If you have wondered what was really making your clothes smell before you threw them into the wash, and even after they were supposedly cleaned, you are not alone. Scientists from Northrumbia University recently published a study in the Journal of Chromatography that revealed the molecules that make your socks stink. Beyond the dirt and sweat, believe it or not there are six volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that simply can’t be washed out in traditional eco-friendly cycles (68 degrees Fahrenheit). In other words, the stinky VOCs survive the wash.
There is no doubt that more people are paying more attention to the environmental footprint of their day-to-day activities. Washing clothes without hot water or using detergents that are less environmental friendly have become more viewed as ways to be more friendly to the environment. Scientists argue that because of this increasing awareness of the ecological impacts of washing clothes, it’s “important to understand why dirty clothes smell, in order to find the best way to clean them.” The VOCs “could be used to test the effectiveness of washing at different temperatures.”
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VOC,
Headspace
Teledyne Tekmar recently conducted a webinar about food and beverage flavor testing using Teledyne’s automated headspace solutions. In the webinar, analysis of several food and beverage applications was provided. The headspace analysis was completed using the HT3 Automated Static and Dynamic Headspace Vial Sampler, which includes a 60-position Autosampler and a 10-position Sample Platen for Overlapping; and the Versa Automated Headspace Vial Sampler, which is only one-foot wide and includes a 20-position Autosampler and a single vial platen. Here are several key takeaways from the webinar:
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Headspace
A recent study published in the March 2015 issue of Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, suggests that house cleaning products labeled as “organic,” non-toxic” and “all natural” may not be as green as they suggest. The study conducted by the University of Melbourne reviewed the ingredients of 37 different fragranced and fragrance-free air fresheners, cleaning products, laundry supplies and personal care products (i.e. soap, shampoo and sunscreen). Researches found 156 different volatile organic compounds emitted from the commonly used products; 42 of which are classified as toxic or hazardous. There was an average of 15 VOCs per product.
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VOC,
Headspace
In the first part of our series on headspace analysis, we covered the basics, from defining what it is and how it saves labs time and money to its uses in modern labs. In part two, we detailed how analysts can achieve the best performances using headspace/gas chromatography (GC) and the importance of correctly preparing samples for analysis. In the third part, we will focus on the three common techniques that are used to transfer a headspace sample from the vials to the GC. These include gas-tight syringe injection, balanced-pressure systems and pressure-loop systems.
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Headspace,
GC
In our first post about headspace gas chromatography (GC) analysis, we addressed the basics of the volatile components testing process. Static and dynamic headspace/GC analyses are surging in popularity driven by their ability to accurately determine blood alcohol levels and residual solvents in pharmaceutical production. As a result of their effectiveness, organizations in other industries such as cosmetics and food are using it to determine the presence and levels of volatile species in their liquid and solid samples. In this post, we will focus on how to get the best performance when implementing headspace/GC and the key issues to consider when preparing samples.
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Sample Preparation,
Headspace
When it comes to determining the level of volatile species in solid, liquid or gas samples, one of the more popular techniques is Static Headspace analysis.
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Headspace,
HT3,
Versa
Our recent Application Note: "Achieving Low-Level Detection of Benzene in Beverages with an Automated Headspace Vial Sampler" and accompanying webinar “Benzene in Beverages - How Low Can We Go” brought many thoughts to mind (to view Benzene Analysis resources and the webinar, please click the button at the bottom of this blog). Foremost was that I knew next to nothing about Benzene, how it could end up in my soft drink, and what potential health effects it might have. I remembered vaguely hearing about it in my childhood. My general conception was that there was nothing good about it. Being myself a wary food consumer (you’ll find me reading the back panels of food boxes in the grocery store), this was a subject for my inner food skeptic. What I discovered was not nearly as straight forward as I had presumed.
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Purge and Trap Concentrator,
Atomx,
VOC,
Headspace,
HT3,
Versa,
Benzene,
Beverage Analysis
The battle of the headspace Titans continues in the Teledyne Tekmar applications lab. This time, the sample arena has moved to environmental compounds in beverages. Beverages formulated with sodium or potassium benzoate and ascorbic acid may form benzene at part per billion levels (ppb). The lowest current regulation found in the international water regulations for benzene is 1 ppb.
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Headspace,
HT3,
Versa,
Benzene,
Beverage Analysis
Excitement abounds in the Teledyne Tekmar labs as the Versa headspace autosampler continues to meet the challenges of an ever-changing environmental science world. Its big brother, the HT3, started this excitement when it successfully met the challenge to detect low levels of 1,4-dioxane, bromoform, acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride in water following new environmental guidance from Korea and the Asian market.
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Tags:
VOC,
Teledyne Tekmar,
Volatile Organic Compounds,
Analytical Instrumentation,
Autosampler,
Analyzer,
Headspace,
HT3,
Versa,
1 4-dioxane,
bromoform,
acrylonitrile,
vinyl chloride,
VPH
