"I believe that the first purchase I made after accepting this position was this nitrogen evaporator” said the Associate Professor of Environmental Toxicology. She had used the N-EVAP in two other positions, first in Taiwan and then at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon her arrival at University of California at Riverside, the researcher did not evaluate other sample concentrators because she knew that the N-EVAP was the ideal solution for her needs.
Today, the professor and her department of environmental sciences, are doing exciting work in the field of toxicology. Specifically, the lab is studying the impacts of e-cigarettes and vaping with a focus on the impact of second-hand smoke.
Like many other chemists, they rely on blowdown evaporation to dry off organic solvents which exist in excess following sample extraction. In this research laboratory, the solvents used most frequently are methanol, propanol and acetonitrile.
The samples then head for LC-MS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) or GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry). “Looking at the full composition of our samples is very important” the researcher said. FTIR, the most common form of infrared spectroscopy, is another approach the laboratory utilizes to understand sample composition.
→ Discover: Chromatography Sample Preparation Guide and Mass Spectrometry Sample Preparation Guide
Notoriously easy to use, the evaporator is popular with those inside and outside of the department. Since the unit is housed within the Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology Laboratory instead of the general chemistry lab, researchers from other departments request to come here and use the blowdown evaporator.
The N-EVAP's flexible design allows it to be a dynamic evaporation workstation for drying a wide range of sample tubes. This is highlighted by the many adjustments the chemist can make, leaving the science in the researcher’s hands. At each sample position, the chemist can adjust the height on the needle and the amount of gas flowing through each needle. In this case, the lab decided to use a slightly wider needle, and as a result, experienced an increase in evaporation speeds for their specific applications.
If you would like more information on Organomation's N-EVAP nitrogen evaporators or have questions on how it could benefit your own lab, please reach out to sales@organomation.com or use our live chat where one of our sales technicians can assist you.