Isagro s.p.A. switch to nitrogen generator for their LC-MS

The Isagro Group deal, fundamentally, with research and development of new products. The group’s research and development spans across three main functions, including discovering new active ingredients, developing active ingredients to enable registration for commercial purposes, and protecting the registered products.

We spoke with Rita Soddu, a senior researcher at Isagro s.p.A., to get an understanding of their experience with their PEAK nitrogen generator and the experience they have had with PEAK during their time as a customer. 

Typically what is the focus of your LC-MS analysis - what sort of applications?
We analyze vegetable matrices, water and soil for the determination of pesticide residues. We carried out method validation study, storage stability study and analysis on incurred samples.

What PEAK Scientific generators do you have in your laboratory and what LC-MS instruments do they supply?
We have a Genius 3010 that is used for the Agilent 6410 mass spectrometer and for the Sciex 6500 Qtrap.

What prompted you to choose a PEAK generator for LC-MS and how long have you used it?
We have been using the PEAK generator since 2014. We chose this generator because of the high flow volume capacity as we knew we would be buying a new instrument which would be connected to the same generator.

What has been the key benefit of deploying PEAK generators for LC-MS as opposed to your previous gas supply solution?
We chose a generator as the nitrogen in line that we used before was contaminated by water and the mass signal was disturbed by that.

How would you describe your purchasing experience with PEAK in terms of speed of response, ease of ordering, catering for your needs and timing of delivery?
We bought the generator directly from Agilent so we have not had any experience with PEAK in the purchasing phase.

Have you ever had a site visit from a PEAK engineer in relation to your generator for LC-MS, if so, could you describe your experience of this support?
We have an annual maintenance contract and the engineers that visit us every year are always more professional.

Would you recommend PEAK Scientific generators to other laboratories - and if so, what would be your main reason for the recommendation?
Yes. The generator is a strong instrument, with high capacity and easy to use. In addition the service support is prompt.

Could an on-site nitrogen generator benefit your lab?

The Genius 3010 used in Isagro’s lab was designed and engineered to supply an increased flow rate to suit LC-MS instruments that need an higher nitrogen flow rate or to provide nitrogen gas to two LC-MS instruments.

PEAK Scientific's Genius 3010 nitrogen generator

With the ability to supply up to 64 litres per minute of laboratory-grade nitrogen gas, the Genius 3010 is a great solution where multiple LC-MS instruments need to be served.

The added benefit of the 3010 series is the integrated air compressor which means that your lab can have all of its requirements met in one instrument – taking up minimal space in the lab.

The evolution of the Genius nitrogen gas generators

While the Genius 3010 is no longer in circulation, PEAK have developed on the success of the Genius range to introduce the Genius XE series to the fore. The Genius XE range of nitrogen generators combine cutting edge technology with refined, reliable engineering to ensure your lab has the most dependable nitrogen gas solution for you LC-MS requirements.

PEAK Scientific's Genius XE 70 nitrogen generator

A reliable source of nitrogen is exactly the reason for the team at Isagro choosing to move to a PEAK nitrogen gas solution as the contamination from their in line was affecting the results they were getting from their mass spectrometer. With the Genius XE, you have a fully contained nitrogen gas solution which has a built in purification mechanism to ensure nitrogen purity up to 99.5%

The Genius XE 70 has also increased the nitrogen flow rate from the 64 liters per minute of the Genius 3010 up to 70 liters per minute in the Genius XE 70. This ensures that labs, like Isagro s.p.A., who require a high nitrogen flow rate to support multiple instruments are still able to achieve this.

Maintaining your Genius nitrogen generator

An in-house nitrogen generator takes away so much hassle from your lab – there’s no need for cylinder deliveries, switching empty cylinders out, manual handling and the stress of monitoring the volume of nitrogen you have available.

Another way to ensure peace of mind is by investing in an annual maintenance contract. Just like the team at Isagro, your lab can benefit from an expert PEAK Field Service Engineer coming to your lab to maintain your generator and guarantee it is running to the highest standard.

What are the benefits of a PEAK Service Contract?