Pesticide residues are frequently blamed for many food contamination episodes while fumigants used to preserve food grains also leave residues not easy to monitor due to low levels of their presence. The pesticide residue controversy in India a few years ago led to the setting up of limits for a variety of chemical residues in water and beverages. Having done this the need for establishing adequate and appropriate testing facilities did not receive the attention it deserved to protect the consumers. The advent of mass spectrometry has provided the much needed precision tool for tackling the residue hazards.
"The Flexar SQ 300 MS system combines efficient chromatographic separation with mass spectrometry detection capabilities and is designed for analysts seeking a fast, accurate and robust system to quickly identify and quantify compounds. The mass detection system provides a rugged ion source design and wide molecular weight detection range for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) applications. Suitable for use in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, the Flexar SQ 300 MS platform enables efficient and reliable ionisation of compounds in both positive and negative modes for the efficient analysis of a range analytes. For food and environmental testing applications, a patented multi-stage ion path allows for multi-residue analysis with high limits of detection sensitivity. Moreover, advanced Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) technology enables fragmentation for further confirmation of molecular structure. Flexar SQ 300 MS offers ease of switching between the Ultraspray ESI and Field-free APCI ion sources and fast interchangeability of probes".
If the country is too much concerned about the dangers posed by dangerous chemicals being used in food production, preservation and processing, investment on analytical facilities to track them in time is imperative. The mass spectrometer like the one offered above may cost a fortune to buy, install and operate but no cost is too high when it comes to safeguarding the health of the citizen.
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