Flame Photometer

“BlueNotes” is our dedicated software package that can be used to control our Flame Photometer range from a Windows PC. There are currently three versions, i) BlueNotes 410 for our M410* Flame Photometers, ii) BlueNotes 420 for our M420 series** of Flame Photometers and, iii) Regulated BlueNotes 420 for 420 series instruments being operated in an environment that requires adherence to 21 CFR Part 11 and similar regulation. (* – see FAQ 3 below) (** M420 series of Flame Photometers: M420, M425 and M420Cs)

BlueNotes 420 and Regulated BlueNotes 420 require Windows 7 or later. BlueNotes 410 operates on Windows XP or later. The PC requires a serial connection to link to the flame photometer and an additional one for the optional autosampler accessory for which a USB to RS-232 adapter can also be used (supplied separately).

To work with 410 BlueNotes, the Model 410 requires a digital interface to enable output via a serial connection to a PC or printer. The Models 410 Clinical and Industrial are supplied with the interface already installed. The Model 410 Classic requires purchase and installation of the Digital Interface module to enable work with BlueNotes 410 software. A number of “Upgrade & Automate” packages are available: please consult your local supplier or contact Sherwood Scientific directly for more information.

Software alone cannot provide compliance to regulations pertaining to GCP (Good Clinical Practice), GLP (Good Laboratory Practice), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) or FDA 21 CFR part 11. No instrument or analytical software package can provide full compliance. The software must be operated in conjunction with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the end user and an organisation’s maintained quality management system. The software does contain features (in other words; provides the tools) that make it possible for the user to operate the connected Flame Photometer in a compliant manner.”

“All settings, methods, results files, etc. are stored locally on the host PC in a folder that is hidden, by default, in Windows. These files are stored in a digitally signed XML format and so are tamper evident. To guard against data loss, your IT administrator will be able to automatically back up this folder to a networked location using existing Windows features. In Regulated BlueNotes 420 there is no way to for a user to delete any results or method files through the software user interface once those files have been generated. In standard BlueNotes 420 it is only possible to delete these files via the password protected supervisor mode. Therefore, as long as regular backups of the BlueNotes main data folder are taken and supervisor

“There is no built-in way to export to specific, external databases. BlueNotes software allows results to be exported as either a PDF report or a CSV* file which can be manipulated by spreadsheet software. While there is no way to automate this process from within the software, third party software such as Microsoft Excel could be used to automatically extract data from the CSV results files once they have been manually exported.”(*CSV Files: only possible for 410 and 420 BlueNotes Software. Regulated BlueNotes 420 does not allow export of CSV files)

1 – If the variation consistently in one direction this is Drift. This is caused by the instrument characteristics changing with temperature of the flame system.

Solution to this problem :

• Let the Model 410 warm up with the flame alight and aspirating water for 30 minutes.
• Recalibrate with standard every 30 minutes
• The specification says drift no more than 2% per hour.

2 – If the variation is random (Up and Down ) this is instrument noise.

Solution to this problem:

• Check the nebuliser uptake rate ( Section 7.6 in operator manual)
• Reduce sensitivity by reducing dilution ratio and reducing fine and coarse switch value.
• Do not display more than 2 significant digits

Specification for short term drift is ± 1%

Yes but; The samples must be pretreated to remove phosphate. The method is listed in the applications section Below

Why? – The Model 410 is a low temperature flame photometer and the flame has not enough energy to break the calcium phosphate bond.

The instrument uses 440 mls gas per minute (propane)
1 mole of propane is equivalent to approx 22.4 litres gas.
Thus 1 mole would last 22.4/0.44 minutes = 51 minutes
I mole propane weighs 44 gms (C₄H₁₀)
So 7 kg cylinder lasts 7000/44 x 51 minutes = 135 hours

No.
Magnesium atoms emit light at UV wavelengths after excitation at higher energies than available from the M410 Flame.

The top position is occupied by the Sodium Filter, not Lithium, even though on the Model 410 Li is the top element printed on the front panel. (This is because the optical path used in the flame photometer is opposite the bottom element position. So, for Na to be in the optical path, the filter holder lever must be pushed to the bottom position.)

So to replace Lithium with Ca, the bottom filter should be changed and Ca is measured when the filter holder lever is in the top position.( newer Model 410 Flame Photometers from serial # 15659 are fitted with Calcium as standard.)

Even after dilution Na is outside the its linear range 140 mmo/l is normal serum value for Na = 140 x 22.9 =3206 ppm After 200:1 dilution it is still 16 ppm. Non-linearity starts at 10 ppm Solution is to fit a Lineariser Sherwood Part 47829800 See Non Linearity of sodium