Market Profiles

Mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most versatile and powerful instrument techniques available today. The market for MS runs the gamut of applications from pharmaceutical research and discovery labs, to military armament, to semiconductor processing, to environmental testing.

Mass spectrometry is one of the most versatile and powerful instrument techniques available today. The market for mass spectrometry runs the gamut of applications from pharmaceutical research and discovery labs, to military armament, to semiconductor processing, to environmental testing. The list seems to go on almost without end. New mass spectrometer techniques, including various tandem MS techniques, and applications continue to be developed and are being embraced by the growing fraternity of MS users.

The techniques involved in successfully separating and quantifying amino acids vary from instrument to instrument. However, the processes for amino acid analysis are similar, involving hydrolysis, labeling, separation, and detection followed by data analysis.

The techniques involved in successfully separating and quantifying the amino acids vary from instrument to instrument. However, the processes for amino acid analysis are similar, involving hydrolysis, labeling, separation, and detection followed by data analysis.

During the last several years, the GC market has experienced strong growth in part because of new product introductions, growth in the petroleum sector, and increased opportunities in various geographies. To shed light on and determine the many realities and trends of the current GC instruments market, Strategic Directions International conducted a global survey of gas chromatography (GC and GC-MS) users. The survey was designed for individuals who are currently using a wide array of GC instruments and consumables, including aftermarket software, components, and accessories. The data were collected over the phone and by an internet-based survey. When necessary, the internet survey was followed up with direct telephone interviews of the appropriate respondents to further clarify answers.

During the last several years, the GC market has experienced strong growth in part because of new product introductions, growth in the petroleum sector and increased opportunities in various geographies.

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been available comercially for over twenty years and is still finding new applications. Growth of this technique seems to be largely a function the vendors' capability to provide specific application support, especially in clinical sciences, pharmaceuticals, toxicology, pesticides, and residues analysis.

Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a planar chromatographic technique introduced in the 1950s as a fast, easy, and inexpensive method for qualitative analysis. Just as with column chromatography, the chemistry and size of the particles (as well as the thickness of the layer) affects the speed and nature of the separations that are possible.

Many analytical instruments traditionally used for research and development purposes are making a significant move into the clinical diagnostic market. One such technique is flow cytometry, a method used to examine the physical and chemical properties of cells.

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is the most widespread tandem technique in the analytical instrumentation industry. In fact, these systems account for the largest installed base of mass spectrometry instruments.

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is the most widespread tandem technique in the analytical instrumentation industry. In fact, these systems account for the largest installed base of mass spectrometry instruments.

This month's Market Profile looks at single-cell PCR, an application of PCR technology, which deals with the nucleic acid in single cells rather than in a tissue sample or a pool of homogenous cells.

Single-cell PCR is an application of PCR technology, which deals with the nucleic acid in single cells rather than in a tissue sample or a pool of homogenous cells. While single-cell amplification has been recognized almost as long as the PCR technology itself, it was not considered a very efficient technique due to uncontrollable circumstances such as the lack of available primers and efficient cell-lysing techniques, which only allowed a small quantity of cell DNA to be amplified.

Ion chromatography (IC) is well suited for the analysis of a variety of inorganic and organic anions and cations. There is an additional dimension to an experiment using the technique as a result of the need to deal with changes in the ionic strength of the solution as the analyte materials are exchanged.

Ion chromatography (IC) is well suited for the analysis of a variety of inorganic and organic anions and cations.

The volatile extraction market consists of three techniques: purge and trap, headspace, and thermal desorption equipment. These systems are often employed as a sampling method for gas chromatography (GC) instrumentation but are also used with IR detectors, electrochemical sensors of electronic noses, and mass spectrometers.

lthough liquid chromatography (LC) is most commonly associated with analytical techniques that are found inside the laboratory, LC also has been used in industrial applications for separation of a wide range of products for decades. The technique recently has been applied to requirements in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, both inside the laboratory and in industrial settings. With global sales of over $1.7 billion, the market for preparative LC has encountered a stellar growth over the past few years.

Although liquid chromatography (LC) is most commonly associated with analytical techniques that are found inside the laboratory, LC also has been used in industrial applications for separation of a wide range of products for decades.

Chiral technology has become a very important aspect for scientists involved in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and agricultural industries. The chiral enantiomers can have vitally different pharmacological effects in biological systems. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandates that only therapeutically active isomers must be introduced to the prescription drug market.

Today's laboratories are sophisticated, generate large amounts of data, and rely on electronic data collection and tracking via a laboratory information management system (LIMS).

The Indian Society of Analytical Scientists (ISAS) Delhi Chapter has announced that the National Symposium on Recent Advances in Analytical Sciences and Applications will be held at the Himachal Pradesh University (Summer Hills, Shimla, India) between 5–7 April 2007.

Separation instrument techniques are among the most widely used technologies in the analytical instrumentation market. They span the entire industrial and regional marketplace. The lab separations market includes chromatographic techniques such as analytical and preparative HPLC, GC, IC, TLC, flash, and low pressure LC.

HPLC is among the most dynamic markets in the laboratory analytical and life science instrument industry. The market can be segmented into six different categories, which include conventional HPLC, capillary/nano LC, fast LC, preparative HPLC, amino acid analyzers, and gel permeation chromatography systems. Conventional HPLC systems, which account for the majority of the market, are standard HPLC instruments with typical flow rates between 1–10 mL/min. However, other HPLC systems designed for specific applications and that remedy some of the shortcomings of conventional LC systems, are becoming more significant in the market.

The environmental market peaked about fifteen years ago when the United States government passed a large body of new environmental laws and strengthened existing ones, dramatically increasing the number of mandated tests. As a result, the analytical instruments market received a boost in new instrument sales. While growth from the environmental market has slowed considerably since, the total market is still quite significant.

The laboratory life science and analytical instrument industry is comprised of a large, diverse group of organizations that manufacture and distribute their products worldwide. However, overall industry sales are concentrated among a small set of companies. Approximately 950 firms are included in the industry, but only about 100 companies have sales above $50 million.

Dissolution testing is a mandatory test for the physical evaluation of solid dosage forms such as capsules, tablets, ointments, and creams. The most basic form of testing measures the rate of dissolution or solubility of a drug tablet. Dissolution testing also can be used in ADME and bioavailability studies, release rates of a drug substance under different conditions, as well as provide information as to the efficacy of in-vivo performance.