PALO ALTO, CA, June 7, 2005 (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- Varian Inc. introduces the industry's first range of ultra-low-bleed cyano/phenyl/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) columns for trace analysis of volatile and semi-volatile compounds for select Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) methods. The Varian FactorFour(TM) VF-1701ms, VF-624ms, and VF-1301ms columns are the latest additions to the FactorFour family of ultra-low-bleed gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) capillary columns, which offer a bleed specification of up-to-four times lower than comparable products.
Environmental lab technicians following EPA 508, 524, 525, 608, 624, 625, and 8260 Test Methods will use the new Varian FactorFour columns for the analysis of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, such as pesticides in drinking water and pollutants in groundwater as well as industrial and municipal waste discharges. In the pharmaceutical industry, the columns are ideal for quality assurance laboratories, which follow the USP Method 467 targeting residual solvents in pharmaceutical preparations.
Cyano-based columns can exhibit very high column bleed caused by degradation of the stationary phase and resulting in a variety of problems that hinder government-mandated analysis and quantitation of critical trace analytes. Those problems include ghost peak formation, breakdown of analytes, loss of high-boiling semi-volatile compounds, and unstable baselines. Column bleed can lead to contaminated detectors, instrument downtime, and loss of sensitivity of targeted compounds in trace analysis.
The ultra-low-bleed characteristics of Varian's new VF-1701ms, VF-624ms, and VF-1301ms columns enable environmental, pharmaceutical, industrial, and toxicology analysts to virtually eliminate bleed-related problems associated with columns, thereby achieving faster, more accurate analysis. Drinking water authorities, industrial and municipal waste discharge facilities, contract research laboratories, and drug manufacturing quality assurance departments will benefit from improved quantitation of trace analytes and faster throughput, giving lower-cost-per-sample analysis.
The new Varian FactorFourTM ultra-low-bleed VF-1701ms, VF-624ms, and VF-1301ms phases are available for immediate order, with shipments beginning in June 2005.
Varian, Inc. supplies a broad range of scientific instruments and consumable supplies for a variety of applications, such as pharmaceutical, environmental, chemical, petrochemical, food and beverage, and metallurgy. Since 1999, the company has maintained a balanced approach to refreshing and expanding its products for life science and industrial customers.
For further product information on FactorFour, including specifications regarding selectivity for certain EPA and USP methods, please visit: www.varianinc.com/products/consum/gccolumns/facfour/facvf_nwphas.html.
Varian Inc. (www.varianinc.com) is a leading worldwide supplier of scientific instruments and vacuum technologies for life science and industrial applications. The company provides complete solutions, including instruments, vacuum components, laboratory consumable supplies, software, training, and support through its global distribution system. It employs about 3,500 people and operates manufacturing facilities in 12 locations in North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Varian had fiscal year 2004 sales of $724 million (excluding the divested Electronics Manufacturing segment).
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