In this podcast, Spex is joined by Robert Thomas to discuss the cannabis testing industry and the challenges for inorganic testing of cannabis.

Robert (Rob) Thomas is the principal of Scientific Solutions, an educational consulting company that serves the needs of the trace ele­ment user community. He has worked in the field of atomic and mass spectroscopy for almost 50 years, including 24 years for a manufacturer of atomic spectroscopic instrumentation. He has served on the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Analytical Reagents (CAR) for the past 20 years as leader of the plasma spectrochemistry, heavy metals task force, where he has worked very closely with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to align ACS heavy metal testing procedures with pharmaceutical guidelines. Rob has written over 100 technical publications, including a 15-part tutorial series on ICP-MS. He is also the editor and frequent contributor of the Atomic Perspectives column in Spectroscopy magazine, as well as serving on the editorial advisory board of Analytical Cannabis. In addition, Rob has authored 5 textbooks on the fundamental principles and applications of ICP-MS. His most recent book is a new paperback version of Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp published in December, 2021. Rob has an advanced degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Wales, UK, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and a Chartered Chemist (CChem). 

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Millions of people around the world are stricken with food or waterborne illnesses each year. Thousands of people will succumb to their illnesses. Food safety and testing are a critical part of analytical research to ensure that chemicals, bacteria, viruses and molds do not endanger the food we consume or the water we drink.

In this podcast, we will look at the sources of foodborne illness and some of the most common or dangerous causes for foodborne illness.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Creating calibration curves or calculating dilutions are a common everyday occurrence in an analytical laboratory. However, these simple procedures can be full of potential error and contamination which can ultimately effect the data and skew results.

In this podcast, we will look at the best practices for dilutions, calibration curves and unit conversions to help you reduce error and improve your results.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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In this podcast, we introduce and share insight on our newest set of products, the Genomax

 and DNAmax kits. 

The Genomax is an automated high-throughput plant and animal tissue homogenizer and cell lyser designed for rapid cell disruption, cell lysis and tissue homogenization through bead beating. This enables fast and efficient extraction of nucleic acids, proteins and other molecules.

Typical applications include molecular biology, pharmaceutical, clinical research, and extraction.

Typical samples include plant tissue, animal tissue, cell cultures, and microorganisms.

DNA isolation kits are available for extraction and purification of DNA from animal and plant tissues. In addition, a full range of Kryo-Tech® accessories are available to preserve temperature sensitive samples.

You can learn more and purchase the Genomax here.

You can learn more and purchase our DNAmax kits here.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Mold and Fungi ubiquitous in the world and a persistent and dangerous contaminant for many agricultural products. Their size and spore mobility causes fungi to spread through agricultural products quickly when the environmental conditions are favorable.

In this podcast, learn how significant crop losses and foodborne illness can be attributed mold and fungi when secondary metabolites called mycotoxins develop. Spex now offers the five most common mycotoxins in one easy to use standard for your analytical testing needs.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Analytical chemistry consists of classical methods (i.e. wet chemical methods) and instrumental methods (i.e. spectrometry, chromatography etc.). Wet chemistry or classical analysis are forms of analytical chemistry that use proven historical (classical) methods to determine the identity, amount or form of an analyte or element using wet techniques. Wet chemistry is sometimes called bench chemistry since many methods or assays occur at the laboratory bench and use laboratory glassware or plastic-ware.  

In this podcast, Patricia Atkins is joined with Spex Chemist, Brij Tonk. Patricia and Brij touch on how Spex has grown over the years and the basics behind wet chemistry.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Chromatography is a critical tool that analytical scientists use every day, often without much consideration for how all the parts work together. In this podcast, we will take a deeper look into the history, operation and functionality of liquid chromatography to show analyst how the different components fit together to perform their function.

In this podcast,  we will break down the processes needed to make liquid chromatography work for the lab.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Water is one of the most important chemicals and commodities in the world. Billions of people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water traveling long distances to use substandard polluted water sources. Even in the United States, the majority of states have issues meeting water quality standards. In the rise of concerns of municipal water, bottle water has taken on an important role in hydration and the economy.

In this podcast, we look at drinking water, bottled water and water sources in celebration of National Hydration Day!

Our Spex drinking water standards are a part of safe water quality analysis worldwide. You can shop our drink water standards here.

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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VapLock is a safety solution for scientists, chemical hygienists, and researchers worldwide, designed to ensure proper delivery and waste containment of industrial chemicals and solvents. Vaplock's mission is to create a safer, healthier and cleaner workplace by providing unique, effective and price sensitive solutions to fluid handling problems in the laboratory.

In this podcast, Patricia Atkins, is joined with Justus Keller, VapLock consultant for Antylia Scientific. Patricia and Justus discuss solvents, indoor air quality in laboratories and how VapLock can be a solution for a safer, healthier laboratory.

Learn more about VapLock: https://www.coleparmer.com/vaplock-solvent-safety-products

Hosted by Patricia Atkins, Spex's Senior Applications Scientist 

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Accuracy in analytical testing starts at the very beginning with sampling and sample preparation prior to testing. If sample collection processes are flawed, then the final answers will be biased. The basis of accuracy of sampling and testing often rests on two inter-related and fundamental concepts: representative samples and homogeneity. Representative samples are selected to accurately reflect the larger group and should represent the characteristics of the group. Ideally representative samples are homogeneous or similar in nature but when that is not possible the best attempts must be made to achieve samples which represent most of the characteristics of the larger grouping.

In this podcast, we will look at the traditional methods of agricultural sampling and how different target compounds found in cannabis products can be influence by growing practices, environmental factors and choice & timing of sampling.

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