Placing gas under the microscope

Gases are used in a wide array of commercial operations, for a plethora of uses ranging from energy, food and healthcare. Depending on the application, the purity of the gas used can be extremely important and present a significant risk if it is not addressed. Similarly, verifying the identity of gases is paramount to mitigate […]

The importance of screening pesticides in crops

As the worldwide food demand increases (with a growing population) food production will have to keep pace with this demand. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 80% of the necessary increases in food production must come from increases in yields. Pesticides are required to prevent large crop losses and […]

The nationwide outbreak of meth laboratories

It can be a toilet, a powder room, a garage or even the kitchen stove. Illicit drug manufacturers are finding ever more creative ways to produce highly valued illicit substances. The most popular one is methamphetamine (meth) as known as ‘ice’, ‘share’, ‘chalk’ or ‘tweek’. This illegal production facilities are called clandestine laboratories. The epidemic […]

Agricultural chemicals and their quality control

In agriculture, pest control is extremely necessary for sufficient yield and profitability. Particularly with crops which can be very sensitive to pest outbreaks. Farmers must make sure they manage pests on their agricultural area. Estimates have suggested that 30% of the world’s food supplies would be lost if the devastation caused by pests was not […]

The importance of characterizing hops in beer

The bitter taste is the defining characteristic of a beer. The bitterness of a beer is quantified by the International Bitter Units (IBU) standard, which in effect represents the concentration of isomerized alpha acids (iso-alpha acids) in beer. Iso-alphaacids are sourced from Humulus lupulus L. (hops). The chemistry of hops is very complex, due to […]