.

Storage space requirements are also reduced because a CryoEase service tank can hold up to 125 gas cylinders. It only takes a few hours to install the tanks and very little preparatory work is required.

With its new laboratory, its revised processes and the well thought-out supply systems, Eurofins is now well placed to tackle future events in the analysis market. "We do not expect any dramatic changes in the quantities and type of analysis we carry out; therefore, our laboratories can integrate newly arising trends, such as perfluorinated tenside (PFT) analysis, into existing processes. There should also be no shortages of our most important raw materials, industrial gases, even if volumes change," adds Dr. Jäger.

In the highly competitive analytics market, the challenge is to continuously improve processes. In the important area of analytical gases, this comes down to continuity of supply and consistent quality.

Contact: w: www.airproducts.com/cryoease w: www.eurofins.com