Varian Debuts Range of ICP-MS Instruments

Varian, Inc. has unveiled two ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometer) instruments, the Varian 810-MS and 820-MS, to improve performance and throughput for elemental analysis of complex samples.

Core to both the 810-MS and 820-MS is Varian's patented high efficiency 90-degree ion optics and double off axis quadrupole, delivering low background noise and sensitivity for analytical performance.

The 820-MS also features Varian's integrated interference management technology - the Collision Reaction Interface (CRI).

The patent pending CRI, featuring advanced automated tuning and instrument setup routines, enables laboratories to achieve lower detection limits and accurate quantitation for difficult elements in complex samples.

Many environmental, geochemical, and semiconductor laboratories prefer to use an ICP-MS equipped with interference management technology because it enables accurate detection of trace levels of elements, including arsenic (As), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), and vanadium (V) in water, soil, chemical and biological samples.

Unlike competitive interference management systems, Varian's CRI eliminates the need to use corrosive and expensive gases such as ammonia and methane, and instead uses simple collision and reaction gases such as helium, which leads to easier and safer use of the ICP-MS while reducing operating costs.

The CRI's design also enables customers to use the 820-MS in two modes, active-CRI and non-active CRI, allowing multiple condition sets to be used within a single solution for greater performance and flexibility.

Additionally, the systems are compatible with Varian's Galaxie software for integrated LC-ICP-MS support with real-time signal display and full chromatographic data reduction.

"We're pleased to have developed two new information rich detection instruments that strengthen our broad product offering for elemental analysis and significantly expands our range of ICP-MS applications," said Martin O'Donoghue, Vice President of Scientific Instruments, Varian, Inc.

"With environmental and other regulations calling for lower detection limits, sensitivity coupled with ease-of-use will continue to shift demand toward ICP-MS."

Varian's 810-MS and 820-MS remain the sensitive quadrupole ICP-MS instruments on the market, designed to achieve gigahertz sensitivity (1000 million counts per second per parts per million of analyte) while delivering improved performance across other criteria.