High and deep 
For serial dilution, sample storage, environmental, food and combinatorial chemistry applications requiring larger sample volumes, Porvair Sciences of Shepperton, UK, have introduced a range of high-volume, deep-well plates. These plates are manufactured from ultra-pure-grade polypropylene that has near-zero leachates as well as high temperature and chemical resistance. The plate wells are rectangular in shape with a v-shaped bottom to optimise sample concentration and recovery. Available in 24-, 48- and 96-well versions, these stackable plates can be securely sealed with a Santaprene piercable seal and are compatible with automated liquid handling systems and other robotic sample processing equipment.
int.sales@porvair.com 

Rapid compound screening 
Thermo Fisher Scientific of San Jose, CA, US, has launched the LCQ Fleet ion trap mass spectrometer for routine analysis in analytical labs, as well as toxicological screening, natural products characterization, and peptide identification. 
The LCQ Fleet produces accurate results at low detection levels with high throughput, especially when used in combination with the Accela high speed LC system. Intelligent Data Dependent acquisition enables rapid compound screening for maximum structural information.  
Featuring a fast cycle time and excellent MSn spectral quality, the LCQ Fleet enables rapid identification and characterisation of known and unknown natural products without lengthy pre-purification. The high quality MSn data can be searched against the built-in or user-defined libraries embedded in the Mass Frontier software. 
The LCQ Fleet also enables routine peptide identification with high correlation scores for confident sequence identification. The fast scanning capability of the instrument resolves co-eluting peptides often present in complex protein digests. 
analyze@thermofisher.com  

Giving you five! 
Mettler Toledo has introduced its new FiveEasy and FiveGo benchtop and portable pH and conductivity meters with just five function buttons and large easy-to-read displays. The FiveEasy is a lightweight, versatile bench unit suitable for various industries and applications. It is available in basic and kit versions, the latter including electrode, electrode arm and buffet sachets. The FiveGo is portable, waterproof and dustproof, ideal for harsher environments; the built-in data memory stores up to 30 measurements, allowing data collection in the field. 
enquire.mtuk@mt.com 

Monitoring gas 
Hiden Analytical has launched the HPR-20 QIC compact benchtop gas analyser featuring the heated Quartz Inert Capillary (QIC) sampling interface with fast 300ms response to gas composition changes. The HPR-20 QIC samples gases and vapours from near atmospheric pressure, continuously monitoring multiple gas species and tracking gas concentration changes over more than six decades. Alternative dynamic sampling interfaces enable monitoring from multiple gas streams with automatic stream sequencing selection, and direct from pressure regimes in the range 30-50mbar. 
The system monitors species with molecular weight up to 200 atomic mass units (amu), with optional alternative mass ranges of 300amu and 500amu. A triple-stage mass filter ensures optimum mass separation and contamination resistance. 
Applications for the HPR-20 include catalysis, thermal analysis and fuel cell development. 
info@hiden.co.uk 

Under chip control
RheoSense Inc, of San Ramon, CA, US, has launched a new compact viscometer/rheometer-on-chip for laboratory or real-time reactor measurements in the petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The VROC has multiple sensors and microfluidic interfaces to measure viscosity, pressure, flow rate and temperature accurately, even in challenging situations such as high-shear rates. 
inforheo@rheosense.com 

Analysing diesel and biodiesel 
Metrohm has introduced the 873 Rancimat for analysis of the oxidative stability of biodiesel, diesel and blends. A stream of air is passed through the sample in a sealed and heated reaction vessel. Fatty acid methyl esters in the sample are oxidised, with peroxides being initially formed as the primary oxidation products. After some time the fatty acid methyl esters disintegrate completely to give low-molecular weight organic acids, in addition to other volatile organic compounds, which are transported in a stream of air to a second vessel containing distilled water. The organic acids are continuously detected by increases in conductivity. The time elapsed until these secondary reaction products is a measure of the oxidative stability of the fuel. 
enquiry@metrohm.co.uk 

Microplate reader 
BMG LabTech has announced the new Omega family of multifunction microplate readers with high resolution, full UV-Vis spectrometer based absorbance. The Omega line is made up of four models: the SPECTROstar Omega, a spectrophotometer; the LUMIstar Omega, a luminometer; the FLUOstar Omega, a multidetection reader (fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, luminescence, and absorbance); and the POLARstar Omega, a multidetection reader with additional simultaneous dual emission and fluorescence polarization mode.  
uksales@bmglabtech.com