FREESTYLE XANA  with labtop | © LCTech GmbH
Simple Processing of Water Samples

FREESTYLE XANA

Processing water samples to detect any harmful substances that they contain is an important task in official and commercial laboratories.  

To detect a wide range of chemical compounds, large-volume water samples are usually processed and an extensive repertoire of individual steps is applied. The manual processing of these often time-consuming and monotonous steps poses a challenge for the laboratory staff in routine laboratories.

Parallelised automation, which processes all the necessary steps precisely, makes it much easier to process large-volume water samples in the laboratory, while also reducing variance in the results.

DETAILS AT A GLANCE

FREESTYLE XANA

FREESTYLE XANA PFAS loaded | © LCTech GmbH

The column is firmly connected to the arm, therefore sample and solvent can be dosed precisely and at a constant flow rate via the SPE column with positive pressure using a syringe pump. Drying is also carried out via positive pressure with nitrogen.

  • Non-stop Policy: If a column becomes blocked, the system detects the overpressure. The column is reset, the system cleans itself automatically and continues with the processing of the next column
  • One rack for all types of columns: reusable adapters allow easy changing and mixing of columns of any standard format
  • Columns can be moved to any position in the rack area
  • Three solvents as standard, upgrade option up to six or even fifteen solvents

In the processing station on the FREESTYLE platform, 3 SPE columns are processed simultaneously in 2 blocks: In block 1, 3 columns are conditioned, loaded and washed in parallel, while in the following block 2, 3 columns are dried in parallel.

The following videos show the processing station of the FREESTYLE XANA. They are identical for all XANA models:

The external processing station is responsible for the fluidics management of the water module with the pumping mechanics of up to 10 L samples, the valves and the sensor technology for process monitoring.

The sample rack offers space for 24 x 1 L sample bottles; optionally 3 sample containers with up to 10 L volume each can be connected to the system. 

Automatic rinsing of the sample bottles possible for optimal quantitative transfer of the sample.

Maximum flexibility for your applications. Just as you need it.

  • More than 40 different racks, freely combinable.
  • Each rack with different sample vessels.
  • Depending on the configuration, up to 180 samples can be processed in one operation, with only one platform.
  • Temperature-controlled racks also possible.

Only one rack type is needed for all standard column (also IAC columns) between 1 and 15 mL, the adaptation of which is done by adapters. The racks are hooked in with a flick of the wrist and registered in the software with a few mouse clicks.

It is particularly convenient when the sample is eluted directly into the EVAporation chamber. The concentration is similar to that of a rotary evaporator, using heat and vacuum. A final volume between 0.2 mL and 5.0 mL can be freely adjusted and is achieved reproducibly. The possibility of a liquid/liquid solvent exchange completes the full automation.

For more details on the advantages of the EVA module, please refer to the corresponding product page.

FREESTYLE EVAporation

Water Sample Preparation

etail view FREESTYLE XANA PFAS rack | © LCTech GmbH
Automation in Water Analysis

Sample preparation during water analysis places special requirements on automation, such as the processing of large-volume or particle-loaded samples. The FREESTYLE XANA robotic system has been specially developed to prepare water samples with large volumes, e.g. drinking water, untreated water or river water.

Trinkwasser | © Fotolia_92240764_L
Unique Automation in Water Analysis

The system processes the samples reliably without supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from the raw sample to the GC container, ready for the subsequent analysis. As up to 4 bars of positive pressure are applied, even samples containing some suspended particles can be pushed through the SPE columns in a controlled manner in most cases.

A high sample throughput is achieved by performing the most time-consuming processing steps in parallel and processing several samples at once.

Flusswasser | © Mosel_Fotolia_29212675_M
Water: the Most Important Food

The regulations, such as the German drinking water regulation, and the scope of monitoring are growing continuously, along with the requirements regarding sensitivity. In this context, sample preparation plays an important role in fulfilling these requirements.

The FREESTYLE XANA robotic system is an innovative solution to clean up water. It offers an efficient way to prepare water samples to ensure precise monitoring.

WORKING PRINCIPLE

Sophisticated Parallelisation

1. SPE gripper places up to 3 columns from the SPE rack into block 1 of the processing station:
2. Conditioning, loading and rinsing of these 3 columns at the same time

3. The SPE gripper places the 3 processed columns from block 1 into block 2 of the processing station. SPE gripper takes the next columns (up to 3) from the SPE rack and places them into block 1 of the processing station.

4. Block 1: Conditioning, loading and rinsing of up to 3 columns at the same time. Block 2: Drying of the first 3 columns

5. SPE gripper places the 3 dried columns from block 2 back onto the SPE rack. The SPE gripper places 3 loaded and rinsed columns from block 1 into block 2 of the processing station. SPE gripper takes the next columns (up to 3) from the SPE rack and places them into block 1 of the processing station.

6. Block 1: Conditioning, loading and rinsing of up to 3 columns at the same time. Block 2: Drying of up to 3 columns at the same time.

7. The first 3 columns are eluted sequentially in vials or in the vacuum chamber of the EVAporation module. Filling into GC vials takes place following EVAporation to the desired final volume; the water sample is thus fully prepared for the subsequent analysis.

PRODUCT VIDEOS + WEBINARS

Videos

FREESTYLE XANA
Automated sample preparation in water analysis using SPE clean-up.
LCTech Logo | © LCTech GmbH
Webinar
FREESTYLE XANA EVA - The robot for reliable and convenient SPE preparation of your water samples. From the sample to the ready-to-use vial.

XANA PFAS Versions

FREESTYLE XANA PFAS loades | © LCTech GmbH
FREESTYLE XANA PFAS TableTop

Max. volume per sample: up to 250 mL
Samples per sequence: 30
Location: Laboratory bench
Sample at the same time: up to 6

FREESTYLE XANA PFAS loades | © LCTech GmbH
FREESTYLE XANA PFAS

Max. volumen per sample: up to 1-4 L
Samples per sequence: 24
Location: Supplied table on castors
Samples at the same time: up to 6

Do you have any further questions?

The LCTech experts are happy to provide you with individual solutions.