Author
Mira Dobreva

Published
7th February 2018

UWS makes advancements in drug analysis with the help of Peak

Charles McGuinness, Senior Analytical Chemistry Technician at UWS Paisley Campus, shares the benefits of the Genius NM32LA lab nitrogen generator for drug analysis. 

Charles McGuinness, Senior Analytical Chemistry Technician at UWS Paisley Campus, shares the benefits of the Genius NM32LA lab nitrogen gas generator for drug analysis. The University of the West of Scotland, or UWS, is an institution of higher learning based in, Scotland. Across its multiple campuses in Paisley, Dumfries, Ayr, Hamilton, and most recently, London, it provides courses for a range of disciplines.

 

Name: Charles McGuinness

Job title: Senior Analytical Chemistry Technician

Company/institution: University of the West of Scotland

Location: Scotland, UK

Typically what is the focus of your LC-MS analysis - what sort of applications?

"Mainly drug analysis but also other novel organic compounds. Recently our focus is on analytical chemistry and analysis of biological, non-biological samples, pharmaceuticals. We're also currently working on a project that is looking at the antibiotic contents in meat and the impact it has on human health."

What Peak Scientific nitrogen generator for LC-MS do you have in your laboratory and what LC-MS instruments does it supply?

"We have a Genius NM32LA and it supplies an Agilent LC-MS 6100. We also have a Precision Hydrogen 450cc."

What prompted you to choose a Peak nitrogen gas generator and how long have you used them?

"I have used Peak generators for nearly 20 years (I've used some of their original generators back then) and we've always had an excellent relationship. Our analysis demands high precision nitrogen generation and high quality gases and you have to have the best equipment in order to ensure the results are accurate. We knew a Peak nitrogen gas generator will provide that so that was the obvious choice for us and we wouldn't use anything else than Peak. Their generators are of high quality and very dependable."

What has been the key benefit of deploying a Peak nitrogen generator for LC-MS as opposed to your previous gas supply solution?

"The quality of the product and the gas purity it produces gives consistent quality analysis every time. Peak are also very local to us so we've always worked very close and have built a great relationship together. They're a great company to buy from but they're also a great company to be in partnership with as well. I have used different gas manufacturers for nitrogen generation in the past but they don't produce the quality of gas we are looking for - it will always be a Peak generator for us."

How would you describe your purchasing experience with Peak in terms of speed of response, ease of ordering, catering for your needs and timing of delivery?

"It has as always been an excellent experience. Great service and friendly, knowledgeable staff. I have got to know a lot of Peak's employees over the years and all of them have been extremely helpful and caring.”

Have you ever had a site visit from a Peak engineer, if so, could you describe your experience of this support?

"Again, the site visits are great. The engineers are friendly and do an excellent job. We've only had one breakdown during all those years and because Peak are a local company the issue was dealt with on site, very quickly, and we were back up and running within a few hours."

Would you recommend Peak Scientific generators to other laboratories - and if so, what would be your main reason for the recommendation?

"Yes, I would recommend Peak generators because if you are looking for consistent quality of gas at high purity and reliable nitrogen generation then it has to be Peak. We don't have to worry about background problems or gas impurities, we can just focus on our analysis and achieve the best results that we can get - it's a great peace of mind for us. If there's a customer out there who isn't using a Peak generator they should certainly think about it."


 

UWS's research is not limited to only one type of analysis as the university works on various projects, consistently striving to deliver the best results. In order to keep up with the high standards of analysis, Charles McGuinness shares that his team must use only equipment of the highest quality which includes a nitrogen generator for LC-MS from Peak. The university lab has utilized a Genius NM32LA nitrogen gas generator which supports their Agilent LC-MS instrument.

Genius NM32LA has proven to be extremely reliable with thousands of units sold across the world, setting a benchmark in high quality nitrogen generation. However, inspired by the success of Peak’s best-selling Genius line, the Genius XE was born. It combines cutting edge technology and performance to create an exceptional independent nitrogen gas solution not only for high performance LC-MS but also for various other lab applications. It was designed to meet the needs of even the most demanding laboratories, guaranteeing productivity, confidence, convenience and versatility.

Genius XE 35

To find out more about Genius XE    

 

Having had an excellent relationship with Peak for nearly 20 years has naturally led Charles to choosing a nitrogen generator for LC-MS from Peak for the UWS lab. He was certain from his experience that a Peak generator was the right choice for the university lab as it provides high quality nitrogen gas and is very dependable.

Working in a lab where accurate results each time are a priority, UWS have entrusted Peak with their nitrogen generation as the quality of Peak’s generators is unquestionable. Based on years of research and innovation, Peak's nitrogen generators are designed to meet and exceed the customers' expectations and always deliver high quality and reliability. Peak's newest nitrogen gas generator series Genius XE deliver maximum performance for labs which can't afford to compromise. The series come in two models XE 35 and XE 70 delivering 35 l/min and 70 l/min respectively at purity up to 99.5%, guaranteeing exceptional results each time.

Genius XE is not only innovative and reliable, but is the favoured alternative to pressurized gas cylinders. It eliminates on-going administration and delivery costs and is the practical and convenient way to have nitrogen gas in the lab without concerns of safety and manual handling of cylinders. Moreover, the Genius XE series do not require an external air supply as they rely on next-generation high performance internal compressors.

Enquire about our Genius XE    

 

Customers can also benefit from a unique 2 year fully comprehensive warranty* with Genius XE and enjoy the freedom of not having to worry about their generator. To ensure complete peace of mind for its customers, Peak also offers the [Peak Protected] service plans which provide rapid response no matter the location. As Charles has mentioned in his interview, UWS have greatly benefited from [Peak Protected] as they never have to worry about any downtime. They can just focus on their analysis and leave the rest to Peak's skilful engineers who come on site to always provide industry leading support to customers.

High quality and reliability of the nitrogen generation is important to UWS but it’s also important to Peak as we like to ensure that our products meet and exceed the customers’ expectations. For labs such as UWS that can’t afford to compromise with the quality of their results, Peak has designed the Genius XE nitrogen gas generator series which provide high performance and reliability to even the most demanding labs.

*Year 2 of warranty subject to generator being serviced at end of year 1 by a Peak-approved agent in accordance with fixed annual maintenance schedule. For full terms and conditions visit: www.peakscientific.com/warranty-statement

 

Read more articles like this:

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Improving LC-MS separations with on-site nitrogen generation

Nitrogen safety concerns

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