Thermo Fisher Scientific and METTLER TOLEDO Introduce Integrated Titration/Ion Chromatography System

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announces a joint marketing initiative with METTLER TOLEDO for a combined Titration/Ion Chromatography (IC) system. This is designed to provide a fast, accurate and integrated solution for fully-automated water analysis for laboratories testing the quality of drinking, surface or ground water.

The new Titration/IC system features a single software package that integrates a METTLER TOLEDO Excellence titrator with liquid handler and two IC systems into a system that generates unified reports. Single point instrument control and data reporting reduces operating complexity, which can reduce costs compared to operating the workflow as separate analytical systems. Samples are handled only once and results are reported automatically in a single report. IC analysis is performed simultaneously with titration for a completed analysis in as quickly as 20 minutes.

“The system provides many customer advantages,” said Bernard Sheldon, ion chromatography product manager for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Use of Thermo Scientific Chromeleon software provides the analyst with a single point of control and unified reports. The combined system approach eliminates the need to run two independent systems and collate data and cross-calculate required results.”

Titration/IC provides accurate determination of sample pH, conductivity and total alkalinity along with IC analysis of standard anions (F-, Cl-, NO2-, Br-, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-) and standard cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) . IC contributes to the determination of total hardness (based on Mg2+ and Ca2+ amounts), while carbonate hardness is determined by titration (calculated from total alkalinity). The total ion balance is then calculated from ion concentrations determined by IC and bicarbonate concentration (total alkalinity) provided by titration. Thermo Scientific Dionex Chromeleon software integrates instrument control and processes results into a single convenient report, providing the customer with streamlined laboratory operations and simplified data reporting.

The fully automated system measures sample conductivity and determines an appropriate sample injection volume for ion chromatography analysis. Automated standards dilution, implemented using the capability of the METTLER TOLEDO Liquid Handler, removes the need for manual standards dilutions. These features reduce operator time for preparation of standards and re-analysis of samples.