New Sample Holder/Storage Container Reduces the Workload Needed for Analyzing Organic/Inorganic Contaminants in Foods and Chemical Products

Shimadzu Corporation announces the release of its unique EDXIR-Holder, a sample holder/storage container. Designed for customers who analyze small samples such as contaminants, it can be used with both an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR).

Analyzing small samples using EDX or FTIR typically requires a time-consuming process for reloading or storing samples. However, using these new holders, a sample can be affixed, and while it is being held in place, analysis can be performed by each instrument. Once the analyses are finished, the holder can be closed and the sample is ready for storage.

In many industries, including the food industry, analyzing contaminants that could enter a product in various process, EDX is suitable for the identification of metals and other inorganic elements, whereas FTIR excels at the analysis of plastic and other organic substances. Shimadzu provides both EDX and FTIR systems. We have also released EDXIR-Analysis, the industry’s first software that provides for the integrated analysis of both EDX and FTIR data, enabling more efficient contaminant analysis.

In recent years, as demands for the analysis of even more small contaminants have increased, many customers have requested that we try to improve the efficiency of analyses and reduce the burden on the operator. In order to provide a total solution for these customers, we have developed the EDXIR-Holder.

This product, which can be used by both EDX and FTIR, consists of an adhesive surface to which a sample is affixed, and a polypropylene surface for X-ray fluorescence spectrometer analysis. It is an open/closed type of container. With the sample being held by the adhesive surface, when measuring using EDX, close the container and place the polypropylene surface to downward. When measuring using FTIR, the container is opened, and the adhesive surface with the sample is pressed directly against an ATR prism, to complete the setup. Conventionally, when analyzing small samples using EDX and FTIR, samples needed to be reset using tweezers, a difficult, time-consuming process. The EDXIR-Holder reduces this workload. Additionally, once measurements are complete, the container can be closed and the sample stored.

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EDXIR-Holder