The lab equipment major Waters Corporation has introduced new column chemistries for protein separations, sample preparation kit for pesticide residue analysis and advanced laboratory data management (ALDM) to grab a major chunk and retain its place in the global lab equipment market.
The company's new column chemistries - 300Å - is a reversed-phase columns for protein separations on traditional high performance liquid chromatographs or Waters Acquity UltraPerformance LC (UPLC) systems The XBridge BEH300 C4, 3.5 µm and Acquity UPLC BEH300 C4, 1.7 µm columns deliver substantially greater protein resolving power and performance as compared to traditional 100 per cent silica-based particle materials.
The first in a series of Protein Separation Technology columns, these columns are based on its second-generation, patented, highly-stable Ethyl Bridged Hybrid (BEH) particles that have set new standards for LC and UPLC separations. The results of accelerated stability tests confirm that the BEH300 C4 columns last longer and are more stable under low and high pH conditions than many competitive column offerings when tested under identical conditions.
Other features of the BEH300 C4 columns include:
χ Separates proteins of various sizes, hydrophobicities and isoelectric points yielding good peak shape
χ Surface chemistry that minimises undesirable secondary interactions
χ Enhanced pH- and temperature-tolerant characteristics
χ Rigorously quality control tested with proteins to help ensure consistent batch-to-batch performance
χ Maintains protein resolution with LC/MS-compatible eluents
Waters synthesises, bonds, packs and tests all its materials to deliver consistent batch-to-batch and column-to-column protein separation performance. This high level of manufacturing and quality control testing ensures that results obtained for protein characterisation can be repeated with outstanding performance consistency.
In 2004, Waters introduced UltraPerformance LC built on 1.7 µm particle technology that has transformed separations science. Waters continues to develop new chemistry offerings and analytical methods that extend the benefits of UPLC to the rapidly expanding universe of diagnostic and biotherapeutic compounds having molecular weights greater than 100,000 daltons. For scientists, this all adds up to better-quality and faster results with the least amount of effort, higher rates of productivity and lower cost/analysis.
The Waters DisQuE dispersive sample preparation kit is a solid-phase extraction sample preparation product to be used in accordance with the association of analytical communities (AOAC) official method for residual pesticide analysis. The pre-assembled kit simplifies the process of performing trace-level analysis by giving scientists an all-in-one sample preparation method for the reproducible screening of pesticides in a variety of food commodities, including fruits and vegetables.
The DisQuE kit, containing centrifuge tubes and pre-weighed buffers and sorbents for screening up to 100 samples, is now available from Waters on a worldwide basis. By providing laboratories with a pre-packaged sample preparation kit, Waters offers screening methods that are quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe - commonly referred to as QuEChERS.
With well over 1,000 pesticides in use worldwide, multi-residue analysis is particularly challenging for many laboratories due to the sensitivity required, variety of pesticides being screened and the very different chemical classes they represent. Pesticide residue screening performed by food producers, raw ingredient suppliers and screening laboratories is often done in a high-volume setting requiring fast turnaround times, reproducibility and accuracy.
Collaboration front
Waters Corporation has teamed up with BioIT Alliance, an initiative spearheaded by Microsoft Corporation, involving more than 80 pharmaceutical, biotech, laboratory instrument and software companies working together to realise the potential of personalised medicine. Waters informatics business will work with industry leaders to develop standardised conventions for sharing scientific data based on Microsoft technology.
"Having implemented Waters NuGenesis scientific data management system (SDMS) in laboratories globally, the company is uniquely positioned to contribute to the BioIT Alliance because we understand how effective laboratories collect, manage and share scientific data," said Phil Kilby, senior manager, informatics business and partnership development, Waters Division. "Our core informatics strategy promotes openness and interoperability to connect scientific research to individual healthcare," he added.
The BioIT Alliance explores new ways to share complex scientific data and speed the pace of discovery in the life sciences, abbreviating the time between discovery of new biological data and the application of that knowledge to human health. It brings together science and technology leaders to consider innovative ways to address the challenges of integration, collaboration and knowledge management that cannot be solved by any single company. Members use Microsoft technologies to reduce costs and streamline research by advocating for and creating IT solutions intended to standardise practices for data capture, archiving and dissemination.
"By welcoming Waters to the BioIT Alliance, we are partnering with a company that understands the information management needs of the laboratory," said Rudy Potenzone, worldwide industry technology strategist for pharmaceuticals at Microsoft and coordinator, BioIT Alliance. We rely on member companies to advance the state-of-the-art in BioIT by coordinating proof-of-concept applications that illustrate the use of Microsoft IT technology in solving critical problems for life sciences companies. We look forward to Waters contributions to this effort," he added.