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Romil - Pure Science

ROMIL-SpA™ Super Purity Acids & Reagents

   
 
Super Purity Performance at a Reasonable Cost

Today's users of pure acids and reagents in trace inorganic analysis well understand the importance of minimal background impurities.

And with environmental issues at the forefront of current analytical requirements they acknowledge the need to seek ever decreasing levels of contaminants. For them, ROMIL-SpA™ Super Purity Acids and Reagents provide a practical solution by combining very high purity with a reasonable price.

Available are the major mineral acids, nitric*, hydrochloric*, hydrofluoric*, sulphuric*, perchloric* as well as acetic acid*, ammonia solution*, hydrogen peroxide and water.

Whereas other reagent suppliers simply batch select or distil their acids by traditional boiling the ROMIL products asterisked above are purified by sub-boiling distillation.

But what is so special about this technique that it imparts a greater purity to the finished product than traditional methods? Just look at the diagram. The secret lies in the smooth surface and fine vapour that is maintained over the liquid surface at a temperature just below the boiling point. This avoids the violent agitation and large scale mass transfer of contaminants that is inevitable with conventional distillation. subboil

Remaining metallic impurities after sub-boiling distillation are generally in the region of less than 0.1-1 ppb and are confirmed by rigorous testing of each batch. To maintain these low levels most of the ROMIL-SpA™ products are packaged in pre-cleaned glass bottles which have been fluorinated to reduce leaching, the 2½LT size being plastic coated for enhanced safety in handling. The remainder are filled in pre-cleaned polyethylene bottles (polycarbonate for hydrogen peroxide).

We are also developing a range of high purity matrix modifiers which are used in graphite furnace AAS. The first, ammonium oxalate, is listed here and others are available by special request. These salts represent a significant step forward in the purity that is available commercially for such products.

Whether the instrumental application is atomic spectroscopy (AAS, GFAAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS), ion chromatography or voltammetry, ROMIL-SpA™ products are the ideal tools for today's routine inorganic trace analysis.


                                          Key Applications Overview

 

 
 
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP-AES, ICP-MS)
With key metal concentrations below 1 ppb, ROMIL-SpA™ are an economical solution to sample preparation in high throughput qc analysis. For the most demanding applications we recommend the use of ROMIL-UpA™ products where metal concentrations are controlled to ppt levels - like a leaf in a forest.

Atomic Absorption (AAS, GFAAS)
Whilst being rapidly replaced by faster and more sensitive ICP techniques, atomic absorption spectroscopy is still the main tool for trace metal determinations in many smaller analytical laboraories. Use of ROMIL-SpA™ acids in sample preparation contributes to trouble-free analysis thus ensuring the continued popularity of this relatively simple technique for many years to come.

Ion Chromatography (IC)
Although now a well established technique, ion chromatography never really caught on in the analysis of metals due to the popularity of the spectroscopic techniques. In analysis of anions, however, ion-chromatography reigns supreme. The same purification techniques that control metal ions in ROMIL-SpA™ acids also have the same effect on anionic species which means that sample preparation can be undertaken free from otherwise interfering background impurities.

Voltammetry
Also known in the past as polarography, this technique is making a comeback as a low capital cost entry into trace analysis. Sensitivity is similar to that for ICP with the further advantage that different oxidation states of elements can be identified. Not only can metal ions be determined but also some anions and organic compounds. Samples with high ionic concentration are also not a problem for voltammetry. With the availablity of ROMIL-SpA™ products for sample preparation, this technique is expected to see a rapid increase in popularity.