About John Buie
Articles Posted by John Buie
Evolution of Fume Hoods
Published: March 1 2013
A fume hood is an essential piece of equipment found in almost all laboratories, from teaching labs to research labs to industrial labs. The fume hood limits exposure to hazardous or noxious fumes, vapors or dusts by safely removing these
Guide to Titrators
Published: September 28 2012
Titration, a common laboratory method of quantitative chemical analysis used to determine the unknown concentration of a known reactant, is today usually performed by a dedicated titrator. Different types of titrators are available depending on the
Guide to Mass Spectrometers
Published: September 28 2012
Mass spectrometry (MS) involves the ionization of chemical samples to generate charged molecules or molecular fragments and measuring their mass-tocharge ratio. MS is used for determining the elemental composition of a sample and the chemical
Guide to Liquid Chromatography Systems
Published: September 28 2012
Liquid chromatography is an essential process in many laboratories for the separation, identification, purification and quantification of various compounds. When purchasing a liquid chromatography system, consider a more general purpose HPLC system
Guide to Lab Washers
Published: September 28 2012
There are many different factors to consider when purchasing your next laboratory glassware washer. First, you should consider the throughput and capacity you require. Do you have large glassware that may be difficult to fit inside the wash chamber
Guide to Lab Mill or Grinders
Published: September 28 2012
In a laboratory, most materials required for sampling are, in practice, nonhomogeneous mixtures. The best method of obtaining a small representative sample of the nonuniform whole is to take a quantity of the material large enough to be
Guide to Automated Liquid Handlers
Published: September 28 2012
Liquid handlers are gaining in popularity in all types of laboratories because they offer significant man-hour savings through automation. However, the range of automated liquid handlers available may be overwhelming, making it difficult to decide
Guide to Particle Analysis/Particle Characterization Instruments
Published: September 20 2012
The accurate measurement of particle characteristics is essential in many industrial and research processes. A large number of particle characterization instruments are available, offering a wide range of options and functions. It is important to
Guide to Elemental Analyzers
Published: September 20 2012
Laboratories worldwide use elemental analyzers for measuring the carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and halogen content in samples such as chemical-reaction products, soil, bodily fluids, and waste or drinking water. Benchtop elemental
Guide to LIMS
Published: May 31 2012
Most modern laboratories rely on some form of integrated Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to improve efficiency and productivity in the lab. LIMS can help in all aspects of laboratory management by facilitating rapid login,
Guide to Optical Laboratory Microscopes
Published: May 3 2011
Microscopes have been used by scientists for centuries, and are now more widely relied upon than ever. Optical microscopes are the most common type of microscope found in a standard laboratory. They use optical lenses in order to magnify the image
Guide to Pipettes
Published: April 26 2011
There are many different features of a pipette to take into consideration before making your purchase, including ergonomics, low force, fitting, ease of use, reliability, accuracy and precision. This guide will narrow down a list of models that mi
Guide to pH Meters
Published: April 26 2011
There are many different features of a laboratory pH meter to take into account before making your purchase, including accuracy, calibration type and number of calibration points, intuitive operation, expandability, reliability and value
Guide to GC System
Published: April 26 2011
Gas chromatography (GC) is a common technique used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. GC is typically used for separating the different components of a mixture, improving the
Guide to Vacuum Pumps
Published: February 8 2011
Laboratory vacuum pumps are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of laboratory equipment, and also one of the most difficult to choose. Vacuum pumps come in many different designs with an array of features, and it is important to carefully consider t
Guide to Lab Glassware Washers
Published: September 15 2010
There are many different factors to consider when purchasing your next laboratory glassware washer. First, you should consider the throughput and capacity you require. Do you have large glassware that may be difficult to fit inside the wash chambe
Guide to Microplate Readers
Published: August 11 2010
Microplate readers are widely used in research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, QC and manufacturing processes for the detection of biological, chemical or physical processes in samples contained in microtiter plates. There are a wide variety
Guide to Lab Shakers, Stirrers or Mixers
Published: August 10 2010
There are many different factors to consider when purchasing a lab shaker, stirrer or mixer, as well as countless makes and models to choose from. The following guide can make your decision a little easier. Various makes and models are broken down
Guide to UV/VIS Spectrophotometers
Published: August 3 2010
UV/VIS Spectrophotometer There are many features of a high performance UV/Vis spectrophotometer to consider before making your final purchase. Those features include analysis speed, ease of use, sample compartment size, flexibility and reliabi
Guide to Lab Balances
Published: August 2 2010
Choosing the Correct balance for your application, or a series of balances that suit all of your application needs, is the first step in good lab weighing practices. If you choose the correct balance, calibrate it regularly, including any time the
Guide to Centrifuges
Published: June 22 2010
Before guiding yourself through the Lab Centrifuge purchasing selection criteria, you should ask yourself four questions related to the protocol or application you intend to use this centrifuge for: 1) How much Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF)
Guide to Lab Freezers
Published: May 21 2010
Purchasing the right Laboratory Freezer is often considered a simple and straightforward decision. However, when the longevity of your samples and expensive materials depends on the right kind of freezer, it is worth a closer look. Use this guide
Guide to Biological Safety Cabinets
Published: May 21 2010
Biological Safety Cabinets provide effective containment for lab workers working with human pathogens. There are three separate classes of BSC’s available: Class I, II and III; some with additional sub-class levels. These classes are designa
Guide to Fume Hoods
Published: May 5 2010
Purchasing the correct Fume Hood for your laboratory is a very important, long-term decision and your choice in lab ventilation systems will affect future lab planning, flexibility and safety. There are three main questions you should ask before p
Guide to Water Purification Systems
Published: April 29 2010
Primary Lab Use, ASTM Type III Type III Lab Water Purification Systems include glassware washing, heating baths, filling autoclaves, feeding steam generators and environmental cabinets, hydroponics, or as a pre treatment to Type I Lab Water Sy
