Microwave Ashing, Extraction and Fat Determination

PYRO is a microwave ashing system for dry ashing, ash content, ignition residue, fusion and high-temperature synthesis. Microwave heating raises the cavity to 1000 °C in eight minutes and holds 1200 °C, while a Venturi-fed oxygen supply lets samples ash without a charring step. A vacuum-formed alumina ceramic cavity keeps the heat in and the airflow clears smoke continuously.

• Working temperature up to 1200 °C
• Room temperature to 1000 °C in 8 minutes
• Venturi oxygen supply and exhaust; no charring step before ashing
• Vacuum-formed alumina ceramic cavity with good thermal insulation
• Honeycomb ceramic spoiler and Venturi tube distribute air through the cavity
• Multi-level airflow control clears smoke and fumes quickly
• Also used for fusion and high-temperature synthesis reactions

The fat-determination configuration measures total fat in food and feed without the separate hydrolysis and extraction steps of the traditional method. Operators weigh the sample, hydrolysis and extraction run together, a dedicated vacuum-drying rotor removes solvent, and a second weighing gives the result automatically. A balance and the ETHOS X are the only instruments required.

• Total fat in food and feed in one automated workflow
• Weighing, hydrolysis and extraction in a single step
• Dedicated vacuum-drying rotor evaporates solvent quickly
• A second weighing produces the fat result automatically
• 15 samples per batch, 3 g to 15 g each
• Whole determination finished within 3 hours
• Lower reagent consumption than traditional hydrolysis and extraction

The solvent-extraction configuration applies microwave heating to batch extraction of samples. It combines high efficiency with parallel processing: one system handles up to 44 samples in 40 minutes. The same platform is offered in several configurations, so laboratories can cover different extraction applications with one instrument family.

• Up to 44 samples in 40 minutes on one system
• Microwave-assisted solvent extraction in batch format
• Combines high efficiency with parallel sample processing
• One platform serves several ETHOS X application configurations
• Suited to laboratories extracting many samples per day

The SFME configuration extracts essential oils and aroma compounds with no added solvent or water. Microwave heating releases the oil, which distills and is collected; the first drop arrives in five to eight minutes, and a typical extraction finishes in about 40 minutes rather than the hours of steam distillation. Extracts are ready for GC-MS without evaporation or solvent exchange.

• No organic solvent or water added during extraction
• First drop of essential oil in 5–8 minutes
• About 40 minutes replaces hours of steam distillation
• Extract suitable for GC-MS without evaporation or solvent exchange
• Shorter exposure and less moisture reduce thermal decomposition and by-products
• Extraction capacities of 2 L, 5 L and 12 L
• Industrial model with a 150 L cavity for 75 kg of material

MiniLab 3000-i prepares inorganic liquid samples for elemental analysis: dilutions, calibration curves, mixed standards, internal standard curves and quantitative additions of standards and QC samples. It supplies the standards, curves and prepared samples that AAS, ICP and ICP-MS runs depend on, and takes over the repetitive liquid handling that otherwise consumes analyst time.

• Automates inorganic liquid sample preparation and dilution
• Builds calibration curves and mixed standards
• Prepares internal standard curves
• Adds standards and QC samples quantitatively
• Supplies prepared standards and samples to AAS, ICP and ICP-MS
• Covers other routine liquid handling operations