News

• Services: This year, AlyXan has continued its expertise in the field of biogas analysis, through its analytical services. Also, a poster, presented by ENGIE LAB CRIGEN at the “Gas Analysis” exhibition (2022, May the 17-20th – Paris), reports a part of our measurements concerning these works on the valorization of CO2 (residual gas) in a process of biomethanization. Bewing aware of the importance of this field, in a world in fast transition, AlyXan will continue to put its knowledge and its analyzers at the service of its partners.

• New publications: Two articles, one written in collaboration with IFPen (“Industrie Française du Pétrole et des Energies Nouvelles”) and the “Institut de Chimie Physique” (ICP), the other by the “Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas” (LPGP) and the “Institut de Chimie Physique” (ICP), were published respectively in the magazine “Fuel” and in the journal “Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics”. They can be downloaded from the following websites (links below):

“Impact of fuel ethanol content on regulated and non-regulated emissions monitored by various analytical techniques over flex-fuel and conversion kit applications”.

“Insights into non-thermal plasma chemistry of acetone diluted in N2/02 mixtures: a real-time MS experiment”.

• BTrap instrument acquisition by “Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS” (Aucamville, France): Our BTrap high resolution mass analyzer is the technology that was chosen by Liebherr to meet a challenge of strategic importance in a rapidly changing field. Namely, the characterization of air pollution control systems injected inside aircraft (pressurization) and thus the qualification of the quality of this air. The BTrap, equipped with two distinct “Sniffer” analysis channels, is used to measure trace amounts of targeted pollutants (VOCs) and possible degradation by-products, upstream and downstream of these pollution control systems. These measurements aim to respond to an evolving regulatory context. After a year of work and measurements (feasibility, application development, tests) through an R&D instrument, it is in this context that a new and dedicated BTrap analyzer was delivered to them at the end of October 2022.

• BTrap instrument acquisition by “Quantum Design-China” (Beijing, China): First export adventure for our BTrap mass spectrometers! A big thanks to our distributor Quantum Design, who knew how to highlight the performance and added value of our analyzers to their customer. This was to meet the R&D needs of a research team from Beijing University, working in the field of fuel cells and more specifically here for the measurement of residual gases. It is in this context that a BTrap analyzer was delivered to them at the end of November 2022.

• New publication: One article, written in collaboration with our partnership IFPen, has recently been released for the international SIA congress (“powertrain & power electronics” – 2021, June, 09-10th – digital edition). He is available for download at the following link below:

“Ethanol fuel content impact on regulated and non-regulated emissions on EU6c and EU6d-Temp vehicles”.

• SIA congress (powertrain & power electronics): That international congress (2021, June, 09-10th – digital edition) has allowed to our partnership (IFPen) to present and to discuss analytical results obtained for the “EtOH4Future” project (CORTEA programme). These results partially come from BTrap measurements in a roller bench (raw gas, outlet of the engine exhaust).

• Analytical services: this year was very rich concerning the analytical needs, in a variety of areas such as soil remediation worksites, biogas analysis, air processing into aircraft cabins, industrial processes and health safety environment,… We took the opportunity to develop new applications !

• Research project “EtOH4Future”: AlyXan has been involved in the CORTEA programme, in favour of air quality. More precisely, one purpose of this project was to study the ethanol fuel content impact (E10 to E85) on non-regulated emissions on Euro 6c and euro 6d vehicles (equipped or not with an approuved E85 conversion kits). The BTrap has been made available for continuous measurements of VOCs, at the outlet of the engine exhaust (raw gas). Nature of these pollutants (oxygenated, hydrocarbons, aromatics,…) and kinetics of their emission have been characterized by the BTrap, according to the kind of vehicle, fuel, driving conditions…

• New publications: Two articles, one written in collaboration with the “Institut de Chimie Physique” (ICP) and the “Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas” (LPGP), the other by the “Laboratoire National d’Hydraulique et Environnement” (LNHE – EDF) and the “Laboratoire de Chimie Moléculaire” (CNRS/Polytechnique school), have recently been released on the “Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry” and the “Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry”. They are available for download at the following links (below):

“Direct and real-time analysis in a plasma reactor using a compact FTICR-MS : Degradation of acetone in N2 and by-products formation”.

Challenges and opportunities for on-line monitoring of chlorine-produced oxidants in seawater using portable membrane-introduction Fourier Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometry”.

• BTrap instrument acquisition by “Chromatotec” (Saint-Antoine – Val de Virvée, France): On-line high resolution mass spectrometry has been chosen by the French company Chromatotec, to answer an important industrial need ! This project concerns the quick detection of benzene and 1-3-butadiene from ambient air of a petrochemical plant. The BTrap, in association with an automated multiport sampling device (Chromatotec), is then well suited for the detection/quantification, at several sampling points and in less than 1 minute, of pollutants at trace level (tens of ppb). Such continuous measurements are based on the aim to protect health of employees from the plant. The BTrap has been delivered in early July 2020.

• New publication: an article published in “Sensors”, has been written jointly by the “Laboratoire National d’Hydraulique et Environnement” (LNHE) from EDF company, the “Laboratoire de Chimie Moléculaire” from the CNRS and by the Polytechnique school from Paris. He is available for download at the following link (below):

“Tracking Monochloramine Decomposition in MIMS Analysis”.

• New development: our FTICR cell has been improved again ! The design of our filament holder is now more robust, in order to minimize its maintenance.

• New promotional video: MacFab Manufacturing (Canada), one of the leading companies in high precision parts manufacturing for analyzers. Prototyping, small or large series, assembly and cleaning are part of the company skills. We’ve chosen MacFab as one of our provider, to develop plates of our FTICR cells (BTrap). Then, MacFab also proposes us to make a promotional video which introduce our activities and our BTrap mass spectrometers. Below, the link to watch this video :

AlyXan – macfab

We sincerely thank MacFab Manufacturing, for their professionalism, kindness and the great quality of their work always delivered within a short time !

• Isipca’nalyse 2019: We’ve introduced our real-time analytical solutions, on 28 May 2019, at this forum dedicated to the analysis of aroma/perfumes/cosmetics. More information, below :

https://www.isipca.fr/evenements/forum-isipca-nalyse-2019

2019-05-28_AlyXan Presentation_Isipcanalyse

• BTrap instrument acquisition by the “Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et des Plasmas” (LPGP, Paris-Sud University, Orsay, France): A BTrap instrument has been delivered, by the end of February 2019, to the team DIREBIO involved with the pulse discharges, the high pressure reactivities and the plasma interfaces research. More precisely, they work on electrical discharges out of steady state (cold plasmas) and close to atmospheric pressure, used for the removal of pollutants in gaseous effluents. In this context, the BTrap will be used to characterize efficiency of such processing.

This analyzer BTrap is well suited to meet the requirements of these applications. He is equipped with two separate “sniffer” sampling lines, in order to measure sequentially at the upstream and downstream of the plasma discharge and so to characterize efficiency of the discharge. BTrap also allows the determination of reaction rate constants related to the formation/loss of byproducts after the plasma treatment. These datas are essential to well understand the pollutants degradation kinetics in a cold plasma.

• 66th American Society Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) annual conference: we were at San Diego, on 3th-7th June 2018. The poster session (on the monday 4th) presented our works regarding the real time analysis, in air and on surfaces, by mass spectrometry, of products of degradation generated by a cold plasma. Further information is available on that website.

 ASMS 2018 – Poster AlyXan

• New publications: Five articles, written in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Chimie Physique (LCP), have recently been released on the “International Journal of Mass Spectrometry”, “Analytical Chemistry”, “Sensors” and “Journal of Physics”. They are available for download at the following links (below):

                             “Oxygen Anion (O-)and Hydroxide Anion (HO-) Reactivity with a Series of old and new Refrigerants”                                        

 “Gas analysis by Electron Impact ionization combined with Chemical Ionization in a compact FT-ICR mass spectrometer”.

“Compact FTICR Mass Spectrometry for Real Time Monitoring of VOCs”.

“Evidence of reactivity in the membrane for the unstable monochloramine during MIMS analysis”.

“Real-time analysis of toluene removal in dry air by a dielectric barrier discharge using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry”.

•  New Development: automated multiport sampling device – the “Multiplex” ! This device has been delivered to the “control and regeneration of the atmosphere” department of Naval Group (Brest, France), in order to characterize a new plant, based on cryogenic traps, for the removal of pollutants.

                                                             Multiplex

This instrument allows the sampling up to 10 separate gas streams (12 channels would be possible). All these channels are connected to a selecting valve and thus to a single outlet. The Multiplex is controlled via a RS-485 interface, allowing the synchronization with an external apparatus. The whole system, including its transfer line (outlet), is heated in order to keep the gas warm (from ambient temperature to 70°C.

As part of this project, the Multiplex has been used to sample sequentially gas from 7 sample points of the plant. At the outlet of the Multiplex, characterization of the gas has been made continuously by our transportable mass spectrometer Btrap.

• Our new software, for BTrap data acquisition and data processing, is step by step deployed on all our operating BTrap mass spectrometers: this follows software developments made last year. This operation has been free of charge for our customers.

• A new development: the design of our FTICR measuring cell has been updated to enhanced performance of the BTrap ! Its robustness and its maintenance have been improved considerably. These new cells allow a gain factor of about 2 in sensitivity (BTrap). As a consequence, the LOD of the mass spectrometer, for one pollutant, is now around 100 ppb mol/mol, without any sample enrichment nor data processing (accumulation of mass spectra).

• Expoquimia 2017: Our spanish distributor Gallpe-AC will be at the Expoquimia 2017 event at Barcelone from October 2nd to 6th to show our products BTrap and TD flash. 

• New software for BTrap instrument: A new software has been developped this summer for the BTrap instrument with a new design and simplification of the interface and instrument use. This new tool is faster and more user friendly: for example the creation of method or sequence is a lot more intuitive. This software is actually used in our lab and on our instrument. More information would be available very soon on the website.

• BTrap instrument acquisition by EDF/Polytechnique 2017: In may 2017 a BTrap instrument has been delivered as part of a CIFRE thesis gathering EDF company and the laboratoire de Chimie Microbiologie Eau et Environnement (CME2) of the Polytechnique school. Some development has been made on the instrument in order to meet the demands of the tender. One of them was to develop a membrane introduction (MIMS) for COV measurements in water. The thesis is about on line and in real time chemical release  characterization and quantification (bromine, chlorine, nitrogen compounds…) in the two environmental matrices (water and air). The purpose is the study the environmental future of these pollutants.

• Euronaval 2016: our solutions for real-time analysis of submarines atmospheres have been presented at Euronaval 2016, at Le Bourget, from October 17th to 21st. We exhibited at the GICAN booth, on hall 2A L92. More details at http://www.euronaval.fr/9-visitors

• IMSC 2016: we presented VOC Real-time analysis with a transportable high-resolution PTR-FTICR-MS at the 21st International Mass Spectrometry Conference in Toronto, on last August, 25th. For more information, you can download the presentation on that link and visit the conference website: http://www.imsc2016.ca/

• MODEST 2016: We spoke about Real-time analysis of VOCS from polymers degradation by chemical ionization high resolution mass spectrometry on last September 4-8th. at the MODEST 2016 conference. This event  took place in the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute of Cracow, Poland. All the information are available on the website : http://en.www.ichp.pl/modest-2016. 

• New publications: two articles, written in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Chimie Physique (LCP), have recently been released on the International Journal of Mass Spectrometry. They are available for download from the Science Direct website at the following links:“Protonated 1,4-difluorobenze C6H5F2+, a promising precursor for proton-transfer chemical ionization”                                           “Development of a transportable FT-ICR MS associated with a glow discharge ionization source“.

• 64th American Society Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) annual conference:  we were in San Antonio, on 5th-9th June 2016.  The poster session WP 463 presented our projet for the development of a drift tube mass spectrometer associated with plasma microjets, on the Wednesday 8th. Further information is available on that website.

•  TAP 2016: we presented our solutions at the 21st International Transport and Air Pollution Conference at the ENS in Lyon, on 24th-26th May . This was a great occasion to learn about the BTrap use for automotive and indoor air analysis applications! To learn more about the conferences programme click on that link.

• Salon Analyse Industrielle: We displayed the BTrap analyzer at the Salon Analyse Industrielle in La défense, on the 30th and 31st of March! We also spoke during conferences about traces analyses, and about our partnership with the company AlyTech. For more information about this exhibition, please visit the following link.

• SAMAP 2015: we presented the SMHR analyzer – the BTrap answering submarine environment specific needs (learn more here) – at the Submarine Atmosphere Monitoring and Air Purification Symposium that took place from 5th to 9th October 2015 in Den Helder, Netherlands.

The SAMAP attendees:

• Latest development: TDflash-BTrap coupling! AlyXan’s instruments can now be connected for BTrap off-line analyses of low concentrations samples. Learn more by clicking here.

•  Atmos’Fair took place on 9th & 10th June 2015 in Lyon. It was the occasion to hear us speaking about air quality and industrial emissions analysis.

• We were present at Forum Labo 2015 from 31th March to 2nd April in Paris, on our AlyTech partner booth H51.

• AlyXan presented the benefits of air quality analysis with the BTrap at the:
  P4TA-CERTAM International WORKSHOP: Characterization of Complex Nanoaerosol Emissions: metrology, health and environmental issues, on 24-25 March 2015 in  Rouen, France.