THE NEW MILESTONE START E

Microwave Extraction System

The use of laboratory microwave ovens for organic extraction elevates sample preparation to the same level of sophistication as sample analysis. Milestone's START E extraction labstation is a high-performance microwave-accelerated system with some of the most advanced process control and safety features currently available. The START E system was created to give analysts an extraction platform just as technologically advanced as GC, GC-MS, HPLC, and other analytical techniques.

Benefits of the Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction

Speed

Milestone's START E labstation can simultaneously process multiple samples in a matter of minutes. Microwave assisted extraction uses closed vessels to heat the extraction solvent above its atmospheric boiling point. The elevated temperature increases the solubility of the analyte of interest and lowers the viscosity of the solvent, allowing it to better penetrate the matrix. Higher temperatures help overcome matrix effects and accelerate the desorption and diffusion of the analyte molecules. This all leads to dramatically reduced extraction times.

Economy

Effectiveness and Consistency

Thanks to a combination of higher extraction temperatures, closed vessels, magnetic stirring, and precisely controllable temperature conditions, users of microwave extraction can expect a better quality of data. The homogeneity of the microwave field and the precision of the temperature control are key elements in microwave extraction. The START E labstation contains a unique microwave diffusion system to ensure uniform heating of all samples. The heating is controlled using a PID algorithm and a graphical interface that allows heating profiles to be set similar to GC or GC/MS instrumentation.

Simplicity

An important feature of the START E system is that it easily adapts to existing extraction chemistry. This is accomplished through the use of a unique, patented material, called Weflon. Without Weflon, extractions could only be performed with polar solvents (Acetone, Methanol, etc.) or mixtures of polar and non-polar solvents, because non-polar solvents are not heated by microwaves. Weflon eliminates this problem by acting as a coupling agent. Weflon stir bars are heated by microwaves and they subsequently transfer this heat to the nonpolar solvent. Each Weflon piece is precisely manufactured to contain the same amount of high-purity microwave absorbing material, ensuring reproducible heating conditions from vessel to vessel and run to run.