More than 1,100 exhibitors and 21,000 attendees participated in the 58th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy held at Chicago's McCormick Place, Feb. 25-March 2, 2007. Products and developments ranging from ready-to-use solvent blends and smart sensors for measuring and monitoring water quality to integrated control loops and mass spectrometers took center stage with a technical program of more than 2,000 presentations. Taken together, it was a virtual playground of all things analytical and an interactive forum for scientists and engineers to exchange ideas and resources.

Among the highlights of the event was the first media conference for Thermo Fisher Scientific since the merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific into one company last spring. CEO Marijn E. Dekkers and executive vice president Marc N. Casper were on hand to unveil a plethora of technologies and new products, including Accela, a high-speed chromatography system; two new XRF (x-ray fluorescence) analyzers; and Darwin LIMS 2.0, new software for a variety of applications and industries including pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Citing such key market trends as exploding growth in China and India, the move to perform analyses outside the laboratory, and growing demand for better integrated solutions to improve accuracy and productivity, Dekkers noted that the size and breadth Thermo Electron Scientific positions it to respond well to these and other developments. Casper added that to address customer challenges, the company offers “technologies, products, and services to help them improve both the quality and speed of their work. From sample preparation and analysis to data interpretation, we can deliver world-renowned technology specific to the individual needs of our customers, so they can move science forward at a faster pace than ever before.”

In other Pittcon news, Watlow introduced its new EZ-Zone ST integral control loop, which integrates temperature control, power control, safety shutdown, and power disconnect in one package. Device features a PID temperature controller already connected to a high amperage solid-state relay. A heat sink, current measurement, over/under temperature limit, definite-purpose mechanical contactor, and digital communications can be added as options. A remote user interface can also be included.

Waterpoint 870 handheld water analysis system from Sensicore is intended to reduce calibration time. Sensicore, a developer of smart sensor systems for measuring and monitoring water quality, has added new capabilities to its Waterpoint 870 handheld water analysis system. The enhancements are designed to reduce calibration time significantly and simplify use for improved precision, correlation, and temperature compensation. The devices allow field personnel to get started quickly, increase the number of sites that can be tested in a day, and reduce the time needed to obtain actionable results.

The next Pittcon takes place in New Orleans, March 2-7, 2008.

www.pittcon.org