Blog posts

Alcoholic beverages are drinks that contain ethanol produced from the fermentation of grains or fruits. Alcoholic beverages include beers, meads, ciders, wines, and distilled spirits. All of these beverages contain thousands of compounds of interest from the common flavorants (see Flavor Standards on page 6), antioxidants, humectants (see Humectant Standards on page 5), to toxic elements and heavy metals. Alcoholic beverages do have some unique compounds which are often measured or monitored, including alcohol impurities, aldehydes, sulfur compounds, cork taint compounds, and other alcohol related targets.

SPEX CertiPrep has all of the standards the laboratory needs to detect and measure common alcohol compounds and elements.

Check out our new Alcohol and Tobacco Brochure

There are numerous interactions between EM and matter.  These include some of the most commonly used interactions in instrumentation including  absorption, transmission/refraction, reflection, and emission.  Absorption occurs when matter transforms EM energy into internal energy (such as thermal energy) through an absorber.  Transmission and refraction are a function of the amount, wavelength, and angle of which energy (or light) pass through matter.  Reflection is the amount measurement of the amount of energy reflected matter and emission is the change in energy state as the incident energy passes through  matter.  All of these processes become the basis for some form of detection or spectroscopy measurement technique.

Other types of spectroscopy interactions include elastic scattering (similar to reflection) where the incident beam is scattered within the target material rather than just reflected.  Inelastic scattering also involves the measurement of scattering but is as part in a change in wavelength.  Impedance is the slowing of the transmitting of energy. Resonance spectroscopy is characterized by radiant energy being a radiating field between quantum states of the material.  Finally, there is nuclear spectroscopy that utilizes the nuclei to determine the properties of matter. 

Spectroscopy techniques are divided into atomic and molecular spectroscopy depending on the target to be measured and the material being tested.  Molecular spectroscopy studies the interaction of energy and matter between molecules and is most often found in techniques measuring organic molecules and includes instruments such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV and visible light spectroscopy. 

Atomic spectroscopy studies the energy and matter interactions between atoms.  Most of the atomic spectroscopy techniques are applied to the study of elemental composition.  The instruments under atomic spectroscopy include atomic absorption (AA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled spectroscopy (ICP). 

Spectrometry instruments are often further divided defined by the type of interactions they produce and the type of energy which is measured like X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) which measures x-rays and the amount of fluorescent energy a material emits during exposure.  Some techniques focus on a narrow band of interactions (such as emission only) or a small part the EM spectrum (like X-rays) while other techniques monitor an array of interactions and wavelengths on the spectrum. 

The most common atomic spectroscopy techniques measure total concentration of elements which are important for health and safety such as heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, & Pb) or nutrient elements (K, Fe, Cu, etc.) Depending on the sample and the target concentration these elements are measured by different instruments where AA and ICP target higher concentrations and tandem techniques such as ICP-MS target lower concentrations.

Join Spex in celebrating Spectroscopy week with a deeper look into atomic spectroscopy with our app note on Heavy Metals in Hot Sauce & Chili Powder, our podcast on Hot Sauce Chemistry, and our flyers about sample preparation for elemental analysis with our GenoGrinder or Freezer Mill!  Don’t forget Spex offers elemental standards for almost the entire periodic table including the most popular single-element standards for heavy metals.

Our ocean and coastal waterways are essential to our national security, international trade, maritime commerce, global competitiveness, and transportation.  The jobs of more than 3 million Americans depend on our ocean economy, which generates more than $300 billion of economic activity annually.  During National Ocean Month, we reaffirm our commitment to responsible stewardship of our ocean resources to strengthen and expand economic opportunities, while also ensuring that the natural beauty and wonder of the oceans are preserved and maintained for future generations.¹

Why should we care about the ocean?
Our ocean provides countless benefits to our planet and all the creatures that live here.²

1. Proclamation on National Ocean Month, 2020

2. Ocean Facts, Our Ocean World, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why-care-about-ocean.html

What are the produce items least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues? Check out our infographic to find out.

During this time of heightened awareness of disease transmission, many are finding themselves revisiting their cleaning and disinfecting procedures.  The internet and various organizations are full of advice as to what to use to clean and disinfect our persons, homes, businesses and laboratories.  While many products are often effective for use; they are not always particularly safe.  Strong volatile chemicals (such as acids, alcohols, ketones etc.) can produce noxious and irritating fumes or burns.  In some cases common household or laboratory cleaners and agents can become dangerous and lethal if combined.  Bleach or sodium hypochlorite solutions are very dangerous when mixed with most common chemicals.  Our infographic highlights some of the most dangerous combinations of household and laboratory cleaners.

Pesticide Residue and the Dirty Dozen!

The ‘Dirty Dozen’, published by the Environmental Working Group (EGW), is a list of produce containing the highest pesticide residue levels.

What made the list? Check out our Infographic!

Flavor is the sensory impression of substances like food or beverages. It is a combination of the sensory input of smell and taste with some input from pressure and temperature. The flavor of products can be changed with the addition of flavorants. A “flavorant” is a substance that gives another substance flavor, altering the characteristics of the original substance.

Flavorants can either be natural or artificial. Many natural flavors are very costly so replacement artificial flavorants have been developed. Most commercial flavorants are chemically similar or equivalent to natural flavors which have been synthesized rather than extracted. Different classes of compounds are distinct for their flavor characteristics.

Flavorants for food, beverage and tobacco products are often regulated by government agencies which produce lists of acceptable flavorants. In cases of new products, time can pass between introduction of flavorants before a final decision is made as to their status and safety. Many flavorants for new products in the tobacco and vaping industry can fall under this limbo between legal status and common use.

SPEX CertiPrep offers an extensive catalog of flavorant standards for use in the alcohol, tobacco and vaping industries.

Check out our new Alcohol and Tobacco Brochure

Contact is with any questions at [email protected] or 732.549.7144

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Barbara McClintock, born on June 16^th, 1902, was a scientist and cytogeneticist who made a number of groundbreaking discoveries in genetics. She demonstrated the phenomenon of chromosomal crossover, which increases genetic variation in species. She also discovered transposition, genes moving about within chromosomes and showed that genes are responsible for switching the physical traits of an organism on or off.

Barbara McClintock went to high school in Brooklyn, New York. Barbara’s mother was uncomfortable with sending her to college because she believed it would turn Barbara into an oddball that nobody would want to marry. Eventually, in September 1919, Barbara’s father overcame her mother’s objections and Barbara went to enroll at Cornell University immediately.

In 1921, she took her first genetics course. Her ability and understanding of the subject matter propelled her into graduate level classes while still an undergrad. Excited and fascinated with the genetics of plants, she finished undergrad with a degree in agriculture in 1923.

In 1925, McClintock went on to earn her M.S. and Ph.D. in botany at Cornell University. Her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees involved investigations of plant genetics. This would be the focus of her research for more or less the rest of her life.

McClintock’s cytogenetic research focused on developing ways to visualize and characterize maize chromosomes. This particular part of her work influenced a generation of students, as it was included in most textbooks. She also developed a technique using carmine staining to visualize maize chromosomes, and showed for the first-time morphology of the 10 maize chromosomes. By studying the morphology of the chromosomes, McClintock was able to link specific chromosome groups of traits that were inherited together.

In 1930, McClintock was the first person to describe the cross-shaped interaction of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. She developed improved staining techniques, which allowed her to see chromosomes under the microscope better than anyone else had before.

In 1941, McClintock became a visiting professor at Columbia University.

In 1944, she became the third woman ever to be elected to America’s National Academy of Sciences.

In 1971, McClintock was 81 years old and revived the National Medal of Science from President Richard Nixon. A large number of other awards and honorary degrees followed, culminating in the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for her discovery of mobile genetics. Her discoveries were rejected for years by other scientists, but eventually they realized she was right all along.

Sources:
https://www.famousscientists.org/barbara-mcclintock/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_McClintock

Elizabeth A. Wood, born on October 19^th, 1912, was an American crystallographer and geologist who ran a research program which led to the development of new superconductors and lasers.

Born and raised in New York, New York, Elizabeth went to Barnard College for her undergraduate degree. She than moved on to Bryn Mawr College for her master’s degree and doctorate in geology.

In 1942, Elizabeth who developed an interest in crystallography, took a job in the Physical Research Department of Bell Telephone Laboratories, where she was their first woman scientist. For over two decades, she ran a crystallographic research program at Bell Labs, focusing primarily on the electromagnetic properties of crystals. She addressed such problems as growing single crystals that would have useful conductive, magnetic, or other properties; as well as investigating new crystalline materials with ferromagnetic or piezoelectric properties.

Wood also became known for her writing. She wrote books titled, Science for the Airplane Passenger and Crystals and Light, which served as beginner textbooks for the those with no background in optics. A version of this book was put out by Bell Labs for high school students as both a booklet and an experiment kit. Her Crystal Orientation Manual was a handbook for technicians on the proper preparation of crystals for research. As the title of her 1962 book Rewarding Careers for Women in Physics suggests, she championed efforts to bring more women into the sciences, speaking out on the issues involved such as cultural disapproval of professional women—at meetings and conferences.

Throughout her career, Wood undertook leadership roles in a number of professional organizations. One of her more prominent efforts was to participate in the founding of the American Crystallographic Association (ACA) out of a merger between the American Society for X-Ray and Electron Diffraction (ASXRED) and the Crystallographic Society of America (CSA). In 1957, she became the ACA’s first woman president.

In 1997, the ACA established the E. A. Wood Science Writing Award to honor the authors of publications that do an exceptional job in writing about science for the general public. The award is presented every three years, and the first honoree was Nobel laureate Roald Hoffmann. Wood died March, 23, 2006 of a stroke.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_A._Wood
https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1063/1.2435658

Marie Curie, born on November 7^th, 1867, was a physicist, chemist and a pioneer in the study of radiation. She worked extensively with radium throughout her lifetime, characterizing its various properties and investigating its therapeutic potential.

In 1883, at the age of 15, Curie completed her secondary education, graduating first in her class. Curie and her older sister, Bronya, both wished to pursue a higher education, but the University of Warsaw did not accept women. To get the education they desired, they had to leave the country. At the age of 17, Curie became a governess to help pay for her sister’s attendance at medical school in Paris. Curie continued studying on her own and eventually set off for Paris in November 1891. Curie was a focused and diligent student, and was at the top of her class. In recognition of her talents, she was awarded the Alexandrovitch Scholarship for Polish students studying abroad. The scholarship helped Curie pay for the classes needed to complete her degrees, in physics and mathematical sciences in 1894.

Upon furthering her education, her curiosity led her to reports of German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen’s discovery of X-rays and by French physicist Henri Becquerel’s report of similar “Becquerel rays” emitted by uranium salts. Curie began to test uranium compounds. She experimented with a uranium-rich ore called pitchblende, and found that even with the uranium removed, pitchblende emitted rays that were stronger than those emitted by pure uranium. She suspected that this suggested the presence of an undiscovered element.

In March 1898, Curie documented her findings in a seminal paper, where she coined the term “radioactivity.” Curie made two revolutionary observations in this paper, Goldsmith notes. Curie stated that measuring radioactivity would allow for the discovery of new elements. And, that radioactivity was a property of the atom.

In June 1903, Marie Curie was the first woman in France to defend her doctoral thesis. In November of that year the Curies, together with Henri Becquerel, were named winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics for their contributions to the understanding of “radiation phenomena.” The nominating committee initially objected to including a woman as a Nobel laureate, but Pierre Curie insisted that the original research was his wife’s.

In 1911, Marie was awarded a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of the elements polonium and radium. In honor of the 100-year anniversary of her Nobel award, 2011 was declared the “International Year of Chemistry.”

However, her work with radioactive materials was what ultimately killed her. She died of a blood disease in 1934. The physical and societal aspects of the Curies’ work contributed to shaping the world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Curie
https://www.livescience.com/38907-marie-curie-facts-biography.html
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1911/marie-curie/facts/

Rosalind Franklin, born on July 25^th, 1920 was a chemist and X-Ray crystallographer whose work was central to the understanding the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite.

Rosalind Franklin grew up in a well-known Jewish family in pre-World War II London, and was known in the family for being very clever and outspoken. Her parents sent her to St. Paul’s Girls’ School, a private school known for rigorous academics, including physics and chemistry.

Franklin graduated from Newnham College at Cambridge in 1938 and took a job with the British Coal Utilization Research Association. She was determined to make a contribution to the war effort, and published several papers on the structures and uses of coal and graphite. Her work was used in development of the gas masks that helped keep British soldiers safer. Her work earned her a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry awarded by Cambridge University in 1945.

In 1947, Franklin moved to Paris to take up a job at the Laboratoire Central working with Jacques Mering on perfecting the science of X-ray chromatography. However, in 1951, she reluctantly decided it was necessary to move back to London to advance her scientific career.

At King’s College in London, Franklin found she was expected to work with antiquated equipment in the basement of the building. She took charge of the lab with her customary efficiency, directing the graduate student, Raymond Gosling, in making needed refinements to the X-ray equipment. Around this time, Franklin and Gosling made a startling discovery. There were two forms of DNA shown in the X-ray images, a dry “A” form and a wetter “B” form. Because each X-ray chromatograph had to be exposed for over 100 hours to form an image, and the drier “A” form seemed likelier to produce images in more detail, Franklin set aside the “B” form to study later. She noted that the “B” form images appeared to show a definite helical structure and that there were two clear strands visible in the image she labeled Photo 51 before she filed it away.

In 1953, she decided to move to Birkbeck College to escape King’s due to strained relationships with colleagues. Somehow, during the move, Maurice Wilkins, a colleague came to be in possession of Franklin’s notes and the files containing Photo 51. Wilkins removed the photo from her records without her knowledge or permission and took it to show his friends at Cavendish. Photo 51 ended up being information needed to complete an accurate model of the structure of DNA.

Franklin, meanwhile, had moved on to Birkbeck. Part of the arrangement that allowed her to leave King’s was that she would not pursue any research on DNA, so she turned her talents to studying virus particles. Between 1953 and 1958, she made important discoveries about the tobacco mosaic virus and polio. The work done by Franklin and the other scientists at Birkbeck during this time laid the foundation of modern virology.

Franklin died on April 16, 1958, of ovarian cancer, possibly caused by her extensive exposure to radiation while doing X-ray crystallography work. Because the Nobel Prize can only be shared among three living scientists, Franklin’s work was barely mentioned when it was awarded to Watson, Crick and Wilkins in 1962. It is only in the past decade that Franklin’s contribution has been acknowledged and honored. Today there are many new facilities, scholarships and research grants especially those for women, being named in her honor.

Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/39804-rosalind-franklin.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin
https://www.biography.com/scientist/rosalind-franklin

Stephanie Kwolek, born on July 31^st, 1923, was an organic chemist, best known for inventing Kevlar in 1965. Kevlar is an immensely strong plastic, first used as a replacement for steel reinforcing strips in racing car tires, and now used in a large number of applications where high strength is required without high weight.

Age 23, Kwolek graduated with a degree in chemistry from Margaret Morrison Carnegie College of Carnegie Mellon University. She was quickly recruited to work as a chemist at Dupont Chemicals in Buffalo, NY. Four years later, she moved to Wilmington, Delaware where she spent the remainder of her career with DuPont.
After nine years of research work, Kwolek made her major breakthrough, discovering Kevlar. Her pathway to discovery began a year earlier, when she began looking for a new, lightweight plastic to be used in car tires. The idea was that lighter tires would allow vehicles to enjoy better fuel economy.

Not only did Kevlar find use in tires, its combination of lightness and strength has seen it used in a large variety of protective clothing applications, such as bulletproof vests, which have saved the lives of countless police officers and other people.

For her discovery, Kwolek was awarded the DuPoint company’s Laviosier Medal for outstanding technical achievement. As of August 2019, she was the only female employee to have received that honor. In 1995, she became the fourth woman to be added to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Kwolek won numerous awards for her work in polymer chemistry, including the National Medal of Technology, the IRI Achievement Award and the Perkin Medal.

In 1986, Kwolek retired as a research associate for DuPont. Toward the end of her life, she consulted for DuPont, served on both the National Research Council and the National Academy of Sciences. During her 40 years as a research scientist, she filed and received either 17 or 28 patents. Kwolek died at the age of 90 on June 18, 2014.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Kwolek
https://www.famousscientists.org/stephanie-kwolek/

Check out our App Note “How Much Lighting Is In Your Morning Jolt” which talks about the concentration of caffeine and other organic coffee marker molecules in fast food and home brewed coffee.

In honor of International Coffee Day this week, we have decided to create an infographic to talk about some fun facts on coffee. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Christy Greene

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. Territory Sales Manager for West Coast and NY

Q. What led you to study science?
A. Taking business and the courses were very interesting, however, after I finished by associates degree and was moving onto my Bachelor of Science I felt my business major was not stimulating. I like challenges. I wanted courses that provided a struggle, something that did not come easy to me.

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. Anatomy and Physiology

Q. What female scientist in history do you most admire?
A. Marie Curie

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Katherine Cullinan

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. QC manager for the Inorganic Department

Q. What led you to study science?
A. Science was my favorite subject in school because there wasn’t a right answer to recall and write down on a piece of paper. There was a question and a puzzle to solve through exploration of the world around us.

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. In 7^th grade we got to do class work, making right angle tubes and also capillary tubes. Working with glass is definitely up there as one of the most fun projects I’ve ever done. In high school, we dissolved zinc out from the inside of a penny, just leaving the copper foil. In college, we removed the plasticizers from saran wrap which feel very strange. In my first job, the flash point test for flammable fuels is a fun way to get paid to play with fire. But only here at SPEX do you get to watch neodymium change colors depending on what room it’s in, precipitate arsenic to what my colleague calls “very toxic Yoo-Hoo”, or help dissolve gold!

Q. What female scientist in history do you most admire?
A. Of course Marie Curie, but also the woman who invented Kevlar, Stephanie Kwolek.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Patricia Atkins

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. Senior Application Scientist

Q. What led you to study science?
A. I was always questioning things and trying to figure out how things worked and science was part of figuring out the answers

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. Marine Biology and Zoology Classes

Q. What female scientist in history do you most admire?
A. Rosalind Franklin

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Rebekah Biermann

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. Territory Manager (Midwest/New England)

Q. What led you to study science?
A. After years of working in the cosmetics industry, I started to look into cosmetic formulation and went back to school for chemistry. It turns or I didn’t really like formulation chemistry and got a taste for plant genetics and pathology after working on a strawberry research farm at Rutgers University. I learned so much about how agriculture and science crosses over and just how it effects our daily lives is really fascinating.

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. Virology and Genetics

Q. What female scientist in history do you most admire?
A. Rosalind Franklin and Barbara McClintock

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Sapana Patel

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. Customer Support Manager

Q. What led you to study science?
A. It is something I understood easily and I loved being in the lab

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. Chemistry Lab – my first experiment in college was to create crystals and I had the largest cluster with amazing color

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have interviewed some of our female scientists here at SPEX CertiPrep and we are so excited for you to learn about our amazing team!

Here is a Q&A we had with Suzanne Lepore

Q. What is your role at SPEX?
A. Key accounts manager for all SPEX CertiPrep products

Q. What led you to study science?
A. Great teacher in high school

Q. What was your favorite science class/lab/project/study?
A. Analytical Chemistry

Q. What female scientist in history do you most admire?
A. Marie Curie

Join SPEX CertiPrep as we talk about the wide spectrum of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

A normal part of laboratory operations is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Most laboratory personnel are familiar with common PPE such as gloves, safety glasses and lab coats.

Now, in the time of the pandemic, laboratories are reassessing and adding to their PPE protocols with the addition of face masks, face shields and further protections. This podcast discusses the wide spectrum of disinfectants, sanitizers and additional PPE we are all adding to our laboratory operations.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Senior Application Scientist.

Listen to the latest episode

 

Pumpkin spice season is upon us and our thoughts begin to drift towards the scents and flavors of the season so, we would are happy to share with you our application note, “The Chemistry of Pumpkin Spice“.

Did You Know?

• The components of pumpkin pie spices have been around for over a hundred years and was referenced in cookbooks from the 1890s.
• Pumpkin pie spice contains between four and five ingredients: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and sometimes allspice. The spice blend is added to everything from coffee to dinners.
• The sale of pumpkin pie spice products is half a billion dollars in sales annually. The fall season is the top selling time for pumpkin pie spice products and flavors.

Check Out Our App Note and Infographic for more information on the Chemistry of Pumpkin Spice.

Cilantro is one of those herbs that most individuals love or hate. The herb cilantro is actually the leaves of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum) which is an annual herb of the Apiacea family. Commonly the plant is called Chinese parsley, cilantro or coriander with cilantro referring to the leaves and the seeds being the primary component of coriander. The coriander plant is a frequently used herb and spice in many regional cuisines around the world including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America. The plant originated in western Asia and southern Europe but is commercially grown around the world and is frequently in many herb gardens. 

Most people (~85%) of the population perceive the taste of cilantro as a citrus herbaceous flavor with notes of lime and lemon. The remainder of the population (10-25%) often describe the taste and smell of cilantro as noxious and soapy. Scientists have started to understand this polarizing response is a function of nature and nurture. Several genes have been isolated regarding the ability to taste the predominate aldehydes present in cilantro. Aldehydes in general are associated with soapy types of chemicals (and are often found in soaps and l options) and the inability to metabolize the aldehydes found in cilantro results in a perception of a soapy or chemical taste. There is also a component of ethnicity where studies have seen variations in preference among different racial groups with the highest rates of cilantro dislike occurring in cultures with low use of cilantro and ones with high cilantro use having the lowest levels of distain for the herb (such as south Asian, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern study participants). East Asians and Caucasians had the highest levels of cilantro aversion between 17-21%. 

It is believed that the gene, OR6A2, is an olfactory-receptor gene code for an aldehyde sensitive receptor. This receptor detects the aldehyde and gives the soapy perceived taste and smell. The smell and taste of coriander is due to over forty different compounds with the majority of them being aldehydes (82%). These aldehydes are mostly 6-10 carbons like 2-decenoic acid and tetradecenoic acid which are some of the same compounds that give stink bugs their stink! Actually, the Greek origin for the word coriander means bed bugs and was associated with the smell of an infestation. 

If you are one of the cilantro-haters (including this author), you are not alone. There are Facebook and social media pages dedicated to the dislike of the herb. Many famous chefs including, Julia Child, Top Chef contender, Fabio Viviani and Ina Garten have also expressed disgust of the herb. So, if you hate the herb, you are in good company.

On the other hand, if cilantro is the best herb ever, you can be assured you are in a larger club with more than 80% of the population. You will be happy to know that cilantro is a good source of many vitamins, minerals and healthy compounds including some of the beleaguered aldehydes!

Spectroscopy , as has been mentioned in previous posts, is the study or measurement of the interaction of matter and electromagnet radiation resulting in spectra (wavelength or frequency of the radiation).  Spectrophotometers measure the light energy interactions with a sample to produce spectra.

Spectrophotometers are a common, easy-to-use spectrometer found in many organic analytical chemistry laboratories.  They often work on the simple principal of comparing the absorbance or transmission of light through a liquid sample compared to a blank or a standard material.  The difference or change from the blank or standard material is used to calculate concentration or a number of other results.  The most widely used form of spectrophotometers are UV or UV/Vis spectrometers operating in the UV and visible wavelengths of light from 180 to 800 nm. 
 
Spex UV/Vis standards are manufactured to provide assurance as an accurate internal standard in spectrophotometric analysis.  Join today’s podcasts, webinars and blog posts to learn more about colorful topics like our UV/Vis standards, Chromatography webinar and download our whitepaper on spectroscopy.  Don’t forget to take a look at our SamplePrep products to prepare your samples for spectroscopy analysis.

Energy and Light

There is often a lot of confusion between the terms chromatography, spectroscopy, spectrometry, and spectrophotometry.  These concepts are intrinsically linked but are still different approaches to looking at (or measuring)  matter with light (or energy).  The terms are all based around the Greek word origins for color (chroma-) and light (photo-) combined with the terms:  ‘to write’ (graphein), ‘to measure’ (metria), ‘to see’ (skopia) or the Latin ‘to look at’ (specere).  The different disciplines can be understood as a general sphere of study with levels of increasing specialty or specificity.

Spectrometry (the measurement of the interaction of energy and matter) is the basis for all the other techniques.  There are several types of spectrometry defined by their target and method of measurement.  The most common analytical techniques found in the organic laboratory are mass spectrometry and spectroscopy. 

Spectroscopy is the study or measurement of the interaction of matter and electromagnet radiation resulting in spectra (wavelength or frequency of the radiation).  Sometimes spectroscopy is also described as the study of color from all bands of the electromagnetic radiation (EM) spectrum.   Electromagnetic radiation are all waves in the electromagnetic field carrying electromagnetic radiation throughout space.  Electromagnetic radiation is made up of oscillating waves of magnetic and electrical fields measured most often by frequency and wavelength. 

The Electromagnetic Radiation Spectrum
EM radiation spectrum encompasses a wide band of energy including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. Radio waves at the end of the spectrum have the largest wavelength and the lowest frequency.  The size of these radio waves is in the hundreds of meters comparable with the size of buildings.  On the other end of the range are gamma rays which are high frequency and so small they cannot be measured since the particles slip between the molecules of measurement devices.  (Figure 1).


Figure 1. Electromagnetic spectrum.

Many laboratory analytical techniques are focused on range of waves associated with light from infrared to ultraviolet light in the range of 100 nm to 1 mm.  This energy encompasses the ultraviolet ranges, visible light, and the infrared spectrum. 

Most animals including human beings can only perceive light within the range of 400-700 nanometers which also gives us the perception of colors when they are absorbed by objects and reflect back as the opposite color (Table 1).  We see the color red when light of many spectrums hit something like an apple and all of the other wavelengths of visible light are absorbed while the reds are reflected back for the human eye to see.   So when you see red you are actually only seeing it because the surface of that red apple is reflecting back red and absorbing the other colors!

Table 1. Wavelengths of Color

A Technical Guide to Standards, Calibration Curves and Dilutions for the Laboratory User

ABSTRACT
Certified standards or certified reference materials (CRMs) are materials produced by standards providers which have one or more certified values with uncertainty established using validated methods and are accompanied by a certificate. The uncertainty characterizes the range of the dispersion of values that occur through the determinate variation of all of the components which are part of the process for creating the standard.

CRMs have a number of uses including: validation of methods, standardization or calibration of instruments or materials, and for use in quality control and assurance procedures. A calibration procedure establishes the relationship between a concentration of an analyte and the instrumental or procedural response to that analyte.
A calibration curve is the plotting of multiple points within a dynamic range to establish the analyte response within a system during the collection of data points. One element of the correct interpretation of data from instrumental systems is the effect of a sample matrix upon an instrumental analytical response. The matrix effect can be responsible for either analyte suppression or enhancement. In analysis where matrix can influence the response of an analyte, it is common to match the matrix of analytical standards or reference materials to the matrix of the target sample to compensate for matrix effects.

Click here to read our new Technical Paper

Abstract: The rise of popularity of spicy products and hot sauce has skyrocketed over the last decade. Hot sauces have gone from a few well known brands to a cottage boutique market and an international obsession. In this podcast, we will look at the chemistry of hot peppers and hot sauces and how these products affect the body.

Listen to our Chemistry of Hot Sauce Podcast.

An exploding firework is essentially a number of chemical reactions happening simultaneously or in rapid sequence. When you add some heat, you provide enough activation energy (the energy that kick-starts a chemical reaction) to make solid chemical compounds packed inside the firework combust (burn) with oxygen in the air and convert themselves into other chemicals, releasing smoke and exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen in the process.

Check out our Fireworks Infographic.

Does turkey really make you sleepy? Check out our Turkey Infographic to find out.

Breast cancer awareness is an effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education on symptoms and treatment. At SPEX CertiPrep, we support the hope that greater knowledge will lead to earlier detection of breast cancer, which is associated with higher long-term survival rates, and that money raised for breast cancer will produce a reliable, permanent cure.

Did you know?

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime
• In 2019, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations

Source: BreastCancer.org https://bit.ly/2NhthCS

Our Senior Application Scientist, Patricia Atkins, recently sat down with Cannabis Science and Technology for a 2 part interview discussing the latest developments in cannabis science.

In part 1, Patricia Atkins discusses her work using pressurized fluid and dispersive solid extraction to maximize analytical cannabis extractions and sample clean-up. You can view part 1 here.

In part 2, Patricia Atkins discusses the next steps in her Cannabis-related research and what excites her most in the field. You can view part 2 here.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in the United States, other than skin cancer. Prostate cancer affects more than 3 million men every year, worldwide. At SPEX CertiPrep, we support the hope that the greater knowledge will lead to earlier detection for higher long-term survival rates.

During the month of September, all web orders will receive a FREE blue vial rack to brighten up your bench space and be a reminder to take the steps to plan and detect prostate cancer in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. Awareness needs to be ongoing so we are putting blue in your lab!

Did You Know?

• About 1 man in 9 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
• Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 2.9 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.
• Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for prostate cancer in the United States for 2019 are:
  • About 174,650 new cases of prostate cancer
  • About 31,620 deaths from prostate cancer

SPEX SPEAKS SCIENCE PODCAST
Join us as we discuss the terpenes and flavonoids Hosted by Patricia Atkins & Jeff Akers 
Listen the latest episode

FLAVONOIDS
Flavonoids are naturally occurring secondary metabolic products which can have important functions within plants and benefit consumers with health and healing properties.
Many beneficial compounds are metabolites produced as an end product of chemical and biological processes. Metabolites are small molecules that have many functions including defense, pigments, pheromones, odorants and catalysts. Primary metabolites are necessary for growth, development and reproduction. Flavonoids are secondary plant, algae or fungus metabolites composed of polyphenolic compounds. Secondary metabolites are not directly involved in critical processes but have secondary functions involving defense and pigmentation. We offer standards for analytical standards for flavonoid analysis.
Introducing our newest Flavonoid Standard
Flavonoid Standard with 15 components in Dimethyl Sulfoxide, 125 mL
Part # FLAVIN-1
Check out our complete Flavonoid Standards Offering here.

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TERPENES
Terpenes in a sample of Cannabis helps to identify the strain and has an effect on the medical efficacy. We offer single component standards for common terpenes in Cannabis residues to make strain identification easier for the analyst.
Check our out complete Terpenes Standards offering.

Tobacco is the common name for a group of plants in either the Solanaceae or nightshade family. It is also the term for products produced from the cured leaves of the tobacco plant. There are more than seventy species of tobacco plants, but the most commonly used is N. tabacum. There are thousands of compounds found in tobacco but the most commonly associated compound is nicotine and other alkaloids. Nicotine is the most abundant of the volatile alkaloids in tobacco. There are myriad of effects which occur with the ingestion of nicotine which results from the compound’s ability to act as both a stimulant and depressant for the central and peripheral nervous systems. Nicotine causes a discharge of epinephrine which causes increase heart rate and blood pressure. Nicotine can stimulate the brain, increase breathing and constrict peripheral blood vessels.

In addition to nicotine, there are hundreds of other compounds and elements found in tobacco and tobacco smoke of interest to human health including heavy metals, toxic elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and many others. SPEX CertiPrep can help laboratories with all of their tobacco analysis needs with our comprehensive list of tobacco constituent standards from inorganic elements to persistent pollutants.

Humectants are substances which are hygroscopic in nature used to keep things moist. They are used in tobacco products including cigarettes and vapes. They control moisture, cut tobacco filler and add flavor such as menthols and citrates. There is concern that these humectants also introduce potentially dangerous compounds and elements into the tobacco products. As humectants burn, they release toxic chemicals such as acrolein and formaldehyde. The humectants themselves can also be hazardous if consumed in significant quantities and must be monitored. SPEX CertiPrep is able to help laboratories monitor levels of humectants in their products with our catalog of humectant standards.

Check out our new Alcohol and Tobacco Brochure

Spring flowers are beautiful, but, some of them also contain toxins. Check out our infographic to see what toxins these flowers contain and what parts of their makeup contains those toxins.