How new spectrometer technologies substantially cut operating costs

This report explores how engineering innovations can significantly reduce costs — enabling substantial savings while improving performance. ICP-OES spectrometry is routinely used for elemental analysis by professionals in environmental, industrial, and academic laboratories worldwide. In evaluating which ICP-OES instrument to select for a given set of tasks, two differing emphases emerge. Independent laboratories require an adequate level of performance, but also prioritize sensitivity and speed. Their prime concern: choosing an instrument that can maintain the highest possible number of tests per shift. By contrast, other operations — including many industrial research laboratories — prioritize stability and analytical precision. However, both groups agree on the importance of controlling costs. But this can be difficult, since most ICP-OES instruments presently on the market incur a variety of operational and maintenance expenses that dramatically increase their total cost of ownership. Fortunately, some newer enhancements to traditional spectrometer technologies reduce or eliminate these expenses.