IN THE arms race that defines the chromatography market, each new iteration of instrument technology brings with it the need for new terminology. Back in the dark ages, we may have divided chromatography into simply ‘gas’ and ‘liquid’ methods, but since then we’ve seen an ever-growing list of ever-more specific definitions.
The latest to come across my desk is from Agilent, and is the world’s first commercially-available (take a deep breath) hybrid supercritical fluid ultra high-performance liquid chromatography system. That’s Hybrid SFC/UHPLC for short, if you could call it this bowl of alphabet soup short. See item No 1 in our top ten news stories, below.
Now, part of me wants to deride the trend of ever-inflating definitions as just silly, making the evolution of laboratory terminology seem like more the way the military chooses to deliberately complicate simple things. Diesel fuel is the classic example – everybody understands what it is, yet in military parlance this became known as ‘diesel engine road vehicle, fuel for the use of’, which in turn was abbreviated back to DERV.
It seems undeniable that many, many people do not know what DERV is, while everybody knows what diesel is. What then is the point of inventing a new word for it, other than to spread confusion? This situation is not exactly the same with laboratory technology, because these new instruments are not adequately described by the old terms. But we have to draw a line somewhere, and perhaps that place is here.
If we continue to add new qualifiers to expand and define new variants of chromatography, we will lose sight of what they actually are. I fear that, if this trend continues, lab scientists and technicians will have to work for an additional degree in lab linguistics, before being let loose in the workplace.
If diesel fuel were invented in a laboratory today, it would probably be called ‘synthesised fractionated heavy hydrocarbon-based waxy liquid fuel’, and then re-abbreviated back to SFHHB/WLF, or something equally opaque. We’re beginning to make military terminology look positively enlightened.
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best wishes Russ Swan editor, LabHomepage.com
This week’s top stories: 02 March 2012
1. HPLC with added supercriticality
A NEW hybrid ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) launched by Agilent Technologies is the first to incorporate supercritical fluid chromatography capabilities. The 1260 Infinity Hybrid SFC/UHPLC system allows the researcher to select the most suitable…
http://labhomepage.com/956/hplc/hplc-with-added-supercriticality/
2. Rapid forensic assessment of glass trace evidence
DETERMINING the refractive index of glass fragments for forensic purposes is about to become faster and easier, says Craic Technologies, with the launch of its rIQ microspectrophotometry system. Glass particles are common at crime scenes…
http://labhomepage.com/968/spectrophotometer/rapid-forensic-assessment-of-glass-trace-evidence
3. Host-cell DNA clearance process now automated
A NEW automated process for the clearance of host-cell DNA promises higher recovery rates and highly sensitive qPCR. In the manufacture of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies, the clearance of host cell DNA is a vital process for…
http://labhomepage.com/975/nucleic-acid/host-cell-dna-clearance-process-now-automated
4. How to determine CHN in volatile samples
A KEY factor in predicting the performance of petroleum fuels and lubricants is the percentage of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen (CHN) they contain. However, the volatile nature of these materials means that conventional elemental analysis is difficult to…
http://labhomepage.com/962/sample-preparation/how-to-determine-chn-in-volatile-samples
5. Faster aflatoxin analysis in milk
THE LATEST kits in Bioo Scientific’s range of MaxSignal elisas (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) are used for the detection of aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products, and offer a choice of greater analysis speed or greater sensitivity depending on…
http://labhomepage.com/791/food-safety/faster-aflatoxin-analysis-in-milk
6. Benchtop laser brings SERDS into the lab
We’re used to hearing about laboratories being populated by nerds, but Laser Components wants to see SERDS making its presence felt. Shifted Excitation Raman Differential Spectroscopy, SERDS, is a technique in which two Raman spectra generated by slightly…
http://labhomepage.com/981/laser/benchtop-laser-brings-serds-into-the-lab
7. Powder rheometer gets updated software
BROOKFIELD Engineering has updated the software for its Powder Flow Tester powder rheometer, used to determine material characteristics in industrial and laboratory operations. Powder Flow Pro v1.2 includes two new features, designed to…
http://labhomepage.com/952/rheometry/powder-rheometer-gets-updated-software
8. Easier detection and purification of recombinant proteins
A RANGE of anti-tag antibodies from Amsbio, for the detection and purification of recombinant tagged proteins, are mainly mouse monoclonal antibodies which have been screened and validated applications including Western blot, immunoprecipitation…
http://labhomepage.com/926/proteomics/easier-detection-and-purification-of-recombinant-proteins
9. Rotational viscometers determine dynamic viscosity
THE THREE models in Cole-Parmer’s new range of rotational viscometers are each designed to offer maximum chemical resistance, making them suitable for use with corrosive materials. Using spindles made of 316 stainless steel and,…
http://labhomepage.com/910/rheometry/rotational-viscometers-determine-dynamic-viscosity
10. Twelve protein samples purified in 15 minutes ANACHEM says its Rainin PureSpeed pipette tips offer a simpler way to purify native and recombinant proteins, thanks to the affinity resin incorporated in the base of the pipette tip. This captures, purifies, and enriches…
http://labhomepage.com/920/pipette/twelve-protein-samples-purified-in-15-minutes
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