RSSL has opened its new metals laboratory and has signed a lab partnership agreement with Agilent. The newly expanded lab allows RSSL to provide enhanced services in routine metals testing for the pharma industry. RSSL’s investment is in response to the pending implementation of Chapter and Chapter of the USP, and the existing European Pharmacopoeia Chapters 2.4.20 and 5.20, which deal with the analysis of heavy metals by modern spectroscopic methods.
 
New equipment has been added to enhance current capabilities, and includes ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry), ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy), AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry), and MP-AES (microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry). The pending changes to the USP for heavy metals testing indicate that spectroscopic methods are set to replace wet-chemistry methods. RSSL is now and better equipped to carry out heavy metals testing for the international pharma/healthcare industry.
 
As Agilent’s sole lab partner in the UK for atomic spectroscopy, RSSL will also develop new techniques and applications for Agilent’s technologies and offer a demonstration site for Agilent equipment.