newdepths - biolab business magazine · 2008-07-28 · carousel reaction station, you can make up...

NEW DEPTHSMemorial´s underwater labs godeep to research oceanic unknowns

Mobility is Key:Self-contained labs on wheelsfocus on nuclear response

Creating Hubs:Your seven-step guide todesigning multi-tenant facilities

SUMMER 2007 www.labbusinessmag.com

The definitive source for lab products, news and developments

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14 Lab ReportsLab planner Victor Cardona offershis seven-step guide to building anddesigning high-quality lab facilities that willaccommodate a diverse group of tenants

28 Supplier ProfileToronto’s ACD/Labs stays ahead ofthe game by keeping up with chemists’ever-changing software needs

30 TechWatchAn update on chromatography equipment

38 Sitting WithDr. Jacqueline Shan, founder, president,CEO and CSO of Edmonton’s CVTechnologies, the natural therapeuticscompany behind the popular Cold-fX

5 EDITOR’S NOTE

7 NEWS BEAT

34 LAB WARE

in every issue

alsoinside

topstories

Contents SUMMER 2007

36

18 Application NoteFour Canadian labs are ready for actionin the event of a nuclear disaster. Farfrom the typical laboratory, these labsare self-contained and mobile

SUMMER 2007 www.labbusinessmag.com

The definitive source for lab products, news and developments

With only the touch of a fewcontrols, Memorial University’sstate-of-the-art Autonomous

Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Explorerallows scientists—of diversespecialties—to explore the

secrets of the deep

24

COVER: LAB SPOTLIGHT

NEW DEPTHS

LAB BUSINESS Summer 2007 3

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Serving CanadianLaboratories and Lab Suppliers

since 1985

Publisher Christopher J. Forbes& CEO [email protected]

Managing Bernadette JohnsonEditor [email protected]

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Lab Business is published 4 times per year by JesmarCommunications Inc., 30 East Beaver Creek Rd., Suite 202,Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1J2. 905.886.5040 Fax:905.886.6615 www.labbusinessmag.com One yearsubscription: Canada $35.00, US $55.00 and foreign $95.Single copies $9.00. Please add GST where applicable. LabBusiness Subscription and circulation enquiries:Garth Atkinson, [email protected]: 905.509.0735 Subscriptions to business address only.On occasion, our list is made available to organizations whoseproducts or services may be of interest to you. If you’d rathernot receive information, write to us at the address above or call905.509.3511 The contents of this publication may notbe reproduced either in part or in whole without the writtenconsent of the publisher. GST Registration #R124380270.

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e’ve been having a lot of fun with ouryear-old Lab Spotlight feature—from amine-planning laboratory, to that of theviticulture persuasion, to this issue’s

underwater variety, we’re uncovering a whole world of interesting lab/researchfacilities. Indeed, I currently have staffers battling to write the next Spotlightspread. And while I have a number of interesting—and unique—possibilities, I’malways looking for more. Please don’t hesitate to tell me about your inimitable lab.This issue has a bit of an inadvertent theme—two of the main features

examine labs that are self-contained and mobile. Lab Spotlight (page 24)considers Memorial University’s underwater research vessel, which—with thetouch of a few controls—allows scientists of all walks to study the aquatic world atdepths, and in situations, never before realized. Next, our Application Note (page18) looks at another breed of mobile lab—though ground-based this time.The labson wheels—part of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosives(CBRNE) Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI)—can be deployed at amoment’s notice to (god forbid) radiological or nuclear emergencies in whichminimizing time for assessments is crucial. In the Application Notesidebar (page 22), ALS Laboratory Group highlights its “mobies” (mobile labs),used primarily for environmental analysis.While we’re on the topic of mobilizing…once again it’s my turn to attempt to

move you to get online at www.labbusinessmag.com and complete our 9th annualsalary survey. This year, the carrot we’re dangling is a chance to win a Trek 4300mountain bike.We’ve also tried to streamline the survey process to make it as pain-less as possible for you. I’d like to thank you in advance for taking the time —yourresponses are very important to us.If you’ll recall, last year’s results revealed that Canadian labs are staffed by a

pretty satisfied bunch. Yet this highly educated, older workforce wouldn’t mind alittle more in compensation for the work they do…and naturally they’d like it inthe form of cash. (2006 results also pointed out that, next to cash, lab workers aremotivated by—in order of importance: peer recognition, the opportunity for flextime, and professional development and training.)We’ll be revealing the results of this year’s survey in our Winter issue, which is

destined to mail early December.

Get Moving

editor’s note

W

Cheers,Bernadette JohnsonManaging Editor

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news beat

Canada’s new national science and technology(S&T) strategy will aid in identifying more

private research and development as key tostrengthening Canada’s economy. MobilizingScience andTechnology to Canada’s Advantage focus-es federal support for R&D in four key areas: nat-ural resources, the environment, health, and infor-mation technology. The new strategy is designedto reverse years of declining private sector invest-ment in research and development and fallingenrolment in university science and engineeringprograms. “Building up our science and technolo-gy assets and expertise is as important to the eco-nomic future of Canada as the development of ourphysical infrastructure,” said Prime MinisterStephen Harper. www.ic.gc.ca/s&tstrategy

LAB BUSINESS Spring 2007 7

Feds announce new National Science andTechnology Strategy

Canadian NCEs spread their wings globally

Afederal investment of $5.9 million will boost Canada’s collaboration with Centresof Excellence around the world. Seven Network Centres of Excellence (NCEs)

from across Canada will forge partnerships with 43 leading research organizations in 17countries and address issues of scientific, economic, social, intellectual and cultural signifi-cance in the project, termed the International Partnerships Initiative. The initiativeis part of Canada’s newly released science and technology strategy—Mobilizing Science

and Technology to Canada’s Advantage. To encourage the participation of researchers from low and middle-incomecountries, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has allocated $777,000 to support the researchand networking costs of their collaboration with the NCE. More than $8.8 million will come from international partnersto support the international knowledge exchange, training and networking activities of the scientists and students fromthe participating countries. www.nce.gc.ca

TheNSERC 2007 Grants and Scholarshipsawards will see $583 million disbursed

to 10,000 professors and students acrossCanada.The awards include $458.8 million inDiscovery Grants awarded to 3,300professors to support their research in thenatural sciences and engineering, and $99.2million awarded to 2,402 young university researchersfor pursuing their studies in these fields. 4,296 undergraduatestudents will also receive Undergraduate Student Research Awardsworth $19.3 million. 2007 is the first year for a newNSERC initiative tofoster research excellence called the Discovery Accelerator Supplements.With atotal of $6 million in new funding, this initiative willprovide significant supplements to a select group of researchers to boost their pro-ductivity at a critical juncture in their careers.The largest allocation of NSERCgrants and scholarships this year goes to the University ofToronto, with $65.8 mil-lion, followed by the University of British Columbia receiving the second largest inNSERC awards at $46.4 million, andMcGill University with $38.6 million inNSERC grants and scholarships in 2007.

2007 NSERC scholarships total $583 million

Queen's University physi-cist Art McDonald and his150-strong internationalteam at the SudburyNeutrino Observatory(SNO) won another inter-national award. The 2007Benjamin Franklin Medalin Physics was won by the team along with co-winner Yoji Totsuka fromthe University of Tokyo. The Franklin Institute Awards Program honoursinnovators who have made extraordinary scientific achievements, benefitedhumanity and increased the understanding of the universe. McDonald andhis team solved the 30-year-old puzzle of the missing solar neutrinos(sub-atomic particles considered the basic building blocks of the universe)in their lab two kilometres below the surface of CVRD-INCO's CreightonMine in Sudbury. Their discovery that neutrinos change from one type toanother on their journey to Earth from the Sun modifies the long-heldstandard model of particle physics.

International genomics research sees record investment

The federal and Quebec governments made one of the largest investments in international genomics researchwith a $34.5 million funding initiative for the international consortium known as the Public Population Project

in Genomics (P3G). P3G is a Montréal-based non-profit consortium founded in 2003, dedicated to fos-tering collaboration between researchers in the field of population genomics. Launched by GenomeCanada, Génome Québec and Université de Montréal, P3G includes the Quebec-based CARTaGENEproject. An organization with members from 25 countries, P3G willcoordinate a number of large-scale projects in genetic epidemiology undertaken around the world.

Agricultural researchprojects getfunding boostA federal investment of $22.1million will be made for 233research projects across Canadathrough Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada’s PeerReview Process. Most recentlythe federal governmentannounced it will invest$3.4 million in 26 researchprojects in Ottawa in 2007-08,among other regions. Thefunding will go to projectssuch as evaluating biodieseluse in agricultural equipment,adapting cropping systems toclimate change, and developingtechniques to quantify andreduce greenhouse gasemissions for a cleaner andhealthier environment.

The Canadian Space Agency announced thefunding of five teams selected to develop

their Mars mission concept proposals. Eachteam is entitled to a maximum of $250,000 todevelop the concept of a scientific mission toMars, including its moons. Team members arescientists at universities and companies across

Canada. Possible research up for proposalincludes a radar satellite to study the geologyof Mars, and a rover to search for water erosionand subsurface water. While there is no com-mitment to developing the proposals beyondthe first phase, the Mars mission concepts willbe evaluated further by the agency.

Marsmissionconceptsget financialbacking

Feds roll out aerospace and defence initiativeThe Canadian government launched a new R&Dinitiative to promote excellence and accelerate inno-vation in Canada’s aerospace, defence, security andspace industries. The Strategic Aerospace andDefence Initiative (SADI) will support strategicresearch and development that results in new prod-ucts, processes and services for the benefit ofCanadians. SADI, a repayable contribution program,will be administered by Industry Canada’s IndustrialTechnologies Office (ITO), which is subject to regular internal and externalreviews. SADI is expected to invest nearly $900 million over the next 5 years,with funding to reach a maximum of $225 million per year, in support ofCanada’s aerospace, defence, security and space industries. ITO will beginaccepting project applications for SADI funding today. www.ito.gc.ca

Sudbury scientists win prestigious international award

8 Spring 2007 LAB BUSINESS

news beat

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news beat

The federal government has announced more than$5 million in funding to support initiatives to help

Canada’s pandemic preparedness. The CanadianInstitutes for Health Research (CIHR) will provide $4million to fund 26 grants for health research into

projects such as vaccine development, epidemic con-trol and the mental health of health care practitionersin a pandemic situation. On the international front,funding of $1 million will be provided to support theGlobal Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza Vaccines.

Canada devotes over $5M for pandemic preparedness

NRC makes world’s mostsensitive radio detectorsThe National ResearchCouncil of Canadadesigned and built the mostsensitive and precise radiodetector ever built for mil-limeter-wavelength opera-tion. The detector is calleda Band 3 millimeter-wave-length radio receiver, andwill be used in studies ofthe cold universe, about thebirth of stars and planets.Created at the NationalResearch Council HerzbergInstitute of Astrophysics(NRC-HIA), the Band3 receiver systems will be

installed on the world’s largest and most sophisticated radiotelescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, known asALMA, being built in the Chilean Andes. A receiver will beinstalled on each ALMA antenna for research purposes butwill also ensure that atmospheric disturbances are correctedacross the entire ALMA array. ALMA is the highest priorityfor a new ground-based astronomical facility in the Long RangePlan for Canadian astrophysics. The first scientific results shouldbe available in three years.

Canada, U.S. forge marine geophysics ventureA team from U of T’s marine geophysics group isparticipating in a joint project to create the world’slargest cable-linked sea floor observatory on the PacificOcean floor. Located in the northeast Pacific off thecoasts of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon,the active Juan de Fuca tectonic plate is one of thesmallest of the dozen major plates that make up theEarth’s crust. The cable will allow scientists to observea whole array of different phenomena that are associat-ed with plate tectonics and other processes in the oceanwith a sea floor laboratory. Known as the North-EastPacific Time-Series Undersea Networked Experiments,or NEPTUNE, the project will allow scientists tomonitor biological, oceanographic and geologicalprocesses over a period that could stretch to more thantwo decades, depending on the long-term impacts onequipment from the immense water pressure and thecorrosive effects of salt water. NEPTUNE is a jointU.S.-Canada venture led by the University of Victoriain Canada and the University of Washington in theU.S. In addition to the University of Toronto, 11Canadian universities as well as other Canadian scien-tific institutions and governmental organizations areparticipating in the project. www.neptunecanada.ca

Ontario government sets $103M towards researchThe Ontario government is investing more than $103million to support 35 projects through the OntarioResearch Fund’s Research Infrastructure program. Theprogram helps researchers obtain the tools they needto stay on the forefront of innovation, including labspace, equipment and computer software. Researchsupported by the initiative includes health-care servic-es, new technologies, a cleaner environment and moreopportunities for success. The funding will leveragematching investments from 188 partners from industryand other fields. www.ontario.ca/innovation

Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) signed anagreement for joint technical, scientific and tech-

nology transfer activities with the Institute of PhotonicSciences (ICFO) in Catalonia, Spain. The goal of theagreement is to stimu-late innovation andexpedite the commer-cialization of technolo-gies that will makebusinesses in bothregions morecompetitive globally.Co

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12 Summer 2007 LAB BUSINESS

news beat

St. Andrews Biological Station gets cash infusion

The feds are providing $44.8 million for new science and wet laboratory buildings at the St.Andrews Biological Station located on the shores of Passamaquoddy Bay in the Bay of Fundy

in southwest New Brunswick. The funding will allow for the modernization of the St. AndrewsBiological Station, Atlantic Canada’s first marine research centre, established in 1908. The fundswill build a new, 2,900-square-metre, secure wet lab facility to house marine life—consolidatingthe existing facilities, which are currently spread throughout the station’s campus. The new sciencebuilding includes a 4,500 square metre space for offices, analytical laboratories, a computercentre, and a library of over 10,000 holdings. Construction is expected to begin July 2007, withcomplete occupancy of both buildings by August 2010.

BC government provides $25M for drug commercializationThe British Columbia government is earmarking $25 million for the Centre for Drug Research andDevelopment. The centre will use the funds for developing, formulating and testing new therapies anddrugs, and to bridge the commercialization gap between identifying new treatments and getting them tomarket. The non-profit centre assists these new discoveries through the early stages of innovation to com-mercialization and viable companies. Based at UBC, its facilities will have state-of-the-art equipment andwill serve researchers and trainees at universities and associated institutions across BC.

Over $1 million in Industry Canada fundingwill help Canada’s top mathematicians establish unique

international partnerships around key global economic andsocial issues. Burnaby, B.C.-based MITACS—the Mathematicsof Information Technology and Complex Systems—will applythe funds (awarded via the federal Network of Centres ofExcellence (NCE) program and the International ResearchDevelopment Centre). The funding boost will enable collabo-rationwith global math experts on such topics as the spreadof avian flu and SARS, the development of new drugsfor Alzheimer’s and other diseases, terrorist threatsand managing financial risk. A joint U.S. andCanadian collaboration will see MITACS researchers workingclosely with the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics(IPAM) at UCLA. Canadian mathemati-cians will also work with research teams from theMathematical Centre of the Chinese Ministry of Education.The $1.1M funding is part of the $5.9Mfederal investment in international partnerships.Ca

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international collaboration

Proposed Science Exploration Centre to bring S&Tto Quebec youth

The federal government awarded $420,000 innon-repayable funding to the Boîte à science to

set up a project bureau—a major step in the plan toestablish a science exploration centre in the Quebecregion. The Boîte à science project bureau is planningto devote the next 17 months to determining the precisethematic content and costs of the project and exploringavenues to secure funding for the centre’s start-up andensure the long-term financing of its activities. The Boîteà science, with its more than 260 partners, has for thepast 25 years been dedicated to turning tomorrow’sworkers on to science and technology, offering 90,000person-hours of activities each year through schools,camps, parks, libraries and daycare centres to youngpeople between the ages of three and 20 years.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR),announced recipients of 589 health research grants country-wide, worth $217 million, for a wide range of projects, includingprojects in the areas of hospital-acquired infections, cancer, andhormone replacement therapy. Each project underwent a rigorouspeer-review process before being approved.The funded researchprojects will be carried out over periods of one to five years.www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

CIHR awards hundreds of country-wide grants

The MaRS Discovery District and the Ontario governmentawarded a series of unprecedented $5 million-dollar

awards for individual researchers to four Ontario researchers.The Premier’s Summit Awards in Medical Research celebrateworld-class research in Ontario and are the largest researchprizes ever awarded in Canada. For a full list of winners,please visit www.marsdd.com/premiersummit

MaRS announces inaugural winners of newmedical research awards


lab reports

The rush to cash in on bioscience growth demands two

crucial assets: intellect and infrastructure. Investment in

talented researchers and their laboratories accounted for

much of the US$55.2 billion spent on the field in the United

States in 2006—a healthy jump of 7% from 2005.

Those outlays served tiny start-ups as well as established

giants of R&D alike. To capture their share of the growth, local

governments, institutions and real estate developers have taken a

speculative, market-focused approach to serving the industry.

Many are building high-quality lab facilities that accommodate

diverse tenants involved in varied phases of bioscience research

and production. These multi-tenant labs have proved elemental

in creating the critical mass that marks a thriving biosciences hub.

Multi-tenant lab buildings and spaces vary markedly in con-

ception. Yet they share one key trait: the capacity to accommo-

date emerging companies as well as mature institutional and

corporate players—everything from business incubators to large

departments of research universities. As a result, occupants

enjoy a fruitful interplay with neighboring researchers—an

“instant hub” of the bioscience industry, so to speak.

Not surprisingly, flexible layouts are paramount because the

type and size of tenant spaces may not be entirely known at the

inception of design. A few essential rules of thumb to help lab

developers, owners and managers will help guide the successful

planning and operation of multi-tenant lab facilities.

1. Know what tenants need—and know what it costs. Behindmost failed lab projects is a design that lost sight of the marketor lost control of the budget—or both.Top of mind should be the big benefits of multi-tenant bio-

science buildings. First, they make economic sense for entitiesthat don’t need a lot of space but can’t live without functionali-ty. Second, they’re inherently agile: Over time, lab owners andtenants can change space allocations as needed. Successfullydone, they support the dynamic nature of a biosciences clusteror hub. As for cost, every decision must be carefully evaluated tobalance this agility with the market realities of typical rents andtenant requirements for square footage and technical facilities.

2. Aim for interaction and collaboration. Interaction and col-laboration among flagship institutes and start-up concerns sowthe seeds of major discoveries. While this is often a matter ofchance, many lab developers and owner-operators promotetheir diverse occupants as a benefit for prospective tenants.

These characteristics also bear heavily on building layout andfeatures. Planning imperatives for multi-tenant buildings startwith ensuring close proximity of key amenities to each leasedspace in the building. Core labs should be within reach of all ten-ants. Their goal is rapid development and commercialization ofresearch work; savvy lab designs reflect that in lab space planning.

An seven-step guide to building and

designing high-quality lab facilities

that accommodate diverse tenants

By Victor J. Cardona, AIA, vice president and directorof Lab Planning, SmithGroup

Creating Hubs

Behind most failed lab projects is a designthat lost sight of the market or lost control ofthe budget—or both.


3.Balance known space needs withmarketmovement.Multi-tenant environments primarily consist of offices, dry labs andwet labs, but the core laboratories—analytical instrumentation,genomics, imaging, pilot plant and biosafety labs—must becarefully integrated. Small-scale production facilities are vitalfor many prospective tenants, as are labs paired with manufac-turing and production space. Other valuable features include

Below: 2nd floor plan for the Papago Gateway ResearchCenter, seven-story speculative lab. When open in 2008, it willfeature more closed labs—perfect for small startups andlarger tenants alike.

An incubator facility, the 265,000 square foot PapagoGateway Research Center rising in Tempe, AZ, will offermore enclosed lab space than its Category 1 multi-tenantcounterparts.

vivariums and loading docks.But non-technical amenities matter too—architectural

aspects that impact not only the quality of life within multi-ten-ant buildings but also their marketability. Researchers demandample daylight and outdoor views as well as secure parking.Areas for promoting interaction and teamwork are seen as hall-marks of a world-class research environment. In addition, breakareas, cafés and lounges have been found to enhance the well-being and energy level of researchers—even exercise facilitiesand gyms can make labs more productive. And while desirable,seminar rooms and espresso bars tend to be luxuries reserved forhigh-end multi-tenant settings.

4.Differentiate amongmajor categories of lab space. Biosciencetenants range from start-ups and fast-growing entrepreneurs toestablished corporations and institutions. Experienced lab opera-tors and developers assess their expected tenant pool to definetheir multi-tenant spaces. Four discrete categories of labenvironments provide a useful basis for lab planning:

Category 1: Flex space. These environments can houseresearch groups of various sizes including start-ups, and thefloors are planned on a zone basis and subdivided as needed.Flex spaces cater to entities that can’t pay big rents but mayneed to expand quickly. Interior layouts and fittings vary little,and tenant installations tend to be limited in nature. Examplesinclude the proposed 50,000-square-foot Pasadena BioscienceInnovation and Training Center in Pasadena, California, abuilding marked by large open floors for training areas, offices,classrooms and dry and wet laboratories.While the center con-tains all the features of lab facility, it’s an adaptable platform formulti-tenant needs.

Category 2: Incubator space.With more closed labs and feweropen-plan areas, Category 2 facilities tend to be ideal for com-mercial spin-offs of not-for-profit research institutes. Smallstartups of 1,500 square feet can rent alongside larger tenantsspanning 100,000 square feet or more. Papago Gateway


Research Center in Tempe, Arizona, epitomizes the Category 2multi-tenant building: The first speculative lab in the city, the265,000-square-foot, seven-story building will feature fully lab-capable work areas along with a cafeteria, fitness center and a900-car parking structure. In contrast to Category 1 facilities,over recent years incubator facilities have tended to providemore enclosed lab space.

Category 3: Commercial space. These are designed with estab-lished institutes and for-profit tenants in mind—companieslikely to attract other biosciences players. Today, most commer-cial facilities feature open laboratories, as at the TranslationalGenomics Research Institute Headquarters (TGen), the173,000-square-foot flagship of the downtown Phoenix bio-medical campus. TGen’s six floors house genomics researchersin airy, 15-foot-tall spaces designed to facilitate communicationand collaboration. Open stairs further interconnect the top fourfloors of clustered work areas.

Category 4: Institutional space. While inhabited by longtimeresearch groups, institutional lab settings are changing dramatical-ly to createmulti-tenant opportunities. At the Arizona Biomedical

Collaborative (ABC) building in downtown Phoenix, for example,two competing schools—Arizona State University and Universityof Arizona—collaborate within a new, 85,000-square-footmulti-tenant facility on sophisticated patient-oriented study,including lab research and biomedical informatics.

5. Match lab layouts to market needs. For each category ofspace, lab planning responds to unique end-user needs. By theirnature, closed-plan labs clearly define ownership of space andequipment, and can be relatively easily converted to uses otherthan bioscience. On the other hand, closed plans limit collabo-ration. They’re not as easy to reconfigure as open-plan labs,which inherently boost teamwork but have been criticized asbeing noisy and inhibiting concentration. Yet the business casefor open-plan is persuasive: designed well, the labs can be high-ly efficient, safe, and rapidly reassigned when needed.Whether open or closed, workspaces are planned using a lab

module. Flex spaces and incubator facilities have slightly smallermodules than commercial and institutional labs. Groupings ofmodules also reflect the facility’s category: ABC’s institutionalmodel is eight lab modules in size, whereas TGen was planned onunits of 12-14 lab modules that can range from 3,000 to 5,000square feet. Category 1 and 2 spaces may be divisible into suites assmall as 1,000 square feet, for enterprises of only a few researchers.

lab reports

The business case for open-plan ispersuasive: designed well, the labs can

be highly efficient, safe, and rapidlyreassigned when needed.

Bottom: Facilities like TGen in downtown Phoenix comprisecommercial space created for established institutes that are like-ly to attract other biosciences firms. TGEN features open labs,housing genomics researchers in airy, 15-foot-tall spaces thatfoster collaboration. Photo: Bill Timmerman for SmithGroup

Top: TGen, the flagship of Phoenix’s growing biomedicalcampus. Inside, genomics researchers enjoy an environmentof collaboration and communication. Photo: Bill Timmermanfor SmithGroup

6. For all lab users, aim for maximum flexibility. Regardless ofthe module, floor layouts for multi-tenant buildings shouldmaximize flexibility, serviceability, efficiency and cost-effective-ness. They should allow phased construction as well, another


important consideration in the biosciences industry.Circulation—an architectural term for the movement of

people through a building’s corridors, stairs and public zones—is a crucial consideration for multi-tenant labs. Good layoutsbalance ease of movement with efficient use of space. Perimetercirculation and double-loaded corridors are inherently flexible,but the latter tends to provide quieter spaces. So-called “race-track” layouts were common 10 to 15 years ago, but they rarelywork for multi-tenant situations except in some commercial andinstitutional situations. The donut-shaped corridors separateresearch areas from lab support, and today’s tenants prefer adja-cent lab and support zones, especially for open-plan facilities.Another issue is ability to convert labs from one use, such as

biology research, to chemistry or bio-informatics. Moveablecasework may represent a higher initial cost, but it can pay foritself where high rates of user “churn” are likely. With cost inmind, Category 1 and 2 spaces often feature modular, fixedcasework in less costly finishes, such as plastic laminate, where-as institutions and corporations may have flexible carts andtables finished in wood or stainless steel.

7. “Right-size” the systems—and build to last. The systemsthat support multi-tenant labs have varying life expectancies,and it’s good business to put more money into systems withlonger service lives.Mechanical and electrical systems, for example, will remain

for decades, while software and cabling will be upgraded everyfew years.Investment in building systems should also reflect the right

price point for the target multi-tenant market. Structural sys-

tems for Category 1 and 2 facilities, for example, should havelower loading capacities and higher vibration tolerances thancommercial and institutional buildings. Flex and incubatorspaces typically have individual HVAC systems for single ten-ants, or centralized building systems without emergency back-ups, in contrast to the built-in redundancies found in Category3 and 4 facilities. That’s not because the smaller tenants don’tneed redundancy; instead, they incorporate localized back-upsystems as needed.The same is true of lab services. House systems for reagent

grade water, natural gas, liquid nitrogen and specialty gases arenot typically offered in new flex or incubator facilities.The ben-efit for lab developers—and tenants—is that building systems(and rents) match the users’ specific needs.Consideration of space category will help guide many other

variables for the multi-tenant building. The constructionapproach, for example, should suit the project type: whiledesign-build and fast-track construction are suitable for everycategory, institutional tenants prefer the design-bid-build or theconstruction management (CM) approach. And the cost persquare foot for the base building and the tenant installationshould match prevailing market rates. Other things, however—such as the attraction of natural light and views to the outdoors—will remain universal in their appeal.

About the author: Victor J. Cardona, AIA, is a VP and director oflab planning at SmithGroup (www.smithgroup.com), an 800-per-son architecture, engineering, interiors and planning firm with 10offices across the U.S. SmithGroup specializes in the science and tech-nology, healthcare, learning, and workplace markets.

Above: At an emerging biotechnology cluster in Phoenix, AZ, the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), opened in 2005.Open laboratories house genomics researchers. Photo: Bill Timmerman for SmithGroup

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Four laboratories across Canada areready for action in the event of anuclear or radiological disaster. But

they’re not exactly your typical labs.Located across the country, these labscan be mobilized—literally—at amoment’s notice.The self-contained, mobile nuclear

response labs can be deployed or airlift-ed from British Columbia, Manitoba,Ontario or Nova Scotia to radiologicalor nuclear emergencies in which mini-mizing time for assessments is crucial.Each lab, which constitutes a van

equipped with data acquisition, analysisand communications equipment, is setup so scientists can identify the natureand extent of radiological contaminationat an incident site and predict the futuredispersal pattern of contamination.Possible incidents could be caused by aradiological dispersion device or acovertly placed radioactive source in anurban area.While a nuclear or radiological

disaster is not something planned orexpected, it is a possibility the federalgovernment feels is necessary to preparefor. The labs are part of the Chemical,Biological, Radiological-Nuclear andExplosives (CBRNE) Research andTechnology Initiative (CRTI). Initiallyannounced by the federal government in2001, the CRTI was a five-year, $170-

million fund set up to address CBRNEthreats as part of a security package. InOctober 2006, based on the CRTI’s suc-cess over the first five years, the federalgovernment renewed CRTI with anadditional $170 million for the next fiveyears, giving the initiative funding untilat least 2012. In June, Defence Researchand Development Canada (DRDC) also

invested $48.8 million for 29 research,technology acceleration and technologydemonstration CBRNE CRTI projects.CRTI is administered by the Centre

for Security Science, a collaborative ini-tiative between DRDC—an agency ofthe Department of National Defence—and Public Safety Canada that was cre-ated in 2006. Its mission is to provide

Focus on nuclearand radiologicalresponseMobile labs equippedand ready

application note

By Catherine Muir

science and technology solutions tostrengthen Canada’s preparedness for,prevention of and response to a CBRNEattack and to increase protection, detec-tion and decontamination capabilities toimprove the safety and security ofCanadians. The joint, interdepartmentalinitiative also involves several otherpublic agencies.

The mobile labs are part of theRadiological-Nuclear Laboratory Clusterof CRTI, a group of federal governmentlaboratories comprised of scientific andtechnical experts, and supporting equip-ment and facilities whose purpose is tocontribute to preparedness for, preventionof and response to radio-nuclear terroristattacks in Canada.

“Obviously, we hope that a radiologicalnuclear or terrorist event never happens,but if it did, we would have to respond,”says Ted Sykes, Radiological-NuclearPortfolio Manager. Many samples wouldhave to be analysed to determine isotopetype, quantities and level of contamina-tion, he continues. And without themobile labs, such samples would have to



be sent back to a laboratory somewhereelse in the country, says Sykes.“Now [we] can send the labs to the

samples. This would save time in anemergency.You have the scientific expert-ise right there with the responders colo-cated very close to the incident,” he adds.Scientific teams skilled on the opera-

tion of the equipment in the mobile labsare trained by the lab owners andoperators: the Atomic Energy of Canada’sWhiteshell and Chalk River Laboratories,the British Columbia Centre for DiseaseControl, and DRDC. (CRTI bought thelabs but ownership and capabilities forrunning them was transferred to organiza-tions that possess the technical expertise tosuccessfully operate them during a nuclearor radiological event. AEC owns thePinawa, Manitoba lab, DRDC owns theOttawa lab, and Health Canada owns theHalifax and Vancouver labs.)

Sykes says although day-to-daymaintenance for the vans is up to therespective owners, CRTI ensures that allof the labs are updated to the samestandard with respect to training andequipment. “In case of an actualemergency, we want any team to be ableto show up and run any other team’s

labs,” he says.In addition to their main role in the

event of a nuclear or radiological disas-ter, the labs are used across the countryin radiological incident training exercis-es, allowing federal teams to practicehow they might respond as a unit to asituation involving unknown sources ofradioactive materials. In March 2006,eight federal organizations and oneprovincial agency participated in justsuch a CRTI exercise—called ExerciseMaritime Response (EXMR). Experttechnical teams from DRDC, HealthCanada, Natural Resources Canada, theCanadian Nuclear Safety Commission,Atomic Energy of Canada, the CanadaBorder Services Agency, the CanadianForces’ Joint Nuclear, Biological andChemical Defence Company, and theRCMP participated in a field exerciseinvolving both sealed and unsealed

sources of radioactive material withinstrictly controlled indoor and outdoorfacilities at Slemon Park in PrinceEdward Island. Canada Border ServicesAgency personnel also held a comple-mentary exercise involving the detectionof radiological contraband in the Port ofSaint John, New Brunswick. The teams

application note

“You have the scientific expertise right there with theresponders colocated very close to the incident.”


were expected to locate, identify, andsecure all radioactive materials.This fall, a small exercise is planned

for Halifax. And B.C. has one in theworks for the spring of 2008.Sykes says when the CRTI originally

bought the labs, the thinking was that theteams trained on them would be usingthem as part of their daily routine. “It’s notjust—put them in the closet, and nexttime there’s a nuclear emergency some-where, bring them out. The purpose ofhaving the labs is to use this equipment asmuch as possible so that people are trainedon it, are familiar with it, and are keepingthe lab running and using it,” he says.Sykes cites recent work by the group

at DRDC in Ottawa as an example:“During the course of the experiment,there may be equipment within themobile lab that the scientists would beusing anyway.Why not bring the mobilelab out to your experiment site and use

the equipment, in taking soil samples,making dose calculations and doing thegamma spectrometry type of experi-ments?”The mobile labs have also been used in

international exercises where theCanadian labs and teams have wonaccolades from teams in other countries.

Several months ago, the Canadian nuclearresponse labs were involved in a five-daytraining program organized by AustrianResearch Centers GmbH, in cooperationwith the Austrian Armed Forces and theInternational Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), and aimed at boosting perform-ance during nuclear emergencies. The

CRTI’s radiological nuclear cluster sentone of its mobile labs, as well as two teamscomprised of experts from various federaldepartments to Austria to participate inthe event. Fifty-eight teams representing200 scientific and technical experts from30 countries examined topics such as soilcontamination, dose rates coming from

different scenarios, and isotope determi-nation, with the goal of preparingparticipants for emergency situations suchas terrorist attacks and radiation leaks.According to Sykes there was a lot ofinterest from other nations’ expertsin the capabilities the Canadian labshad developed. LB

“The purpose of having the labs is to use this equipmentas much as possible so that people are trained on it, arefamiliarwith it, andarekeeping the labrunningandusing it.”


application note

What mobile lab services does ALS offer?Most environmental analysis in BC calls forhydrocarbon testing for gasoline anddiesel-range contaminants in soil. Othertesting like metals analysis, water sampletesting or testing for non-petroleum-basedorganics parameters is generally less calledfor, [and therefore] requires an on-site lab(as opposed to a mobile one).

How long have the labs been in use?The first mobile labs of this type in BCwere set up by ALS (then ASL) in 1993.Work has taken our mobile labs through-out BC from the Greater Vancouver areaall the way through the Okanagan andthe far North. ALS has conducted hun-dreds of jobs over the years.

What structure do the labs take?The labs themselves are usually converted‘cube’ vans that have been fitted-outinside with appropriate lab equipment,lab infrastructure, power generation, etc.All phases of analysis, from samplereceipt to final data reporting, take placewithin the confines of the truck.

What type of equipment do the ALShydrocarbon testing mobile labs have?Typically, the equipment will include gaschromatographs, balances, glassware,benching, extraction equipment such assonicators, wrist-shakers, ASE, tumblerboxes. Computers are used for the acqui-sition and processing of sample data.Fridges are used for the storage of sam-ple extracts, standards, etc. Gas tanks areusually required for analysis and are thusstored securely within the truck; theseinclude helium, hydrogen, and air. Fumeremoval systems are also common fea-tures for working with solvents. Solventstypically used include methanol, hexane,and acetone. Where on-site power is notavailable, generators can power theequipment in a Moby (mobile lab).

Why are mobile labs crucial for this typeof environmental analysis?For hydrocarbon testing, mobile labanalysis is required because of the needfor quick turn-around-time (TAT). Thisusually means samples are given in themorning and results are available later in

the afternoon. Quick TAT isneeded because expensiveearth-moving equipment istied up while waiting forresults. In some cases, detec-tion limits are higher in themobile labs however, so quickTAT in the main lab may be your bestoption, depending on what regulation isapplicable to the work.

Can you explain this process?Jobs are typically at sites where contami-nated soil is being dug up—old gas sta-tions, or fuel/lubricant storage sites, forexample. Consultants overseeing the digswill need to know when they havereached the edges of contamination sothey can stop digging. Contaminated soildisposal is expensive so they want to onlydeal with what they have to.

Are there other cases where a mobile labmight be useful?Responding to a spill would be anotheropportunity to bring a mobile lab intothe field—the clean-up crew needs toknow when to stop digging for a con-taminant plume.

How much do the mobile labs process?Depending on the timing of when samplesare submitted to the lab, throughput isusually around 20-24 soil samples per day.

What standards does ALS follow for itsmobile lab services?ALS’s labs are CAEAL (CanadianAssociation for Environmental AnalyticalLaboratories) accredited to the ISO 17025standard with a scope of testing for themost common parameters/methods wetest for (BTEX/VPH and EPH—BC relatedtests). CAEAL Proficiency Testing is part ofthe accreditation and is available forBTEX and F1 (Canadian federal analogueto BC’s VH) in soil.

What safety, regulations and training mustbe followed within an ALS mobile lab?Transportation of Dangerous Goods reg-ulations apply and operators must beTDG-ground trained. Transport on ferriesis limited for many substances. Safetywithin the lab follows the same protocols

as a regular lab—engineering controls,personal protective equipment, WHMIStraining—and the sites themselves willhave safety programs in place. As for allcommercial vehicles, National SafetyCode membership must be maintained.Personnel also need to have a variety ofskills ranging from the highly technical(ability to troubleshoot equipment inshort-order) to the people-based (workwith clients to make sure needs are beingmet). Our mobile lab analysts have usual-ly spent several years working within thelab industry to gain these skills.

How much does it cost to use ALS’smobile lab services?The service generally runs in the $2K perday range.

Where does most of your business comefrom?Most mobile lab work is generated byPetrochemical companies, but since almostall major industry stores or uses petroleumproducts, the final client can vary widely.Of course, most work is coordinatedthrough an environmental consultant.

What are some trends regarding environ-mental mobile lab services, currently andin the future?There are still plenty of sites out therethat need to be cleaned up, though manypreviously contaminated sites havemoved on to the monitoring phase ofremediation. Hydrocarbon handling pro-cedures in industry have improved inrecent years as environmental and liabili-ty consciousness has increased. Otherrisk-based approaches to signing off oncontaminated sites may also mean apotential lessening of need for mobileservices. Having said that, so long aspetroleum products are widely used (andexcavation equipment remains costly),cleaning up sites is a priority and therewill be a need for the Mobies.

Q&A with Miles K. Gropen, Trace OrganicsLaboratory Manager, ALS LaboratoryGroup, Environmental Division, Vancouver

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9thth


24 Spring 2007 LAB BUSINESS

lab spotlight

NEW DEPTHS


t can go places that no other vehicle can, even under ice,descending—autonomously—up to 3 km into underwaterrealms.With the touch of a few controls, Memorial

University’s state-of-the-art Autonomous UnderwaterVehicle (AUV) Explorer allows scientists—of diverse special-ties—to explore the secrets of the deep.The AUV is one of only five worldwide, making it highly

sought-after by many researchers in the multi-disciplinary fieldof ocean sciences. And it doesn’t come cheap. One of these

vehicles will cost you in the millions.And although St. John’s, Newfoundland-based Memorial is

not the richest university in the country, nor the largest, itboasts a unique multi-disciplinary network called CoreResearch Equipment and Instrument Training or CREAIT(see sidebar, page 27). A pan-university network of thematicclusters of multi-user scientific equipment, CREAIT letsresearchers (throughout the university) access and share nicheequipment.Seven core facilities fall under the CREAIT banner, but only

The ocean’s explorersMemorial’s underwater vehicles take marine science to new depths

I

Memorial’s 700-Kg underwater lab:a state-of-the-art AUV Explorer

By Catherine Muir


lab spotlight

one can claim ownership of the ExplorerAUV. The Marine EnvironmentalResearch Laboratory for IntelligentVehicles (MERLIN) owns and operatesthe Explorer, as well as a smaller vehiclecalled the C-SCOUT. Though the lattercame first as a developmental testbedvehicle, Sara Adams, research laboratorycoordinator at MERLIN says theExplorer holds the title of flagship vehicleas it is currently the main vehicle beingused for research.The C-SCOUT is cur-rently being upgraded to the same oper-ating system as the Explorer, she says “sowe will be able to run them togetherwithout any complications.”In addition to the Explorer AUV and

C-SCOUT, MERLIN also encompass-es a Particle Image Velocimeter (PIV).With one person dedicated to its man-agement and operation, the PIV Systemmeasures velocity fields and wake fields around ships, underwa-ter vehicles, propellers and marine risers. The PIV system oper-ates separately from the AUV lab, although both are housed inthe MERLIN facility.MERLIN was established at the end of 2005. Dr. Neil Bose,

then the Canada Research Chair for Underwater Vehicles, wasinvolved in an NSERC project studying the development anduse of underwater vehicles for offshore environmental monitor-ing, says Adams. As part of that initiative, students built anunderwater vehicle—the C-SCOUT.“At the end of it, it seemed like a

commercially viable vehicle thatcould be used as a research tool with-in the scientific community,” saysAdams. Thus MERLIN was born.While MERLIN is physically

housed within the faculty of engi-neering and applied science atMemorial, the link between the twoessentially ends there: researchersinterested in using the AUVExplorer contact MERLIN staffdirectly to set up missions.“A thing like MERLIN requires significant technical support,”

Miller says. “If one researcher had a vehicle like MERLIN andthey used it a few times a year, it would be hard to justify the full-time staff needed to look after it. But by putting it into CREAIT,it makes it available to many researchers.”Upon its inception in 2005, and with funding from the

Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency (via an Atlantic InnovationFund award to the Pan Atlantic Petroleum Systems Consortium),

MERLIN purchased the Explorer. The vehicle arrived in June2006. Built by International Submarine Engineering, of PortCoquitlam, B.C., the MERLIN Explorer AUV is one of a hand-ful around the world, Adams says, adding the others are located inFrance (2), Mississippi, and Bremen, Germany.AUVs can provide a means to do a wide range of ocean

research, particularly in hazardous underwater environmentswhere research could not be done otherwise. The vehicles areused for work such as ocean environmental monitoring, scien-tific survey and resource exploration work, and under the ice of

the Canadian Arctic where much ofthe seabed is normally inaccessiblewith the more common ROV(Remotely Operated Vehicle)underwater vehicle.According to Adams, with the

usual ship-based sampling method,you could never achieve the depththat you can with an AUV, or itwould be extremely expensive toattempt that. Also, unlike ROVs,there’s no tether to the surface. Sothe AUV can be used under ice with-

out having to worry about getting the vehicle’s tether tangled orlost.Today, MERLIN’s underwater vehicles are used by

researchers in fields as diverse as oceanography, geology, engi-neering, and biology for their underwater research. And at seais precisely where the real science happens for MERLIN.Adams is one of two co-ordinators at MERLIN who, in addi-

tion to running day-to-day logistics, co-ordinate vehicle missionsfrom start to finish; operate the vehicle itself; and co-ordinate and

“We can program a mission,

download it into the vehicle,

and then send [the vehicle]

underwater. It goes and does

its mission, and comes back to

the surface when it’s done.”

The MERLIN crew “talks” to theautonomous vehicle from atemporary base on shore.


implement the specialized equipment required for each mission.For typical AUV missions, the vehicle is launched from

shore, using a crane to put the 4.5-m long, 700-kg vehicle inand out of the water. A shipping container converted into atemporary lab houses computers that “talk” to the vehicle andprogram it. At night, the vehicle goes in the container and canbe locked up. A boom truck helps move the vehicle on to thenext site or back to Memorial. In the future MERLIN plans tolaunch some of its missions from ships at sea, expanding theoverall capability of the vehicle.The AUV is piloted using a Wi-Fi connection, says Adams.

“We can also program a mission, download it into the vehicle,and then send [the vehicle] underwater,” she says. “It goes anddoes its mission, and comes back to the surface when it’s done.Whereas with an ROV, there has to be an operator at the con-trols at all times.”Adams says a typical set of missions could run anywhere

from two to three days to ten days or longer, depending on howinvolved the research is.For a water-based vehicle operating off the shores of

Newfoundland, it’s no surprise that the biggest challenge tooperating the AUV is the weather. “To be able to operate, weneed to ensure that it is safe to do so,” says Adams. “We oper-ate only on good days, and we plan to get as much out of oursummers as we can.”Given that its first missions were in September 2006, MER-

LIN is young as far as research facilities go. With just onepartial field season under its belt, the lab has only begun to startthe research that could be undertaken with theMemorial AUVs.Missions planned for this summer include working with a

researcher at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)on habitat mapping on the sea bottom. Another mission

CREAIT network reducesresearch barriers“The goal of Creait is to reduce the barriers to interdisci-plinary research”, says David Miller, Director, CREAITNetwork at Memorial.

A pan-university network of thematic clusters ofmulti-user scientific equipment, CREAIT is designed as amore efficient way of sharing research equipmentamongst many researchers across the university and far-ther afield. Intended to improve researchers’ access tomajor research equipment, the network houses MERLINand six other core facilities, including the Centre forChemical Analysis, Research and Training (C-CART), aMicroanalysis Facility, a Visualization Facility, and aGenomics and Proteomics Facility. These facilities are notunder the governing of a separate faculty or department,but instead fall directly under the VP, research atMemorial. According to Miller, the network currently hasabout $34 million dollars worth of research infrastructureand 23 full-time employees.

“The CREAIT Network is unique in Canada, having acentralized administration for all these research facilitieswhich helps avoid unnecessary duplication,” says Miller.

This independence from a specific department withinthe faculty of science or engineering is the rationalebehind the CREAIT program. Sara Adams, researchlaboratory coordinator at MERLIN, says, “We can reachout to be able to work with, say, people in the departmentsof physics and oceanography, and not have to beanchored in engineering to do anything. MERLIN is aresearch facility, not one particular professor’s lab.”

Miller says that MERLIN “made its way” into CREAITbecause its needs really fit with the mandate of CREAIT. “Itreally needed full-time staffing support; it’s a very expen-sive research tool; it’s useful to people in many differentareas—engineering, earth sciences, oil and gas,” he says.

Miller got the idea for CREAIT while he was themanaging director of C-CART. “It got to the point where itwas servicing researchers outside of the department ofchemistry and the faculty of science—the faculty ofmedicine, for example,” he adds.

“As long as they were doing something involved inchemical analysis that could be supported by a group ofpeople, then all that equipment could be made part of thethematic satellite called C-CART. It was really successful,”he says. “That has existed since 2000, and because it wasso successful, I was able to convince our VP of research thatthe philosophy and the policies that were working so wellto support C-CART could be used to support facilities indifferent scientific themes. Thus CREAIT was born.”

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innovative predictive, chemical, spectro-scopic, chromatographic, and databasemanagement software solutions whiledeveloping and maintaining customerloyalty.”

ACD/Labs has grown from a smallcompany known for its NMR spectralproperty prediction algorithms to aworldwide leader in chemistry softwareof many varieties. Currently, in additionto a range of NMR products, ACD/Labsoffers software which streamlines ana-lytical data management, enables chem-ical nomenclature and chemical databas-ing, provides predictions of molecularproperties, and assists mass spectromet-ric and chromatographic data analysisand method development.

The expertise of ACD/Labs’ develop-ment team is a testament to the compa-ny’s commitment to keeping up withcurrent trends and requirements inchemistry research. The team is made upof over 70 chemists and software engi-neers, many with PhD-level degrees,who develop state-of-the-art algorithmsand incorporate technological advance-ments into the software.

The company—which designs all of itssoftware in-house—is known for its inno-vation, demonstrated through the compa-ny’s launch of ACD/IntelliXtract, aLC/MS software package for automated

chemical, material, and pharmaceuticalcompanies, to academic and governmentinstitutions, with over 600 chemical andpharmaceutical companies, and over 650academic and government agencies onits customer roster.

ACD/Labs goal is to “provide theindustry standard in comprehensive and

supplier profile

By Catherine Muir

Pharmaceutical and chemical R&Dare dynamic environments wheretechniques and their capabilities

are changing frequently. I don’t thinkthat what is possible now was evendreamed of five years ago,” saysACD/Labs Director of MarketingCommunications Daria Thorp.

It is exactly why chemistry softwaresolutions company ACD/Labs has alwayshad its business strategy focused on keep-ing up with chemists’ ever-changing soft-ware needs. “We update and release newversions of our software annually. We arenow on version 10, and approaching ver-sion 11, of our products that include, forexample, the ACD/ChemSketch chemicaldrawing software. We are continuallyworking with our customers, and trying tokeep up-to-date with the current state ofthe industry, so they’re satisfied with whatwe’re bringing to them,” says Thorp.

Founded in Toronto in 1994 with onlya handful of employees, ACD/Labs hasgrown to a staff of more than 140, withsix offices around the world and a globalnetwork of distributors and customers.Three sales offices manage most of thecompany’s global sales: the Torontooffice handles North American orders; in2004 an office was opened in Bangalore,India, taking care of the Asia Pacificmarket; and in 2006 an office in Englandbegan servicing the United Kingdomcustomers directly. In addition, distribu-tors and sales representatives worldwidehandle regional markets.

ACD/Labs software users range from

PRODUCT/SERVICESPORTFOLIO

Software for:• spectroscopic validation of structures• elucidation of unknown substances• chromatographic separation• medicinal chemistry• preformulation of novel drug agents• systematic nomenclature generation• chemical patenting and publication

Free ACD/Labs Software• ACD/ChemSketch (Chemical draw-ing package)

www.acdlabs.com/download/chemsk.html

• Free LogP Add-on (Predict octanol-water partitioning coefficient)

www.acdlabs.com/freelogP

• ACD/Column Selector (Compareand contrast reversed-phase HPLCcolumns)

www.acdlabs.com/columnselector/

• ACD/Public ChromatographyApplications Database

www.acdlabs.com/public_chrom_db/

“

Advanced ChemistryDevelopmentCustomer emphasis and tech know-how putchemistry software company on top


existing ELN and LIMS systems that onlyhandle images of analytical results canrarely improve interpretation efficiency,accelerate determination of unknowns,allow critical evaluations, extract informa-tion from the actual analytical data, or per-mit re-purposing with respect to the ana-lytical data,” says Thorp.

ACD/Labs is striving to offer a com-plementary system specifically designedto handle the diversity and variety ofavailable analytical data and bring it alltogether for easy review and reporting,while preserving the structure of the datathat can be re-evaluated and re-assessedat a later date.

ACD/Labs’ Japanese distributorFujitsu has already implemented such asystem for its customers using Cam-bridgeSoft ELN and ACD/SpecManager.Similar projects are underway in othercountries with other ELN systems.

As a made-in-Canada success story,ACD/Labs has had the chance to makelasting partnerships with Canadian com-panies and researchers. “We’ve been col-laborating with the University of Torontofor a number of years,” says Thorp. Onesuch example was a 2005 software dona-tion to the Environmental NuclearMagnetic Resonance (NMR) Centre at theUniversity of Toronto at Scarborough, tofacilitate Dr. André Simpson in hisresearch on the structural categories ofcarbon in the environment.

Other recent collaborations withCanadian researchers include partnershipswith Chenomx, a Canadian company spe-cializing in the development of complexmixture analysis software for life sciencesapplications. The most recent sawChenomx Metabolite Database of NMRspectra made available withinACD/Labs’software, so that ACD/Labs’ metabolo-mics users could perform routine peakidentification directly from withinACD/1D NMR Manager.

But no matter what new areasACD/Labs gets into, the company’sfocus has always been clear. Thorp says,“We have thirteen years of expertisecombining analytical results with chemi-cal knowledge.”

ACD/LABS AT A GLANCE

Name: Advanced ChemistryDevelopment (ACD/Labs)

Founded: 1994

Headquarters: Toronto, ON

International Offices: France, India,Russia, UK and USA

Direct sales offices: Toronto,Canada; Bangalore, India; andBracknell Berks, England

Employees (in Canada): 40

Employees (overseas): 105

Core Competency: chemistry software(predictive, chemical, spectroscopic,chromatographic, and databasemanagement software solutions)

Key Markets: Chemical; Agrochem-ical; Pharmaceutical/ Biotechnology;R&D Services, Support and MedicalDevices; High Technology Manufact-uring; Consumer and IndustrialManufacturing; Foods, Flavours,Fragrances, and Personal Care;Government, Research Institutes,and Chemical Societies

Contact Info: 1-800-304-3988

Web Site: www.acdlabs.com

Key Competitors: ChemSW,CambridgeSoft, Hyleos,Molinspiration Cheminformatic

molecular ion identifi-cation and LC/MS datainterpretation, firstintroduced at Pittcon2006. ACD/Intelli-Xtract received thePittcon Editor’s AwardHonorable Mention

for Best New Product.As LC/MS instrumentation improves

and high-throughput sample analysisbecomes more prevalent, the bottleneckhas shifted from sample acquisition to dataanalysis and interpretation. ACD/Intelli-Xtract mimics the approach an expertmass spectrometrist takes to extract andresolve chromatographic components, andinterprets the spectrum for each.

Another new offering solves theproblem of high-throughput bottlenecksfor NMR analysis and provides a way toeffectively automate the entire NMRprocess. Its April 2007 announcement ofthe collaboration with Protasis/MRM(equipment manufacturer for NMRspectroscopy) was reported to herald“the most complete automated high-throughput system available for NMRdata production and analysis”. The com-bined system allows users to seamlesslycollect samples, and automatically con-firm the identity of the synthesized com-pounds in minutes.

ACD/Labs again saw a gap in theindustry with respect to ElectronicLaboratory Notebooks. ELNs are a newfeature in many labs, popular since theyhave replaced handwritten notes, allow-ing scientists to put everything into asearchable body, including structureconfirmation conclusions illustrated by

analytical images.“In some areas of R&D, analytical

data serves as a dynamic source of knowl-edge that needs to be re-used and re-eval-uated multiple times through the lifetimeof a research project. For this purpose, the

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tech watch

An invaluable process in many fieldsof scientific research and industries,chromatography separates compo-

nents of a mixture by slow passagethrough or over a material which absorbseach component differently. A mixturedissolved in a mobile phase is passedthrough a stationary phase, which sepa-rates the substance to be measured fromother molecules in the mixture. Repeatedsorption/desorption acts that take placeduring the movement of the sample sub-stance over the stationary bed determinethe rates. The lower the affinity amolecule has for the stationary phase, theshorter the time spent in a column.In any chemical or bioprocessing

industry, separating and purifying aproduct from a complex mixture is anecessary step in the production line.Chromatography can separate complexmixtures with great precision. Even verysimilar components, such as proteins that

may only vary by a single amino acid, canbe separated.Chromatography can also beused to separate delicate products sincethe conditions under which it isperformed are not typically severe,makingit very useful in the field of biotechnology.Russian botanistMikhail Semyonovich

Tsvet invented the first chromatographytechnique in the early 1900s, whileresearching chlorophyll. In 1941, ArcherJohn Porter Martin and Richard LaurenceMillington Synge, working for the WoolIndustries Research Association inEngland, created liquid-liquid partitionchromatography, a feat for which theywere later awarded the Chemistry NobelPrize. A significant tool for linking analyt-ical chemistry to the life sciences, the dis-covery helped create and define molecularbiology research. Partition chromatogra-phy, which separates the various aminoacids that define proteins, has advancedrapidly since then.

Researchers found that the principlesunderlying the first chromatography sys-tems could be applied in many differentways, giving rise to the many differentvarieties of chromatography in existencetoday, including column chromatogra-phy, planer chromatography, paperchromatography, thin layer chromatog-raphy, gas chromatography, highperformance liquid chromatography(HPLC), ion-exchange chromatography(IEC) and ion chromatography (IC), aswell as supercritical fluid chromatogra-phy. Simultaneously, advances continu-ally improved the technical aspects,allowing the separation of increasinglysimilar molecules.The process and instruments

involved in chromatography are contin-ually evolving. Below are several newexamples of chromatography equipment,designed to meet the needs of separationscientists today.

Agilent Technologies introduced a gas chromato-graph/mass spectrometer detector system—the Agilent5975C GC/MSD platform—that uses the superiorcapabilities of the Agilent 7890A GC and allows theuser to detect trace level compounds in complex matri-ces with accuracy and speed. It features Agilent’s TraceIon Detection capability, designed to reduce chemical

noise and improve peak shape andspectral fidelity, producing better library

matches at trace levels.Combined with Agilent’s

D e c o n v o l u t i o nReporting Software(DRS) and databas-es, compounds can

be detected even when they coelute, and much of thetedious complexity is removed. Other features includehigher-sensitivity specifications with helium and ahydrogen carrier gas specification for labs concernedabout helium’s growing scarcity and cost. The MScapabilities of the 5975C have been extended. A newhigh-temperature ion source operates up to 350°C.Thishigher temperature, combined with Agilent’s exclusiveheated quadrupole and automated bakeout cycle,delivers superior analytical performance while requiringminimal maintenance, even with dirty samples. TheQuickSwap accessory for the 5975CGC/MSD permitschanging the column without venting the MS detector,meaning that the time required for this job is reducedfrom hours to minutes.

GC/MSD for detecting trace level compounds in complex matrices

Chromatography update



New system for nanospray mass spectrometry proteomics analysis

Eksigent’s latest addition to its nanoflowchromatography product line is the NanoLCMALDI Spotting System. Featuring theEkspot spotter, the new system complementsEksigent’s existing offerings for nanospraymass spectrometry proteomics analysis.Integration of the Ekspot with the NanoLCprovides single-point control from theEksigent software, enabling the analysis ofcomplex protein and peptide samples withMALDI MS. The Ekspot spotter/fractioncollector deposits fractions eluted from the

NanoLC onto aMALDI plate, while a built-in pump automatically adds the matrix. Highpositioning accuracy ensures consistent spot-ting with maximum resolution. The high-capacity system stores up to 16 MALDI-targets for high-throughput applications.Eksigent’s microfluidic technology improvesreproducibility and sensitivity and eliminatessolvent waste by eliminating flow splitting.The NanoLC’s precise microscale flowcontrol runs HPLC gradients at rates as lowas 20 nL per minute.

Metrohm’s new ion chromatography system, the850 Professional IC, is a professional ion chro-matography system that is compact, modular, andflexible. The 850 Professional IC offers newlydeveloped hardware, MagIC Net software, andMetrosep iColumns. The Professional IC givesgapless system monitoring, guaranteed traceabili-

ty of all actions and an easy-to-use operation sys-tem. The 850 Professional IC can be used formany applications including measuring anionsand cations in drinking water, ultratrace analysisin nuclear power plants, ions in complex samplematrices in the semiconductor industry, andmethod development in R&D.

Professional ion chromatography system

Compact laboratory GC-TMS instrument

Torion introduced “the world’s smallest laboratoryGC-TMS instrument.” The GUARDION-7, ahand-portable capillary gas chromatograph—toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS)instrument, features a low thermal mass capillarygas chromatograph (GC) with high-speed tem-perature programming (>180ºC/min) and a

miniature toroidal ion trap mass spectrome-ter (TMS) with a mass range from 50to >500 Daltons. Samples are inject-ed using a novel SPME fibercustody syringe. Thesystem is totally self-contained and weighs

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduced QuickQuan2.0 software for automating high-throughput LC-MS/MS assays. Designed to alleviate the bottle-neck of sample analysis in early drug discovery,QuickQuan delivers rapid LC-MS/MS optimiza-tion through an automated on-line infusion modeand valve switching design. The software allowsprecise auto-tuning with high sensitivity and maxi-mizes successful automated quantification of chem-ically diverse compounds. All analytical informa-tion can be stored in Microsoft Access or Oracledatabases. QuickQuan 2.0 incorporates new fea-

tures for laboratories performing medium to highthroughput quantitation assays. The uniqueAutosampler Infusion feature introduced in thisversion enables automated compound optimiza-tion. When coupled with a CTC HTS or HTCPAL autosampler, the autosampler can be config-ured for use as an infusion pump. Automated opti-mization of MS/MS parameters enables users tooptimize hundreds of compounds without manualintervention. QuickQuan 2.0 is available as a pre-packaged hardware solution that enables columnswitching without guesswork or plumbing.

Software solutions for automating LC-MS/MS assays


less than 25 pounds. It is operated fromhouse electrical power and gas. The userinterface is a laptop computer with operat-ing software for method specification,instrument control, data collection, andresults processing. The GC-TMS is pack-

aged in a hardened case with dimensions of18.5” (wide) x 14” (deep) x 7” (high). TheGUARDION-7 miniature GC-TMS sys-tem is ideally suited for rapid (less than fivemins) screening of chemical warfare agents,explosives, and hazardous chemicals.

LB

tech watch

Varian debuted a triple-quadrupole massspectrometer (MS) capable of femtogramdetection limits and a mass range up to2000 Da to identify a wide range of com-pounds. The 320-MS touts a uniquedesign, enabling researchers to switchbetween a LC (liquid chromatography) andGC (gas chromatography) format, and isavailable as a triple-quadrupoleMS or a sin-gle-quadrupole MS that can later beupgraded to a triple-quadrupole. The per-formance and flexibility of the instrument is

contained in less than 72 cm of linear benchspace, which is substantially smaller thanother competing systems. Additionally, the320-MS offers a complete package solution,including a new version (v6.8) of Varian’sMS Workstation software, newly designedHPLC pumps and detectors optimized forLC/MS, industry standard gas chro-matographs, and a comprehensive line ofchromatography columns including Varian’sPursuit HPLC columns and FactorFourGC columns.

Uniquely flexible triple quad offers femtogram detection limits

Always playing catch-up with your laboratory products supplier? Youshouldn’t have to. VWR is always right there with end-to-end solutionsthat will help you make perfectly matched instrument, supply,consumable and service choices…especially in the life science arena.

We offer a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge life scienceproducts—from innovative antibodies to tissue culture equipment andsupplies. Plus, our network of life science experts can do all the“running” for you to help with purchasing decisions, technical supportand service options.

It’s the “Power of 1” from the one laboratory products supply companythat has been making the customer its singular focus since the beginning!

Stay at the forefront of life science with the company that runs with you.For more information, call 1-800-932-5000 or visit vwr.com today.

Your laboratory products supplier

should runwith

©2007 VWR International, Inc. VWR, forms of VWR and the VWR logo and/or design are either registered trademarks or trademarks of VWR International, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

should run

V



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lab ware

Handling high sample volumes in QC environmentBrinkmann Instruments launched the Metrohm 873 BiodieselRancimat for handling high sample volumes in QC environmentsand for use in biodiesel and FAME oxidative stability research. TheMetrohm 873 Biodiesel Rancimat features a temperature range from50°C to 200°C; eight independently controlled sample positions; twoheating blocks; and Windows software for creating sample-specificmethods, parameter modifications, data storage, and control of up tofour separate units (32 samples) and eight separate temperatures.


Integrated HPLC Injector suited for OEM applicationsVICI Valco presents its first integrated motor/valve assembly specificallydesigned to be built into an OEM system. The Cheminert C52 Seriesintegrated 24 V motor/valve assembly requires connection to instrumentpower supply for operation. Control is simplified to require a single contactclosure; the injector’s position is determined by whether the closure isheld high or low. Available in 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-port configurations, instainless or PEEK, the instrument has a built-in sensor to confirm valveposition. The C52 is compact, lightweight, and can simplify instrumentdesigns and help cut costs.

MicroPoration for non viral transfectionsBTX introduced MicroPoration, a new methodfor non-viral transfections, where transfectiontakes place in the actual pipette tip. Micro-Poration provides efficient electroporation ofprimary cells and stem cells, using a systemconsisting of a high performance pulse generator,safety chamber and MicroPorator pipette, withpre-sterilized disposable tips. The HighPerformance Pulse Generator has a graphicaluser interface for easy setting and operation.

All electrical parame-ters are controlledby the user includingvoltage, number ofpulses and pulseduration. Pre-optimized electricalparameters areprovided andupdated throughthe BTX technicalsupport group.




Extended piston air operated valve lineHigh Pressure Equipment Company has added to their extraheavy duty Hippo Piston Air Operated valve line with new ori-fice sizes, maximum operating pressures and air pressures.These piston air operators provide remote automatic on/offvalve operation in maximum operating pressures of 10,000,20,000, and 30,000 psi with orifice sizes of 7/16, 9/16, and11/16 inches. The new valves have been added to both thenormally closed (air to open/spring to close) and the normallyopen (spring to open/air to close) services. HiP air operatorscan be controlled by means of an air regulator, an electric solenoid, or a manual lowpressure valve in the user’s air supply line. There are optional carbide, ceramic orStellite (for cyclic service) stem & seat materials available as well as PolyPak packing.

Aluminum foil film for cold storageExcel Scientific introduced AlumaSeal CS, anadhesive aluminum foil film specially formulated witha new adhesive designed to withstand long-termstorage down to -80° C. AlumaSeal CS films havea single non-perforated end tab. The dimensions of

the foil films are 82.6 by 132.6 mm, including the 9.5 mm end tab. AlumaSeal CSfilms are certified DNase-, RNase-, and nucleic-acid-free, and are available innon-sterile or sterile format.


Tangential flow filtration capsulefor single-use biopharmaceutical applicationsPall Corporation introduced a tangential flow filtration capsule, to enhanceefficiency in cell concentration and cell harvesting. The Kleenpak TFFMicrofiltration Capsule offers a high-flux rate with minimal hold-up volumeseven under demanding bioprocessing conditions. The efficient microfiltrationmechanism is packaged in a disposable, easy-to-use capsule. Pall’s Supormembrane in the capsule provides a large surface area for filtration toincrease throughput. The capsules are available in three pore ratings(0.65µm, 0.45µm and 0.2µm) to enable their use with a wide variety of bio-logical fluids, including mammalian, yeast and bacterial cells.



Stainless steel syringesKD Scientific’s full line of Stainless Steel Syringes work under high pressuresand forces, eliminating the problem of breaking of glass syringes. The syringes,which are compatible with KD’s line of automated syringe pumps, offer goodresistance to most aggressive liquids. The syringes are available in 2.5, 8, 20,50, 100 and 200 ml sizes with removable replaceable tips, and are guaranteedto be leak free for pressures up to 700 psi.

Specular Reflectance accessoriesThermo Fisher Scientific launched a seriesof Specular Reflectance accessories to com-plement the Thermo Scientific Evolution 300and 600 UV-Visible spectrophotometers. The

new acces-sories are use-ful in materialscience labora-tories for themeasurement ofthe specularreflectance ofsolid materialswith mirror-likeor glossy sur-

faces. The new range includes the new VNAbsolute Specular Reflectance accessory, aselection of fixed angle specular reflectanceaccessories and a variable angle specularreflectance accessory. The VN AbsoluteSpecular reflectance accessory is capable ofproviding absolute, single-bounce measure-ments at 10o angle of incidence. The FixedAngle Specular Reflectance accessories areideal for a variety of military, solar, routineand research applications at 15o, 20o, 30o,45o and 60o angles of incidence.

Filter bags for laboratory blendersand mixersAdvanced Instruments’ subsidiary SpiralBiotech introduced high-performancefilter bags for laboratory food and solidsample blenders and mixers. TheBagFilter line of reinforced, heavy-dutyplastic bags incorporates a nonwovenfilter that separates bacterial flora fromresidual debris and provides easier andquicker pipeting. The single-use, sterilizedbags are available in four configurationsfor different types of food or samples.BagFilter products are available in 100ml, 400 ml or 3500 ml sizes. Designedfor use in Spiral’s industry-leadingBagMixer and Gravimat samplepreparation systems, they also workwith any other type of blender.

Volume-sampling system for biothera-peutics small-volume samplingMillipore Corporation introduced the newNovaSeptum AV Accurate Volume systemfor aseptic and sterile sampling in bio-therapeutic production. The NovaSeptumAV system is a closed, accurate samplingsystem that enables production personnelto obtain small-volume product sampleseasily and efficiently without the risk ofcross contamination. Consecutive individ-ual small-volume samples for immediatein-process testing or distribution to appro-priate QC personnel for testing can beobtained, eliminating the aliquoting step.The NovaSeptum syringe can also bestored until sample testing is required.

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lab ware

LIST OF ADVERTISERS & WEBSITES

Brinkmann ......................Page 6, 37 ..............www.brinkmann.comBuchi ..............................Page 39..............................www.buchi.caCaledon Labs ................Page 20 ......................www.caledon.comEsbe ..............................Page 13 ..........................www.esbe.comEppendorf ......................Page 10 ..................www.eppendorf.comFisher Scientific ..............Page 2 ..........................www.fishersci.caMettler ..........................Page 4 ................................www.mt.comMott Lab ........................Page 21 ......................www.mottlab.comVarian ............................Page 9 ......................www.varianinc.comVWR ..............................Page 33 ............................www.vwr.comWaters ..........................Page 40 ......................www.waters.com

Standards generating system for clean-room AMC monitorsKin-Tek Laboratories introduced a stan-dards generating system for use withAirborne Molecular Contamination (AMC)monitors, for applications such as calibra-tion for NMP and ammonia in semiconduc-tor micro-lithography facilities, calibrationfor acid gases, sulfur compounds, volatilesiloxanes and VOCs in semiconductor andbiotechnology clean rooms. The Span LabCal Cart is a multi-channel standardsgenerator that uses Trace Source perme-ation (or diffusion) tubes as the sourcefor analyte vapors. The system featuresfour independently controlled channels fordelivering standards of multiple analytes.Concentrations from < 1 ppb to > 10ppmcan be produced. Mixtures can be deliv-ered dry or humidified at 20-90% RH.A dual dilution system gives varyingconcentrations while maintaining constantoutput flow. The generator is portablewithin a facility, as it is available withinternal battery power, and an onboardsupply of air or N2 to permit unsupportedoperation in transit or in remote areas.


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Vacuum pump inlet trapsMV Products introduced a new series of replaceable filterelements for their full line of vacuum pump inlet traps thattarget specific types of process byproducts. MV FilterElements for specific process contaminants include fournew types: An activated carbon media for ammoniavapors, SodaSorb for HCL, Resisorb for mercury vaporabsorption, and activated charcoal for organics. Theelements are suitable for applications ranging from 25to 1,000 CFM in any combination. MV Filter Elements fitthe Posi-Trap and the MV Multi-Trap featuring a largeknockdown stage and up to six separate stages, eachholding multiple filter elements.

Testing machine offersincreased precisionShimadzu Scientific Instrumentsintroduced a new testingmachine offering increasedprecision and productivity withintuitive operation and conven-ient support functions.TheAutograph AG-X Series hasportable USB memory and TRA-PEZIUM X software, that allowsscientists to combine graphedresults from separate tests, cre-ate histograms andX-barR charts, and easilyaccess data from anyWeb-based environment. It measuresloads from 100N to 100kN usinga single load cell, achieving pre-cision within ±0.5 percent witha 1/1000 load cell. Other stan-dard features include 32-bit,144-mHz MPU, FPGA-controlledsynchronized sampling andmotor control, 5 kHz sample and1M pulse per second resolution.

Volumetric titrator offersspeed and accuracyJM Science announcedthe new AQUACOUNTERVolumetric Karl FischerTitrator (AQV-300).The titrator allowsmeasure of mois-ture content fromlow to high concen-trations quickly andaccurately. TheAQV-300 has sixbuilt-in calculationmodes to accommodate solid, liquid and gas samples.It includes a statistics package with one-touch calcula-tions. Four files with preset conditions can be stored inmemory and allow instant recall of data for up to 20samples. A built-in detector monitors titration statusand a direct key access allows entry of titration param-eters. This compact unit with a very small footprint hasbalance and computer interfaces for GLP and ISOdocumentation. Includes download software for trans-ferring results to a laptop or PC. Choice of thermalprinter or impact printer is available.




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Tuttnauer understands that different sterilization applications require different chamber dimensions. That is why we offer benchtop models with 7-, 9-, 10- and 12-inch diameter chambers.

These autoclaves offer fast, safe, dependable and convenient steam sterilization for liquids, media, instruments, glassware and waste.

Standard features include:� Overpressure valve � Slow and fast exhaust � Overtemperature cutoff� 316 L stainless steel chamber� Heat-insulated, double-locking door� No plumbing or hardwiring required

Tuttnauer Autoclaves are available in:� Microprocessor-controlled electronic models� Environmental lab model to meet EPA guidelines

For more information visit www.brinkmann.com

We’ve got your size.Tuttnauer® Autoclaves

www.brinkmann.com email: [email protected] U.S.A. 800-645-3050 Canada 800-263-8715

In partnership with Brinkmann


The science and innovation behind the product are what make

Cold FX such a successful brand. It’s been 15 years nowsince CVT was formed. We started doing commercialization

three years ago, when I took over as CEO. Having been in the

biotech industry for 15 years, I believe Canadais a great place for innovation. We have some great ideas in

creating new therapeutics and drugs, as well as companies with

new ways of thinking. Canada as a whole has a lot of intel-lectual property power. But there should be more encour-agement within the industry, with respect to commercialization.

We are good with the ideas, research, and clinical studies, but we

need to encourage branding, and competing with Europeand the U.S. from a pharmaceutical point of view. Lookingat investors, the industry is driven by finances, and what does the

financial world view as a success in the industry? Companies are

pressured to find a big international partner for intellectual

property before they do advanced clinical studies. Inthe Canadian biotech model, that is success. Mostof the money is going into the research, but usually companies

stop when they go into phase one and phase two studies, and

another company takes over. At some time you have to break

that, go beyond that. To focus on commercialization is good

since it means that we keep Canadian products in

Canada…and market globally.

sitting with

Dr. Jacqueline ShanPresident, CEO and CSO, CV Technologies

Dr. Jacqueline Shan isfounder, president, CEO andCSO of Edmonton-basedCV Technologies (CVT), thenatural therapeutics companybehind the popularCold-fX brand. Cold-fX isa ginseng-based immune-booster targeting cold andflu symptoms. CVT is the firstcompany ever to successfullycomplete a U.S. FDA-regulat-ed double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II clinicaltrial with an herbal product.

LB


The new BUCHI Rotavapor® is better than ever!

The inventor of rotary evaporation incorporates new features in its latest Rotavapor which set the bar for safety and ease of use. To optimize the performance in your lab, Buchi offers a comprehensive line of accessories, making Buchi Canada’s complete evaporation solution for 50 years.

Operators as well as products are protected by a specially designed glass coating and an automatic lift in case of a power failure

Easy handling and fail-safe functionality increase safety and avoid accidents

A long life sealing system reduces maintenance and cleaning time and increases the efficiency in your lab

3 year warranty

Extensive listing of accessories to optimize your lab

Customize your Rotavapor today at www.buchi.ca

BUCHI CorporationNew Castle, Delaware

1-877-MYBUCHI or visit www.buchi.ca Quality in your hands

Evaporation Rotary

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