New products

Cogar Corporation has announced A family of DTL/TTL compatible MOS Read/Write monolithic memories. The new memories are complete subsystems that combine logic and memory functions on a single printed circuit plug-in card. Each module on the card contains up to 2048 bits of memory. Signal buffers, word drivers, sense amplifiers and latches are also included on the same card. One clock generates the required logic timing sequence. The system is based on MOS technology for the storage arrays and bipolar technology for the interface electronics. It is designed to keep the input loading low and provide line driving capability at output.

The system allows sensitive detection of all the common carbohydrates with the minimum of sample preparation; in most cases all that is required is filtration.
At the heart of the system is the 'Chem-Phase' catalytic reactor, a solid-phase system which converts non-reducing sugars into their corresponding monosaccharides. This process is known as inversion; in liquid medium, the process is not very efficient. On the Chem-Phase reactor, which is held at 85C, the reaction goes to completion. Sucrose, a non-reducing disaccharide, is converted into glucose and fructose, both reducing sugars. As the Chem-Phase reactor is catalytic, it is not consumed and can be expected to last as long as the analytical column. After catalysis, the reducing species are derivatized by the sugar reagent, 4-amino benzoyl hydrazide. The reagent reacts quantitatively to give a reaction product that absorbs strongly at 405 nm.
Whilst the 'Sugar System' is specific, it consists of a complete liquid chromatograph, which has the capability to perform a number ofrelated assays such as organic acids, anions, pesticides, vitamins and food additives.
A novel part of the system is the provision of a guaranteed methodology, which includes on-site installation, training and all the required reagents.
For further technical information contact Rob Jones, Severn Analytical, 36 Brunswick Road, Gloucester GL1 1JJ, UK. Compact emission spectrometer for fast, economical metals analysis The PV 8030 high-performance emission spectrometer from Philips Analytical combines dedicatedinstrument economy with much of the flexibility of individually-tailored systems for fast, accurate analysis of irons and steels.
Full m optics deliver higher resolution than other instruments in its class. And rugged construction, plus efficient temperature control and vibration-proof mountings, ensure stable operation in an industrial environment.
Two factory calibration packages cover all the most important elements in low-to-medium alloy steels, or irons and steels. Remaining capacity may be filled with elements to match the majority of users' requirements.
A choice of two programmable monoalternance source units-a 50 Hz or a high repetition 50-500 Hz versioncan be fitted, the variable frequency unit allows determinations to be completed in 4 s.
A high-energy preburn can be programmed to deal with inhomogeneous samples, such as cast iron. With the high repetition unit, discharge parameters can be varied during the course of a single measurement. Therefore it is possible to optimize accuracy for major constituents and detection limits for trace elements, without undertaking separate analyses.
Microprocessor electronics monitor all key spectrometer functions and warn of any operating error. Additional software in the microprocessor memory improves measuring efficiency. Measurements are composed of a series of mini-integrations, the digitized values ofwhich are accumulated in the microprocessor. This results in a remarkable dynamic range of over million" 1. Another unique feature is the fact that a pre-selected number of complete discharges is always measured thus assuring optimum repeatability.
Specially designed solid-state circuitry greatly improves counting speed and reliabilityallowing extremely accurate measurement down to the very low light levels necessary for trace analysis. New sample handling for RA-1000 retains IDEE A new sample handling option for the Technicon RA-1000 family of instruments retains the facility for positive sample identification. The new 'Combi-tray' unit can be retrofitted to existing systems and gives the ability to use original blood tubes and many currently available microsample tubes, in addition to standard sample cups.
With the positive sample identification facility the system may be controlled by Technicon's own Instrument Data Manager, or other dataprocessing systems, without the need for rigidity associated with worklists, allowing automatic rescheduling of dilutions and re-runs, and easy 'stat' insertions. With the 'Combi-Tray' unit, the security of positive identification can be applied direct to the original sample tube, further ensuring accuracy of sample handling.

H-P Analytical Symposium 1986
The underlying theme of Hewlett-Packard's meeting in Harrogate, UK in June this year was: 'the laboratory of the future'. Throughout the five daily sessions emphasis was placed on the most significant overall development in analytical chemistry today-the growth of robotic sample handling, laboratory automation and information management systems leading to the totally automated laboratory.
Each day of the Symposium covered a specific broad applications area, and examined the instrumental techniques that are used in that field" these were petro-chemistry/energy; general chemicals and environmental; pharmaceutical chemistry; biochemistry/bioscience; and clinical toxicology/forensic science. Some of the abstracts of papers read during the symposium are reproduced here. There are no plans for publication and further information should be sought from the speakers.
New techniques and approaches to environmental analysis: ProfessorJ. Miller, Department of Chemistry, Loughborough University of Technology, UK The determination of the organic components of environmental samples requires robust, sensitive and selective analytical techniques. In recent years several new methods have been applied with success, and the techniques have become more readily available for everyday use. Immunoassay methods provide convenient and sensitive approaches, and are increasingly used in water analyses and related fields. The advent of fibre optics allows remote sensing and fibre optic systems can probably successfully be combined with immunoassays. Other sensing devices include electrochemical sensors. With some advantages over optical devices. Fluorescence methods are also useful for multicomponent environmental assays, being sensitive and offering several new possibilities. Environmental systems can benefit from the application of modern chemometric methods, such as principal component analysis and pattern recognition, which allow a variety of different multicomponent analyses.
Flow injection as a sample handling technique for diode array spectrophotometry: Dr Paul Worsfold, Department of Chemistry, The University, Hull, UK One of the major attractions of a diode array spectrophotometer, as compared with a conventional scanning UV/visible spectrophotometer, is its rapid data acquisition capability. The usefulness of this feature is considerably diminished if sample preparation and sample introduction are the rate determining steps in the analytical procedure, as is often the case. This presentation described the potential for using flow injection analysis (FIA) as a means of sample introduction and on-line sample treatment for a diode array spectrophotometer (DAS).
An automated FIA-DAS combination was described and potential areas of application discussed. Current work is directed towards the simultaneous determination of three cardiac enzymes in serum samples. (1) When using GC/MS when the highest sensitivity and performance of the detector are significantly improved by using the smallest flow rate feasible.
(2) When working with routine samples which contain 50 or less peaks and the desire is for high sample throughput. In the presentation data were given which showed how the newly introduced 100 column from Hewlett-Packard performs in these application areas. Data were also presented on the performance characteristics of other new accessories and consumables for the gas chromatographer.
GC-MS and GC-FT/IR; future partners in the GC laboratory: Dr David Dixon, MS Product Manager, Hewlett-Packard S.A., Geneva, Switzerland Of the 'hyphenated' techniques applicable to gas chromatography, both GC-MS and IR-MS have proved to be appropriate with commercial systems available on the marketplace. Of these, GC-MS is presently rather more widespread.
GC-MS, especially in the standard Electron Impact (DI) mode, has provided a wide applications literature and commercial data base collections of 40-80 000 mass spectra. The result has been the ready availability ofrelatively lowcost quadrupole systems which are to be found in routine use in the GC laboratories. Many of these systems are used tbr the analysis of 'targetted' compounds, rather than the a priori elucidation of structure by spectral interpretation. In the Selected Ion Monitoring Mode (SIM) such systems are also capable of the low pg quantitation which is found of particular value in environmental or pharmokinetic analysis. Infra-red spectrophotometry is a technique with which most chemists have had rather more experience during their studies. IR instruments are to be found in most teaching laboratories, which is in contrast to MS where samples are often submitted to a central laboratory.
During recent years, the Fourier Transform IR spectrophotometer has proved itself to provide the necessary performance attributes for use with GC, albeit at prices somewhat higher than routine Quadrupole GC-MS. The computation requirement, and particularly those of storage are more demanding than GC-MS but equipment now becomes available at more attractive prices.
MS and IR provide valuable data which is of a complementary nature. IR can readily indicate functional groups and is a method of choice for isomeric characterization. On the other hand, MS provides molecular structure information and molecular weight following interpretation of the mass spectrum. Finally, the information on compound homologs in complex mixtures is readily obtained from GC-MS results.
GC-MS, as mentioned above, enjoys the availability of large libraries of EI spectra. GC-FT/IR in this respect offers limited databases of gas phase spectra generally obtained at a standard eight wavenumber resolution. However, the IR experience under condensed or solid phase conditions is of considerable value. The expected increase in the popularity of GC-FT/IR will certainly result in extension of data bases in the next few years.
GC-FT/IR systems have often shown useable sensitivities 10 to 100x inferior to the GC-MS systems which has certainly reduced effective application to a wide range of analytical problems but this issue has been addressed in the modern systems. GC-FT/IR units are now becoming available which offer sensitivities perhaps only 3-5x away from GC-MS. 218 GC-IR and GC-FT/IR results were compared and contrasted for modern hardware suitable for use in the GC laboratories. Since the respective data are complementary, some initial approaches for the synergistic combination of results within a GC-FT/IR Data System were discussed.

Bench-top sequential ICP system
The introduction by Philips Analytical of a bench-top inductively coupled plasma spectrometer, the PU 7450, means that the company is now able to offer total coverage in atomic spectroscopy. The spectrometer results from a decision to offer a complete choice of instruments. It is a joint venture between Philips Analytical and the manufacturer, Leeman Labs Inc. of Massachusetts, a company chosen for its analytical knowledge, experience and prestige in the market place.
The spectrometer, which bears the Philips label and has been produced to the company's specifications, provides impressive performance at a reasonable price. It permits introduction of ICP into a wide range of industries where the previously high cost ofsophisticated ICP systems had been a limiting factor.
The flexibility of the PU 7450 makes it a versatile tool for analysing a wide range of materials, including metals and refractories, geological, mining, environmental, biological and petroleum products.
For routine analysis the spectrometer can determine up to 20 elements in each stored program with a total capacity for three stored programs.
Additional programs may be stored on an external computer; all analytical parameters, including calibration data, are stored in batteryprotected memory so that programs can be recalled by a single keystroke.
At the heart of the PU 7450 is an echelle grating monochromator which provides the very high resolution required to separate the complex, line-rich spectra created by the high temperature ICP source. Using cyanide-free reagents stable for one year, Technicon researchers have reported the development of a magnesium method for the CHEM capsule chemistry system. Linear to 3.5 mmol/1 with within-run CVs of 1"5% and 2"7% at 2"2 and 1"25 mmol/1 respectively, the method is based on formation of the red Calmagite-Mg complex at alkaline pH.
No significant interference has been observed in samples due to lipaemia, icterus or high urea levels. Negligible interference occurs with calcium at 4"0 mmol/1 and heavy metals, correlation studies with atomic absorption show a slope of0"96, intercept 0"2 and r 0"992. Names and address of more than 5000 hospitals in China by bed size.
The speciality of each hospital.
The breakdown of medical doctors in these hospitals by their clinical discipline. The total hospital admissions and average length of stay, arranged by province. Number of out-patient visits per hospital. The total number of hospital beds in China, by province and clinical discipline.
Other demographics such as the population by age group and sex; the healthcare expenditures as a percentage of gross national product; and the major medical problems in China are included in this new directory.