Chemical Analytics

Reliable analytics is the basis for research and product development. The working group “Chemical Analytics” at Fraunhofer IGB offers chemical, physico-chemical and protein-chemical analyses. With our analytical competence we support your research for new applications and product developments, and also in quality as surance and damage assessment.

Analytics in the service of research

Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin beim Pipettieren.
Samples
© Fraunhofer IGB
Samples.

Standardized analytics for every specific question

Focusing on your specific requirements and working together with you, we choose the appropriate technologies from a broad range of methods. Standardized procedures and an extensive range of modern technical equipment are indispensable for our own scientific work – and as our customer you benefit from this.

Development of new test methods

Where there are no standardized analytical methods, we develop and validate test methods tailored exactly to your specific requirements.

Analytics in R&D

With our scientific expertise and many years of experience we deliver reliable research results. At the same time we can offer far more than the analysis of individual parameters. Together with process engineers, chemists, physicists and biologists from our institute we solve complex problems and assist in their implementation through to industrial scale. Our interdisciplinary teams also optimize methods with the aim of developing analyses for special requirements, thus opening up new and complex issues.

You can rely on us

A wide range of state-of-the-art technical equipment and motivated, highly qualified staff guarantee quick processing and handling of your analytical requirements. A quality management system and accreditation in accordance with DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025 insure that our analytics meets the highest of standards.

Our services

  • Development of methods in chemical analytics
    Monitoring of raw materials, production processes and end products
  • Environmental analytics
    Water, wastewater, soil, sewage sludge, hazardous waste, air and on textiles
  • Drinking water analyses
    WasserCheck – a nationwide study of the quality of the drinking water supplied to consumers
  • Residue analysis
    Detection of production residues, environmental chemicals, auxiliary substances in the textile industry
  • Trace analyses of organic contamination of surfaces
    Detection of production residues
  • Quality control
    Product control, incoming goods inspection
  • Food analytics
    Fatty acid analysis, carbohydrate analytics, organic acids etc.
  • Analytics for damage assessment
    Investigation of problems during production
  • Analytical investigations supporting clinical studies
    Detection of metabolites
  • Environmental impact assessment of building materials
    Foam glass ballast, for example
  • Outgassing studies
    Insulation glass panes, electronic components, packaging
  • Nanoparticle analyses
    Investigations in cosmetic products and environmental samples

Analytical competencies

Analysis of mains water supplied to the consumer

In Germany drinking water is tested rigorously. This insures that only water of the highest quality leaves the waterworks.

In a nationwide study covering the whole of Germany we test how good the quality of the household drinking water is that comes out of the water tap. Water pipes and fittings can, for example, cause contamination with heavy metals such as lead or the frequently allergenic metal nickel. We analyze samples of household water and well water by means of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‑OES) for the metals lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, aluminum, iron, chromium, molybdenum and lithium as well as for the cations sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Anions such as chloride, fluoride, nitrate, phosphate and sulfate are determined by ion chromatography.

Additionally, at Fraunhofer IGB we can also analyze the water samples bacteriologically to identify specific microorganisms.

Equipment, methods, applications

Which methods are suitable for which analyses? Here you can get an overview.

Accreditation

The German Accreditation Body (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH, DAkkS) has accredited our chemical and chemical-physical test analytics according to DIN EN ISO / IEC 17025.

Selected range of services

 

Nanoparticle measurement with SP-ICP-MS

In single particle mode, ICP-MS is an element-specific method for the characterization of inorganic nanoparticles even in complex matrices such as cosmetics. For many questions, the particle number distribution is of importance, which, in addition to other particle properties, can be determined in SP-ICP-MS via a statistical evaluation.

 

Pesticide residues on cotton textiles

On behalf of the Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering, cotton that was processed under different conditions and for different applications was tested for residues of insecticides, fungicides and ethylene glycol as a conversion product of ethylene oxide.

 

Fatty acid analysis

Fraunhofer IGB analyzes fatty acids in various compounds and compartments: from fats, oils and biosurfactants as well as dicarboxylic acids to the membrane of erythrocytes.

Environmental impact assessment of foam glass ballast

Foam glass ballast is a heat insulator made of foamed used glass. So that this may be used as a building material, its environmental compatibility has to be demonstrated. For this purpose we produce extracts and test them for heavy metals by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‑AES).

Analysis of micropollutants

Organic micropollutants, including cyanides or heavy metals depending on the functionality of the particles, can be removed from wastewater by using adsorber particles. For selected pharmaceutical drugs, e.g. diclofenac, metoprolol, sulfamethoxazole or carbamazepine, we have developed and carried out the supporting analytics of adsorption tests using model adsorbers.