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Fluoride is a common additive in drinking water around the world, but careful monitoring its concentration for safety and effectiveness is important. There are several methods commonly used for quantification of fluorine in drinking water: Fluoride Ion Selective Electrode (F-ISE) and spectral analysis. These methods are both effective, but we will explore how spectral analysis may provide a more simple method for fluorine quantification, as well as its uses for monitoring the safety and quality of various water sources around the world.

Fluoride is a common additive in our drinking water supply. Spectral analysis uses colorimetric technology to identify fluoride compounds in water samples and quantifies them both rapidly and effectively. Image Source: Flickr user Steve A Johnson

Consumers rely on accurate performance test results to be consistent with ‘real world’ cleaning outcomes. Image source: Flickr user Caroline Gagné

Detergent manufacturing is a highly competitive and controlled industry. Consumers want cleaning supplies that are more efficient, powerful, economic, and environmentally friendly. Product assurance in these areas is highly dependent upon the variety of tests performed within industry standards.

Manufacturers of liquid detergents, powdered cleaners, and chemical surfactants all rely on performance test result to measure product quality. However, not all performance test results give an accurate measurement of a product’s cleaning ability, and consumers are now demanding more trustworthy information. Performance testing relies on scientific protocols to guarantee valid results through the use of proper testing methods and tools.

As the weather turns warmer and more time is spent outside, the need to protect your skin from the sun increases. Sunscreen sales skyrocket in the summer, as consumers look for effective products. Image Source: Flickr user Boudewijn Berends

Summer is just around the corner, and the longer days and warmer weather are drawing people outside for some much-anticipated sunshine. Evidence of sunny weather is popping up at local drug stores and supermarkets, where sunscreen has once again permeated the shelves, reminding people of the importance of skin protection.

Sunscreen undergoes various stages of processing before it reaches the consumer. The most important feature is the sun protection factor (SPF) measurement, which depends on chemical analysis for its determination. The SPF number you find on that bottle of lotion indicates the level of protection the product offers from harmful UV rays. However, accurately measuring the level of protection for a given product is a highly technical process. UV spectrophotometry offers an effective method of chemical analysis that can help to determine SPF. This data can be obtained quickly and accurately, giving a quantifiable number to show the exact level of protection provided.

Healthy soil is dependent upon just the right balance of nutrients. Spectral analysis plays an important role in monitoring soil quality and quantifying nutrient levels. Image Source: Flickr user Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Health Campaign

Soil quality is an important part of agriculture and sustainability. Improving soil quality depends on quantitative analysis and the careful balance of nutrients which will promote superior growing conditions. Spectrophotometers are a valuable tool for monitoring nitrogen and phosphorus levels in fertilizers and soil compounds. Through advanced spectrophotometric technology we can monitor and develop fertilizers that will lead to a more lucrative and productive agricultural sector.

Spectrophotometry quantifies the color of a sample with a light source. The spectrophotometer divides the light source into its different wavelengths — visible, UV, and infrared — and measures how much the sample reflects or transmits these wavelengths. The way an object absorbs and transmits light is how our eyes perceive color, and spectrophotometers can create a formulation for every color we see.

Color may seem like a subjective characteristic, but a spectrophotometer makes it objective. Color plays a critical role in many industries, ranging from physics and biochemistry to food and beverage production. The applications of spectrophotometry are wide-reaching and can tell users far more about a sample than its objective color measurements.

Analyzing loose powder hues comes with unique challenges due to the innate qualities of the powders.

Spring is a time of rebirth and regeneration when color returns to our world vividly after the grays and whites of winter. And perhaps there is no better expression of this than the Hindu celebration of Holi, also known as the festival of colors.

Each spring, people around the world — Hindu, and non-Hindu alike — mark the coming of the season in a brilliant display of colorful powders thrown in the air and streaked across revelers. This colored powder is essential to the celebrations, originating with the legend of the Hindu deity Krishna who colored his lover’s face to match his own blue skin.

Today, four primary powder colors are used during the festival, each representing a unique aspect of the Holi celebration. Green signifies spring's new beginnings, blue symbolizes the connection to Krishna, red stands for fertility and love, and yellow evokes health and happiness. 

Traditionally, these hues were created using real turmeric, flower extracts, and sandalwood paste. Now, however, they are largely produced using artificial colorants. This practice has led to health and environmental concerns after reports that hazardous materials like chromium and lead were used in powder production. These chemicals can cause pollution and health issues like eye and skin irritation or respiratory illnesses.

As a result, a number of commercial powder suppliers have recently returned to more natural and plant-based color sources. In order to promote safer, more eco-friendly products, however, powder suppliers must ensure that their powders accurately reproduce the vivacious colors we have become accustomed to. This is vital in order to allow customers to obtain healthier products without compromising appearance. This requires careful monitoring of color behavior throughout the production process.

Reflectance spectrophotometers are ideal for measuring the color of all types of loose powders, regardless of their end use. Using directional geometry, these spectrophotometers mimic the way the human eye sees color, only better. Without the impact of outside interferences, spectrophotometric devices are able to objectively analyze samples for the highest level of accuracy and repeatability. As such, they serve a critical role in the development and production of loose powders across industries, from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals. However, there are a number of special considerations for loose powder color measurement that must be kept in mind during the analytical process.

Things were fine the way they were. Nobody needed some hotshot new “fixer” boss. Especially not one who’s not only younger than you but also has a poster of a shark taking a seal out of the air on their office wall and a framed picture of Gordon Gekko on their desk. “Next item,” says Jodie. “Contracting manufacturers. We can get cheaper shampoo if we switch to a foreign firm. And what’s this about sending three batches back because they failed our color standards? Why are we still using these guys?” “We’ve been dealing with them for twenty years,” you tell her. “We’ve got a great relationship. These guys have been good to us.” “Business isn’t about friends,” Jodie says. “You’re either a shark or you’re a seal. I want a list of ten other shampoo manufacturers ranked on price and turnaround time by EOW. Next item…”

There are almost 4,0001 shampoo manufacturers in China alone. That’s a lot of sharks in the water. Which means that if, as a manufacturer, you aren’t able to deliver shampoos that consistently meet personal care product designer standards, you could end up losing contracts and clients to other manufacturers who do. In addition, each time a batch is rejected, you have to eat the cost. Not only does this include the direct ingredients, but also the plastic bottles, the printed labels, the time, labor, and power spent in production, and the cost of delivery itself. To prevent this, it’s essential to implement rigorous quality control standards2 for foam stability, detergency, conditioning, eye irritancy—and color.  

In a crowded marketplace, it’s important to meet designer standards. Image Credit: Flickr User beverlyislike. (CC BY 2.0)

At a time when over 75% of women report dyeing their hair, hair care products formulated to improve color retention are growing in popularity. Image Source: Flickr user Faylyne

There was a time when dyeing your hair was considered so taboo that women were driven to extreme lengths to guard their beauty secret. They would slink into salons via back entrances and receive color treatments in private booths, emerging with rejuvenated locks they passed off as natural. That changed when Clairol released the first at-home commercial hair dye in 1956, followed by a clever and memorable marketing tagline: “Does she … or doesn’t she?” Within a decade, the proportion of women who dyed their hair skyrocketed from 7% to 50% and hair dye sales increased from $25 million to $186 million.1 Nearly 60 years later, 75% of women and nearly 10% of men report artificially changing their hair color,  and the biggest concern faced by those of us with dyed tresses isn’t stigma or fear of discovery, but preserving the color we love. In response, shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments formulated to optimize color retention are increasingly entering the marketplace and represent one of the fastest growing segments within the hair care industry. Spectral analysis allows hair product manufacturers to objectively evaluate the efficacy of their formulations to improve color protection and create products that meet consumer expectations.

Thoughtful formulation of hair products can improve color retention and guard against premature fading. Image Source: Flickr user frankieleon