Consumer Goods

SIFT-MS overcomes the inaccuracies and time-consuming steps associated with using chromatography-based methods to screen for contaminants in consumer goods.  Faster time to data and higher throughput can be achieved in consumer safety applications such as testing for carcinogens in personal care products (PCPs), mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH and MOAH) in food products, and volatile leachables in packaging and polymers. 

Real-Time, Sensitive Detection of Volatile Impurities in Personal Care Products, Food, Packaging and Raw Materials

Chromatography-based methods provide incomplete solutions for quickly screening consumer goods for volatile impurities due to their need for extensive sample prep, specialized columns, long run times, and data complexity.  SIFT-MS delivers chromatography-free, real-time detection of trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in products, food, packaging, and raw materials.  No sample prep is required, and multiple, diverse analyses can be run back-to-back by non-experts without the need for column changeover.  Data output is instant and easy to interpret.  SIFT-MS enables you to make critical process decisions sooner with higher confidence in the accuracy of your results.  

 

Consumer Goods applications and use cases

Personal Care Product Testing

SIFT-MS provides rapid, sensitive, and selective analysis of benzene and other contaminants in a wide array of commercial products. Integration with a headspace autosampler enables rapid screening of hundreds of samples per day.

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Consumer Packaging Testing

SIFT-MS revolutionizes packaging testing with its ability to instantly detect a very wide range of volatile compounds. It provides broad spectrum, quantitative analysis of volatile leachables in paper, paperboard, and cardboard products in a single procedure. No derivatization or pre-concentration is required for high-throughput analysis!

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VOC Emissions

SIFT-MS facilitates real-time, thorough evaluation of volatile compound emissions from materials. High-sensitivity, broad-spectrum analysis readily detects impurities in materials and coatings that could impact product safety and/or consumer perception.

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Syft is your answer in consumer product safety testing

Industry Issue

Benzene toxicity in humans has been well established for over 120 years. The FDA has determined that benzene should not be used in standard pharmaceutical production because of its unacceptable toxicity; however, FDA guidance can be confused with emergency limits that do not apply to cosmetic products like dry shampoos. In a safety study published in November 2022 by independent analytical lab Valisure, GC-MS was initially employed to screen 148 unique batches from 34 different brands of dry shampoo. Significant variability was seen in the results due in large part to the associated sample preparation process. Sample preparation leaves the potential for some benzene to escape detection, especially when attempting to sample a gaseous aerosol product. Therefore, there is potential to underestimate the amount of contamination when using GC-MS systems.

Competitive Benefit

SIFT-MS systems eliminate the need for sample preparation, thereby enabling quantitative analysis of spray from dry shampoo directly. This allows the investigation of real-world conditions and the potential risks consumers are exposed to with contaminated aerosol products. SIFT-MS directly analyzes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and inorganic gasses in the air with trace-level sensitivity. It is also ideally suited for mobile lab environments that simulate consumer product use cases.

Industry Impact

SIFT-MS detected benzene concentrations as high as 340 ppm, or 170 times the FDA’s conditionally restricted limit and 10-50X higher than Valisure detected using GC-MS approaches. In response to the full FDA Citizen Petition on Dry Shampoo, a voluntary recall was issued on a number of commercially available dry shampoos.

Sample Customers


What a Consumer Safety Expert Says About SIFT-MS

Consumer Goods Resources

Application Note

Paperboard Volatiles 2 - MHE

This application note describes the application of MHE-SIFT-MS to detection of C1 -C10 aldehydes and other oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paperboard.

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Webinar

Direct MS Simplifies Analysis of Challenging Compounds

This webcast focuses on case studies that demonstrate simple analysis of chromatographically challenging compounds. Formaldehyde receives special attention, as it is important across a wide range of industries (from environmental to pharmaceutical testing).

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Webinar

Analysis of Volatile Emissions from Polymers and Paperboard

This webinar describes a recent addition to the portfolio of techniques available for routine sample analysis: SIFT-MS. SIFT-MS enables rapid, quantitative analysis of VOCs across the full spectrum of packaging materials.  Detailed case studies will describe applications in polymeric and paperboard emissions analysis.

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Application Note

Paperboard Volatiles 1 - Screening

This application note describes the application of SH-SIFT-MS to the detection of very diverse volatiles in eleven paperboard samples with analysis times of less than one minute per sample.

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Webinar

An Evaluation of SIFT-MS for Instrument-Based Sensory Analysis: A Packaging Case Study

This webinar addresses chemical and sensory-like analysis using SIFT-MS in the context of odors from paperboard packaging.  SIFT-MS is a powerful tool for rapid instrument-based sensory screening.

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Webinar

High-Throughput Analysis of Volatiles in Air, Polymers, Water and Soil, with SIFT-MS

In this webinar, we demonstrate the advantages of using automated SIFT-MS to analyze volatiles in diverse matrices: from air samples to the headspace of polymers, soil and water samples. Formaldehyde and the BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and the xylenes) will be utilized in various case studies. In addition, high-throughput thermal desorption-SIFT-MS and real-time thermal extraction-SIFT-MS are presented for the first time.

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Webinar

Routine Analysis 2: Routine Lab Procedures Are Easy to Apply to Direct MS

Learn how you can adopt direct mass spectrometry in your routine analysis workflow.  Adaptation of routine procedures and techniques to automated SIFT-MS will be illustrated with case studies applicable to environmental, consumer product and biomedical laboratory testing. In particular, a head-to-head comparison of GC/MS and SIFT-MS for headspace analysis of volatiles in blood plasma will be described.

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Webinar

Syft App Talks #20. Fast and Simple: Quantifying Formaldehyde Adsorption by Merino Wools

This Syft App Talk describes how the SIFT-MS technique makes determination of formaldehyde adsorption by materials, such as wool, rapid and simple. 

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Webinar

Syft App Talks #17. Time-Resolved Thermal Extraction of Volatiles from Plastic Materials using TD-SIFT-MS

In this presentation, examples of real-time thermal extraction and analysis of various plastic materials using TD-SIFT-MS are demonstrated, and its application to product development and processing environments are discussed. Direct, continuous analysis of formaldehyde from polyoxymethylene (POM) is of particular significance.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series: Episode 6 SIFT-MS Automation Past, Present and Future

In this sixth and final episode, Dr Perkins reflects on the automation journey and shares his practical "hot tips" for a wide variety of automated analyses.  The webinar (and series!) concludes with a discussion of how automated SIFT-MS is an excellent complementary technique to the conventional laboratory "workhorse" techniques: gas and liquid chromatography.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series: Episode 5 Continuous Headspace Analysis… and Beyond and R&D laboratories.

In this fifth episode, Dr Perkins describes the novel continuous headspace analysis (CHA) technique that he developed to measure stripping of volatiles. (Note: CHA is not to be confused with dynamic headspace analysis!).  In addition, Mark describes simple, very high-throughput gas sample bag analysis and touches on other recent developments – including thermal desorption-SIFT-MS.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series: Episode 4 Calibration Approaches for Automated SIFT-MS

In this fourth episode, Dr Perkins describes how simply and rapidly traditional instrument calibration is achieved with the automated SIFT-MS configuration. Traditional calibration approaches have not featured regularly in the SIFT-MS literature due to the widespread use of reliable library-based quantitation. However, calibration is essential for contract testing laboratories, so it is addressed in detail and from a number of different angles in this webinar.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series, Episode 3: Advanced Headspace Methods with SIFT-MS

In this third episode, Dr Perkins describes the application of SIFT-MS to multiple headspace extraction (MHE).  You will learn how to determine matrix-independent concentrations from MHE. Furthermore, Dr Perkins describes how the speed of SIFT-MS analysis can be leveraged to accelerate method development for both SIFT-MS and conventional methods – for example, through rapid determination of headspace equilibration times.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series, Episode 2: Accelerate Static Headspace Analysis with SIFT-MS

In this second episode, Dr Perkins provides a practical guide to automated static headspace (SH) analysis with SIFT-MS.  You will learn how SH-SIFT-MS can address throughput challenges and simplify analysis of chromatographically challenging species.

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Webinar

The SIFT-MS Automation Series, Episode 1: Why Automate Analysis?

In this first episode, Dr Perkins answers the important question:

Why Automate Analysis?

This webinar introduces the benefits of automation and discusses how they can be applied to SIFT-MS, enabling straightforward adoption by the contract laboratory.

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Application Note

SIMPLE, RAPID ANALYSIS OF PACKAGING FOR VOLATILE MOSH AND MOAH CONTAMINANTS

Headspace-SIFT-MS can screen over 220 samples per day for volatile MOSH and MOAH compounds – nearly seven-fold more samples than the routine liquid and gas chromatography method.

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Webinar

A Sensory Expert Shares His Experience with SIFT-MS

We asked Mike McGinley, President, St. Croix Sensory, Inc. about his experience using SIFT-MS.  Hear what he had to say about the speed of analysis and flexibility inherent to Syft's product solutions.

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Application Note

High-Throughput, Quantitative Analysis of Benzene in Personal Care Products using Headspace-SIFT-MS

SIFT-MS provides rapid, sensitive, and robust analysis of benzene and other contaminants in a wide array of commercial products. Integration with a headspace autosampler enables rapid screening of hundreds of samples per day.

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Webinar

A Consumer Safety Expert Shares His Experience with SIFT-MS

We asked David Light, CEO and Founder of Valisure, about his experience using SIFT-MS and how it impacted their dry shampoo safety study.  

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Application Note

High Throughput Screening of Recycled HDPE Pellets Using Untargeted Headspace-SIFT-MS-Analysis

Automated headspace-SIFT-MS analysis can classify pelleted recycled HDPE at throughputs over 230 samples per day, offering great potential for rapid screening of recycled packaging materials.

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Application Note

Rapid Screening of Paperboard For Volatile Leachables Using Static Headspace-SIFT-MS

Automated SIFT-MS analysis rapidly screens paperboard packaging for a wide range of functional groups in a single analysis, assuring that the volatile emissions meet manufacturer specifications.  This application note describes a Headspace-SIFT-MS method with throughput >10X faster than traditional GC/MS methods.

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Application Note

Rapid, Quantitative Analysis of Volatile Aldehyde Impurities In Paperboard Using Multiple Headspace Extraction

Quantitative determination of volatile aldehyde residues in paperboard is readily achieved using multiple headspace extraction-SIFT-MS analysis, with an eight-fold throughput increase over the equivalent conventional analysis.

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Application Note

Rapid Odor Screening of Paperboard Using Static Headspace-SIFT-MS

Automated SIFT-MS analysis coupled with multivariate statistical analysis provides rapid sensory screening of paperboard packaging, overcoming the low sample throughput of sensory panels.  The ability to use HS-SIFT-MS to achieve throughput of 12 samples per hour is demonstrated.

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Webinar

Rapid, Simplified Residual Solvent and Volatile Impurity Analysis Using SIFT-MS

SIFT-MS provides real-time, selective, and economic analysis of challenging volatile compounds, such as residual solvents, formaldehyde, dimethylamine, and NDMA without requiring derivatization or other special handling.

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Webinar

High-Throughput Analysis of Volatile Impurities in Sustainable Packaging using SIFT-MS

Pharmaceutical and food products are susceptible to contamination from packaging, whether from polymeric materials, printing inks, or paperboard.  SIFT-MS, a high-sensitivity direct-injection mass spectrometry technique, enables risks associated with sustainable packaging alternatives to be mitigated through economical, high-throughput automated analysis (typically a 4- to 15-fold increase over GC-MS).

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Application Note

High-Throughput Quantitative Analysis of Residual Monomer by Using MHE-SIFT-MS to Calibrate Single Headspace Injections

MHE-SIFT-MS provides rapid, matrix-independent, quantitative determination of volatile leachables in polymers and calibrates quantitative analysis based on single headspace injections.  This approach enables over 200 samples per day to be analyzed, delivering rapid and economic analysis of volatile leachables such as residual monomers.

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Application Note

Syft Tracer: The Next Generation of Volatile Impurities Analysis for Enhanced Workflows

This app note introduces the next generation of SIFT-MS, Syft TracerTM, which launched at Pittcon 2023.  It revolutionizes volatile impurities analysis workflows through unparalleled speed, performance stability, and reproducibility.  Learn about how this innovation to real-time trace gas detection outpaces chromatography-based methods in the analysis of challenging analytes such as formaldehyde in a PEG excipient.

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Application Note

Head to Head Comparison of Class 2A And 2B Residual Solvents Analysis Using Sift-MS And GC-FID

This application note describes head-to-head comparison of GC-FID and SIFT-MS analyses of Class 2A and 2B residual solvents. The techniques perform similarly for linearity and repeatability, but SIFT-MS provides superior performance for accuracy and recovery. Furthermore, SIFT-MS provides greater than 11-fold increase in sample throughput and significantly reduces the time taken to report quantitative results (over six times faster for a full calibration set).

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Document

Recent developments and applications of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT‐MS)

SIFT‐MS is now recognized as the most versatile analytical technique for the identification and quantification of trace gases down to the parts‐per‐trillion by volume, pptv, range. This statement is supported by the wide reach of its applications, from real‐time analysis, obviating sample collection of very humid exhaled breath, to its adoption in industrial scenarios for air quality monitoring. This review touches on the recent extensions to the underpinning ion chemistry kinetics library and the alternative challenge of using nitrogen carrier gas instead of helium. 

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Document

SIFT-MS: Quantifying the Volatiles You Smell . . . and the Toxics You Don’t

SIFT-MS has been widely applied to quantitative analysis of a broad range of VOCs in applications from food products to workplace safety to environmental monitoring, and most recently to pharmaceutical testing. This review surveys the applications of SIFT-MS in odor analysis and in workplace, environmental and consumer protection, with a particular focus on the complementarity of this real-time mass spectrometry analyzer to sensor technology and conventional laboratory techniques—in particular, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

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Webinar

The Latest Innovation of Real-Time, High-Throughput Volatile Impurities Analysis by SIFT-MS

Join us for this webinar to learn about Syft Tracer, the latest advancement of real-time, trace gas analysis by SIFT-MS which launched at Pittcon 2023. Hear how the recent product innovations unlock analytical bottlenecks and enable faster decisions to be made in critical process steps.

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Brochure

Syft Tracer Brochure

Syft TracerTM is the latest advancement in real-time, direct injection mass spectrometry (MS) built to solve the most difficult analytical challenges faced within a variety of industries and applications.  This advancement to SIFT-MS delivers trace-level detection sensitivity, unparalleled performance stability, superior selectivity, and highly reproducible, quantitative data.  Syft Tracer is optimized for high-throughput environments where continuous operation is the standard.  Never miss a product or environmental contamination event again.

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Application Note

Even Faster Quantitation Of Formaldehyde In Gelucire Excipient

This application note describes how the efficiency of a MHE workflow can be significantly improved for MHE-SIFT-MS due to the stability of the technique. Formaldehyde impurity is analyzed easily and quantitatively in Gelucire excipient with this improved approach.  The time-to-result is reduced to 85 minutes for this system – six-fold faster than the conventional MHE-SIFT-MS approach.  Quantitative analysis is achieved at the throughput of 220 samples/day.

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Application Note

Revolutionary Productivity For Volatile Residue and Impurity Analysis

This application note describes a scenario in which Syft TracerTM replaces five chromatography systems and still has significant available sample capacity. SIFT-MS provides rapid, chromatography-free analysis that revolutionizes multiple workflows.

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Application Note

High Throughput SIFT-MS Analysis of Formaldehyde in Fragrances Using the Method of Standard Additions

This application note describes high throughput analysis of formaldehyde in fragrances that utilizes a method of standard additions to overcome matrix effects from variable headspace compositions of the samples tested.  SIFT-MS delivers >2X faster time to data with up to 5X greater throughput than chromatographic methods. 

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Application Note

Application Brief: Revolutionary Workflows for Volatile Impurities Analysis

This application brief summarizes a scenario relevant to contract research organization (CRO) and contract drug manufacturing organization (CDMO) laboratories where multiple volatile impurity methods need to be conducted in short runs. Five analyses are considered that can be handled by one Syft Tracer but require multiple legacy, chromatography instruments. For these analyses, SIFT-MS reports the first quantitative results 2- to 12-fold faster, and has sample throughputs 3- to 17-fold higher than the conventional procedures.

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Application Note

Headspace-SIFT-MS: Flexibility that Revolutionizes Workflows for Diverse Samples

The characteristic flexibility, stability, high throughput, and fast time to data of the Syft Tracer next-gen SIFT-MS instrument apply across multiple headspace approaches for diverse matrices. This application note briefly summarizes the use of (1) dissolution, (2) multiple headspace extraction (MHE), and (3) the method of standard additions, then provides a guide for identifying the appropriate headspace approach for various matrices.

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Webinar

Revolutionizing Workflows for Residual Solvents and Volatile Impurities Analyses by SIFT-MS

This webinar demonstrates how the new, automated Syft TracerTM SIFT-MS platform provides a comprehensive solution to workflow challenges and can replace multiple chromatographic systems.  Learn about how combining SIFT-MS with automation provides a very flexible and high throughput solution for screening volatile impurities in pharmaceutical and consumer safety applications, revolutionizing workflows.

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Application Note

Rapid Sensory Analysis of Paper Packaging Using SIFT-MS

This application note demonstrates that SIFT-MS effectively classifies paper samples by odor intensity rating and odor descriptor, in addition to distinguishing paper composition and mill of origin. When integrated with autosamplers, SIFT-MS provides throughputs of over 220 samples per day, supporting significantly enhanced quality assurance compared to conventional human sensory panels and gas chromatography-based analyses.

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Document

Pharmaceutical Residual Solvent Analysis: A Comparison of GC-FID and SIFT-MS Performance

This study expands upon the previous work by conducting a head-to-head comparison of GC-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and SIFT-MS procedures.  SIFT-MS analyzed samples over 11-fold faster than GC-FID, increasing daily sample throughput and reducing the time taken to determine the result. The results suggests that residual solvent analysis using SIFT-MS may support workflow improvements for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

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Whitepaper

Revolutionizing Volatile Impurities Analysis Through Next Gen SIFT-MS

This E-book describes how next gen SIFT-MS enables rapid, continuous screening of toxic volatile impurities in pharmaceutical and consumer products. This advancement to SIFT-MS delivers trace-level detection sensitivity, unparalleled performance stability, superior selectivity, and highly reproducible, quantitative data. Never miss a contamination event again. 

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Webinar

Fast, Simple Quantitation of Odors by SIFT-MS

In this on-demand webinar, Michael McGinley, President, St. Croix Sensory, describes how SIFT-MS has advanced their ability to rapidly perform odor analysis. A variety of SIFT-MS-based odor applications correlated with conventional sensory panel assessment are presented.  Learn how Syft is Simply. Faster. for the analysis of odor compounds.

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Application Note

Improved MHE-SIFT-MS Workflows - Concentration Independent MHE Calibration

This application note investigates concentration dependence of MHE calibration in sample matrix.  Across the full range of analytes investigated in this study, MHE calibration holds for at least one order of magnitude change in sample concentration.  For analytes in the C7–C9 range, the MHE calibration applies over two orders of magnitude analyte concentration. These results mean that the MHE workflow can be applied to a wider range of samples in the matrix, further reducing calibration demand.

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Application Note

High-Throughput Screening of Polypropylene Polymer using Untargeted Headspace-SIFT-MS Analysis

This application note describes how SIFT-MS coupled with multivariate statistical analysis can be utilized for rapid screening of pelleted virgin and recycled polypropylene using an untargeted “fingerprinting” approach. Automated headspace-SIFT-MS analysis can classify and qualify polypropylene samples at throughputs of over 230 samples per day, offering great potential for rapid screening of recycled polypropylene feedstock for FCM applications. Adoption of SIFT-MS supports product quality and enhances sustainability.

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Application Note

High-Throughput Analysis of Polymers for Benzene and Volatile MOSH and MOAH Residues

This application note describes the utility of SIFT-MS in pre-screening polymer packaging materials for volatile MOSH and MOAH compounds.  Automated SIFT-MS can characterize 12 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) samples per hour, or 220 / day.  Headspace-SIFT-MS readily analyzes benzene at high sensitivity as part of the same analysis.

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Application Note

EtO and Acetaldehyde in Polysorbate 80: Rapid Quantitative Analysis Using SIFT-MS

This study evaluates a headspace-SIFT-MS approach for Polysorbate 80 products from multiple suppliers and evaluates ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde recoveries. Results confirm that the headspace-SIFT-MS procedure reliably quantifies these analytes without requiring purification of Polysorbate 80 for matrix-matching the calibration standard. Hence, headspace-SIFT-MS analysis of ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde can revolutionize existing workflows.

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Application Note

Analysis of Volatile Residues in Polymers by SIFT-MS

This application note reviews polymer analysis applications of automated headspace-SIFT-MS. Rapid quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) screening of over 220 samples/day can be conducted using targeted or untargeted analysis, while quantitative volatile impurity analysis is achieved efficiently using multiple headspace extraction (MHE)-SIFT-MS. 

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Application Note

Odor Analysis at Gelatin Factory Using SIFT-MS

In this application note, the SIFT-MS is evaluated for odor analysis at a gelatin factory, together with benchmarking of the effectiveness of an ultraviolet (UV) photolysis technology used for odor mitigation. SIFT-MS is very effective in both applications.  The high-sensitivity, direct analysis eliminates preconcentration, derivatization, and the need for analysis on multiple chromatographic columns that complicate odor analysis in gas and liquid chromatography methods.

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Application Note

SIFT-MS Analysis of Benzene in Sunscreens and VOC Exposure

This application note summarizes the SIFT-MS results obtained in a study of exposure to VOCs from 26 retail sunscreen products – both VOCs intended as ingredients and those present as contaminants. The commercial products varied widely in VOC content and hence user exposure. Several products contained benzene contamination that was readily quantified using dynamic headspace-SIFT-MS analysis.

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Webinar

Quantitative Impurities Analysis of Consumer Products Using SIFT-MS

This webinar features David Light of Valisure and includes case studies that demonstrate how SIFT-MS provides faster and more accurate analysis of volatile impurities in consumer products.  Learn how benzene has been detected in commercial products like dry shampoo and sunscreens.  

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Document

Rapid Screening and Quantitation of Hazardous Volatile Impurities in Personal Care Products by Headspace-SIFT-MS

This publication describes the suitability of headspace-SIFT-MS as a potential all-in-one approach to the combined analysis of benzene, 1,4-dioxane, and formaldehyde in personal care products (PCPs).  The results suggest that the headspace SIFT-MS method may hold an 8- to 30-fold throughput advantage over conventional GC-MS analyses. 

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Document

What's in Your Air? Protecting the Environment and People with SIFT-MS

In this presentation from Analytica 2024, Marino Beenhakker and Dr. David Muller describe environmental and consumer product applications of next-gen SIFT-MS including ambient air monitoring in New Zealand and PFAS measurement in consumer goods. 

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