Flame Photometer applications
The range of possible applications for AES (Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) has increased widely due to many technical improvements. The FP8000 series is particularly suitable for industrial processes that require high reliability, continuous operation and on top offers safe remote control options. The modular design of our instruments allows to retrofit the devices with additional automation components at any time – like an autosampler or automatic dilution unit (diluter).
Pharmaceutical Industry
Laboratories in the pharmaceutical industry are in most cases highly regulated areas. The FP8000 series offers user 21 CFR Part 11 compliance with features like user management with individualized user rights and an audit trail. Further fields of application are:
Packaging and IV solutions
AES is increasingly used in quality assurance, e.g. in the determination of the quality of vials and other glass containers in drug packagingas used in vaccines for example.
Product control and quality testing of various substances in pharmaceutical reagents, e.g. of sodium and potassium ions in IV-liquids is another main application.
FFP masks
The testing of FFP masks according to regulatory standards (DIN EN 149) is also conducted by flame photometry. For such tests NaCl aerosols are pumped into a test chamber and the leakage of this aerosol through the mask is detectedby F-AES.. FFP mask tests were first carried out with our devices in a joint project with the Aachen Process Engineering Department of RWTH Aachen University and the DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials and have since been used in various institutes.
Food analytics & raw materials
In recent years, the demand for AES measuring instruments in food analysis has risen significantly. Here, AES is used to ensure the compliance with national standards for sodium and potassium levels in food or monitor the production of pre-milk, pre-formula and milk powder. In addition, AES is used in the determination of the Calcium content of mechanically separated meat to detect possible bone residues (from ashed samples). A.KRÜSS offers the only flame photometer on the market that can also be operated with acetylene which, due to the higher flame temperature, makes calcium measurements more precise.
Salinity control
AES is also used to determine salinity via direct detection of sodium in beverages and solid products, which has become mandatory since 2017. AES is used for product control of various substances via sodium, potassium or lithium.
Likewise, salt mines use flame photometers for routine measurements in raw material monitoring. Here, AES convinces with measurement accuracy as well as the high sample throughput.
Environmental analysis
In the field of environmental analysis, AES is used for soil and water analysis. Water is the basis of life and thus an essential natural substance. Therefore, water quality is of high importance for all living beings and their environment.
Soil analysis
AES is used to determine soil qualities, contamination with salts or fertilizer residues in soil as well as water bodies.
Wastewater control
A large field for AES flame photometry is the control of power plant feed water or waste water. The desired measurement parameters in this application are sodium and potassium concentration. In this regard the need for a high sample throughput and a safe, inexpensive analysis technique are the main criteria for the decision to use AES.
Chemical industry and cement production
The chemical industry supplies numerous industries with its products. Here, flame photometers are used in the quality control of raw material and chemical products. AES is also widely used in process monitoring during production.
In chemical laboratories, AES is the method of choice when it comes to safety, continuous operation as well as high reproducibility of measurement results.
AES in chemical laboratories is used primarily to determine the concentration of sodium, potassium and lithium ions in solution.
AES is also used for measurements in the construction and cement industry, for example to check sodium, potassium or calcium contents. This is important because these elements have a beneficial or detrimental effect on the durability of cement depending on their concentration. A phenomenon called “concrete disease” is related to the concentration of alkali metals such as sodium and potassium.