With this new BOD analyzer, we offer a modular and advanced sample handling system providing you with the tools you need to automate the BOD analysis in your environmental laboratory.

The platform is designed to fit your exact laboratory requirements with respect to sample throughput, level of automation, sample capacity etc.

To illustrate the high degree of flexibility we will name some of the new features:

The analyzer is modular,  from 1 up to 8 sample trays, representing 18 - 144 BOD bottles in one batch. So any requirement  on sample number can be fulfilled and additionally a platform can for example be expanded when sample numbers  increase in the future.

User-defined degree of automation possible such as automatic sample dilution, capping/de-capping, addition of  reagents etc.

The instrument can be built with a second robotic arm giving a total of 4 independently movable manipulators.  With this second arm it is for instance possible to increase the sample throughput by using multiple oxygen probes or to perform additional tasks  such as automatic sample pippetting into the BOD bottles or pH measurement.

Protective front and side cover complying with CE regulations. Also a completely closed cover is possible for automatic incubation purposes.

Other Available Robotic applications:

Combinations of the above analyses or custom-made applications are also possible, please do not hesitate to contact Skalar for more information

The implementation of a new type of flow cell  in the San++ has already been used to increase the sensitivity for the automated procedure of Total Phosphate and Total Phenol considerably, but is now also available for the analysis of Total Cyanide. Extremely low concentrations of Total Cyanide in all kinds of aqueous samples can be measured. This increased sensitivity is achieved due to the flow cell having an optical path length of 50 cm.

Skalar’s procedure for Total Cyanide analysis is in accordance with  ISO 14403-2:2012 (distillation or gas dialysis) determination of Total Cyanide. The photometric determination is based on the reaction of cyanide with chloramine-T under the formation of cyanogen chloride. This reacts with 4-pyridine carboxylic acid and 1,3- dimethylbarbituric acid to give a red color, which is measured at 600 nm.

Note: The detection limits of this procedure also comply to the ranges mentioned in the Environmental Quality Standards for Water Framework Directive by United Kingdom Technical Advisory Group, Annex VIII substances: cyanide.

Typical performance data and analysis results of Skalar’s Total Cyanide application on the San++ analyzer using the new type of flow cell can be found in the table and graphs below.

Application performance:

Total Cyanide calibration curve (0.02 - 20 µg CN/L)

Calibration line results for the range up to 20 μg/L

Total Cyanide calibration (0.02- 20 µg/L)

Besides the above Skalar has more solutions for automatic analysis of different cyanide species such as free cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide and thiocyanide available. All cyanide applications are according to EPA or ISO methodologies. Please contact Skalar for the possibilities.

The SP50 analyzer consists of a XYZ sample handling station with a sample capacity of 96 tubes. 48 ST-COD and 48 TP samples can be  combined into one batch Higher capacity is possible on our SP1000 robotic  analyzer with 160 tubes in one batch.

The analyzer offers a real “walk-away” fully automated concept for ST-COD & TP analysis and automates the mixing, heating, (de) capping, sample pipetting, cooling and photometric measurement.
 

The SP50 for ST-COD & TP testing  is according to the following procedure:

The sample tubes, reagent tubes and other reagents are loaded on the analyzer by the operator. The sample table is set up and the analyzer is started.

Depending on the application to be performed, ST-COD or TP, certain steps will be automatically executed. Below you can find an example of the TP procedure:

1. The reagent tube is picked up and transported to the de-capping device.

2. The tube is automatically de-capped.

3. Reagent 1 is picked up dispensed in the reagent (2) tube.

4. The needle & stirrer are rinsed. The sample is picked up and dispensed in  the reagent tube

5. The tube is capped and the needle & stirrer are rinsed again.

6. The tubes are mixed and inserted one by one into the heater block. 

7. Samples are heated for 30 min at 120 °C and afterwards transferred to the  tube rack to cool down to approximately room temperature.

8. Tubes are de-capped and reagent 3 & 4 are picked up and dispensed in the  reagent tube. In between and afterwards the stirrer & needle are rinsed

9. The reagent tube is capped. The tubes are transferred to the tube rack and  left their for 10 min (reaction time).

10. Tubes are transferred to the spectrophotometer and the sample is measured.  The results are calculated and a QC trend is created.

For the ST-COD procedure click here .

The above configuration of the SP50 can be extended with a test kit for Total Nitrogen analysis. If you would like to use another colorimetric test kit application, please ask Skalar for the possibilities.

If you require more information on this application or Skalar analyzers, please do not hesitate to contact us

• Automatic sample dilution
• Automatic preparation of working standards
• Automatic post-dilution of overrange samples

These automatic pre- and post sample dilution and preparation features save laboratory valuable time, money and exclude human errors. Interested? Please do not hesitate to contact Skalar for more details.

Features:

• Complete “walk-away” automation: (de)capping, sample pipetting, addition of nitrification  inhibitor,  seed and dilution water, oxygen measurement,mixing, automatic probe/stirrer rinsing and BOD calculation
• Suitable for all available standard BOD bottles
• Extensive range of sample trays matching various incubators.
• Compatible with all current models of oxygen meter & probes (galvanic or optical DO  probes)
• Barcode identification
• Comes with a very practical and flexible Robotic software package, incl. analyses scheduler,  user definable print report & export options to LIMS/ Excel and excellent quality control features etc.

If you require more information on this application or Skalar analyzers, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The San⁺⁺ continuous flow analyzer provides automatic determination, including in-line UV digestion and distillation, for different cyanide species such as total cyanide, free cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide and thiocyanide. All cyanide applications are according to EPA or ISO methodologies.

Please contact us if you require more information about the above or other Skalar analyzers.

Various analyzer configurations are available based on the sample load and the required level of automation. All Skalar BOD robots automate the addition of dilution water, nitrification inhibitor (ATU) and seed, sample homogenization, measurement of dissolved oxygen, probe/stirrer rinsing and calculation of the BOD result according to the required regulation. Optional also the automatic sample pipetting and bottle (de) capping is available. From 32 up to 120 BOD bottles can be set as uninterrupted sample batches. Sample trays can be added during analysis runs to handle any required sample load.

The automation of the labor-intensive BOD application can save up to 85% of operator time and provides the required consistency for the application.

If there is a requirement for other analyses such as pH, conductivity, alkalinity and turbidity then these methods can be combined with BOD on the same robot.

The procedure for the st-COD analysis is as follows:

The sample– and reagent tubes are loaded on the analyzer by the operator. The sample table is set up and the analyzer is started.

The following actions are performed automatically by  the Robotic analyzers:

1. Reagent tube is picked up and is transported to the de-capping device.
2. The reagent tube is automatically de-capped
3. Sample is homogenized, diluted and a predefined volume of the sample is picked up
4. Sample is dispensed into the reagent tube
5. The reagent tube is capped
6. The sample needle and stirrer are rinsed
7. The sample and the reagent are mixed
8. The reagent tubes are inserted one by one into the heater block
9. Samples are digested for two hours at 148  ̊C
10. The tubes are transferred to the tube rack to cool down to approximately 60  ̊C
11. The tubes are mixed and left to cool down to room temperature
12. Tubes are transferred to the spectrophotometer and the sample is measured
13. After measurement the results are calculated and a QC trend is created

Both the SP50 and SP1000 analyzers provide in this way a complete automation of the  st-COD procedure. The sample capacities for the SP50 and SP1000, including automatic sample pipetting, are respectively 96 and 160 tubes in one batch.

The Robotic SP^series offer a real “walk-away” fully automated COD concept, including mixing, heating, (de) capping, sample pipetting, cooling and photometric measurement. The Skalar SP^series are also available for automation of other colorimetric applications.
 

With its modern graphical design, easy set up, clearly organized data processing per application and extensive QC features this software package ensures smooth and accurate operation of the different applications on the Robotic analyzers.

Start up
Runs can be easily started by selecting the required application and simply creating a sample table by dragging the racks to the analyzer. When the sample table is completed and the analysis sequence is defined, the run can be started or scheduled for another start time.  All running and scheduled analyses can be tracked in the planner.

Analysis
The status of the running analysis can be followed on the screen and results are displayed in real-time.
During the run it is possible to add priority samples and exclude samples from measuring.
 

Post analysis
Results can be printed in user defined print reports and exported to a txt, excel file or LIMS. Finished runs can be archived as well as backed up and restored later.
 

Quality Control
The software includes excellent automated Quality Control features, which assure high quality & accurate results. When QC samples are measured the results can be viewed in a Quality Control Chart. These charts display the data analyzed for QC samples in comparison to its preset limits. In addition it is possible to select data retrieved over a certain time span and view the corresponding graph.
 

If you require more information on this new software package or Skalar analyzers, please do not hesitate to contact us

Increased sensitivity can be achieved for the automated  Phosphate method by implementation of a special flow cell in the San⁺⁺. This long pathlength flow cell combines an increased optical pathlength of 500 mm with a small sample volume (125 µl).

This makes this application particularly well suited for challenging samples with ultra low concentrations of Phosphate as for instance in seawater, but also for Phosphate analysis in other aqueous samples such as drinking & surface water.

Skalar’s automated method for Phosphate analysis is based on the following procedure. The ammonium hepta molybdate and potassium antimony (III) oxide tartrate react in an acidic medium with diluted solutions of phosphate to form an antimony-phospho-molybdate complex. This complex is reduced by L (+) ascorbic acid to an intensely blue-colored complex which is measured spectrometrically at 880 nm.

Application performance:
Typical performance data and analysis results of Skalar’s  Phosphate application on the San⁺⁺ analyzer using the new type of flow cell can be found in the table  and graphs below.

Total Phosphate calibration curve (up to 40 µg P/L)  

    Total Phosphate calibration (up to 40 µg P/L)

                                                                  
The high sensitivity of phosphate analysis obtained with this new flowcel makes Skalar’s San++   analyzer the perfect choice for detecting extremely low levels of phosphate and other parameters in aqueous samples.

If you require more information on this Phosphate application or other Skalar analyzers & applications, please do not hesitate to contact us.