# microwave ashing

A rapid determination of the carbon black content allows quick feedback to production and for adjustment when required. The use of Milestone’s PYRO muffle furnace (High Sample Throughput configuration) along with self-closing quartz crucibles and dedicated rack (20 positions) ensures fast determination and high reproducibility compared with the reference method ASTM D1603.

RSSL deals with a wide variety of food samples on which they must provide either the ash content or the elemental analysis after ash content. The overall process time for these analyses was time consuming as it required several hours. RSSL wishes to provide a superior service to their clients and enhance their turnaround time for this specific testing. RSSL acquired a PYRO microwave muffle ashing furnace mid of 2019 for total ash determination in food samples. The muffle utilizes microwave heating to ash samples, which reduces the process time and electricity consumption when compared to conductive heating muffles.

The rapid expansion of electric mobility and the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries have intensified the global challenge of ensuring sustainable access to critical raw materials. Among these critical raw materials, lithium stands at the core of modern energy storage. a research group at the University of Brescia, under the scientific guidance of Professor Elza Bontempi, has developed an innovative and environmentally responsible method for lithium recovery from black mass (BM). This research proposes a paradigm shift: instead of relying on harsh chemical treatments, the process leverages microwave energy as the core enabling technology to activate and transform the material, making lithium selectively recoverable through a greener approach.

The ashing test on food samples is commonly used for evaluation of mineral content. Microwave ashing procedure for determination of inorganic ash in food samples is an alternative and rapid method for determination of mineral content in food samples. Milestone PYRO system incorporates all of the benefits of a microwave system working with special fast heating/cooling crucibles while making the ashing application fast, easy, effective, and in complete safety.

The USP chapter describes the methodology for measurement of inorganic contaminants in pharmaceutical samples, where the adopted technique is the Sulfated Ashing. Milestone's PYRO is an advanced sulfated ashing system, that allows to run this particular application in one step only, thus assuring operators’ safety and reproducibility of results.