Honeywell Research Chemicals is committed to providing the next level of safety and offers reagents free from carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic (CMR) substances. As industry leaders and collaborators in Karl Fischer (KF) titration, Honeywell created a special product line of Hydranal – free of imidazole reagents.

Enabling safety without comprising on results is the highest priority for Hydranal^™. There are many different aspects to providing the next level of safety in Karl Fischer (KF) titration – including that of the user, and mitigating quality implications. As some reagents may be toxic, direct contact should be reduced to a minimum or avoided completely to protect users. Additionally, inaccuracy of obtained results poses serious implications for the quality or value of the end products.

Let’s explore how Metrohm’s OMNIS equipment and Hydranal^™ NEXTGEN reagents can increase both the safety of the user and ensure accuracy of the results.
 

Hydranal™ NEXTGEN FI are free from CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic) substances

In 1979, Eugen Scholz and Helga Hoffmann invented Hydranal^™ reagents by replacing noxious pyridine, originally used as a base for KF titration, with odorless imidazole. Next in 1998, Hydranal introduced ethanol-based reagents (Hydranal E-types) for those looking to move away from using toxic methanol.

In 2015, the European Commission classified imidazole as a CMR substance and added an H360D statement («may damage the unborn child»). The initial trigger for the evaluation was the usage of imidazole in the food industry and therefore an intended oral intake. Hydranal^TM reagents are not intended for oral intake. Although KF reagents contain imidazole only in dissolved and diluted form, are always handled in closed systems in small analytical amounts, and direct contact with imidazole is unlikely, professional users of CMR substances must carry out a risk assessment considering the whole work process.
 

Learn more about risk assessment in the context of industrial manufacturing processes in our related blog post.

Forewarned is Forearmed: Error and risk minimization in process analysis – Part 3

So far, alternatives to imidazole have adversely impacted the performance of KF reagents, and users have had limited options to move away from any potential CMR risk. After dedicated research, the Hydranal Center of Excellence has developed new reagents that are free of imidazole and do not compromise on performance.

Providing the next level of safety

Hydranal^™ offers CMR-free reagents for volumetric two-component KF titration, and for coulometric KF titration for standard and for ketone samples. Customers who wish to upgrade to imidazole-free reagents from current Hydranal reagents can do so without changes in the titration methodology. A cross-reference is provided below:

For more information, please visit our website.

HYDRANAL™ NEXTGEN Hydranal FI (free of imidazole) reagents – CMR free formulations for volumetry and coulometry

Hydranal™ Smart Reagents for Metrohm OMNIS KF titrators

Hydranal™ Smart Reagents bottles are embedded with an RFID chip sticker that captures essential information for every titration, including article code, product name, lot number, shelf life and numeric concentration. Simply peel off the add-on RFID sticker from the Hydranal™ bottle and attach to the 6.01601.000 Bottle cap multi-use in three easy steps!

For more information, visit our website below.

HYDRANAL™ NEXTGEN Hydranal Smart Reagents – RFID-enabled titrants for Metrohm OMNIS KF titrators

OMNIS: Metrohm’s intelligent and modular titration system

The OMNIS titrator consists of intelligent system components to help make laboratory work easier and more traceable. It features a fully automatic recognition and permanent verification of the connection status for hardware components and reagents. With this functionality, users have full monitoring options for system components regarding their validity – made clearly visible via status LEDs. Additionally, the software detects hardware failures and suggests options about how to solve issues.

Changing the titrant

From time to time the titrant bottle will need changing either because it is empty, or because a titrant with a different titer is required for the analysis. With the OMNIS Liquid Adapter with 3S adapter technology, exchanging the titrant is not only safe, but also secure and smart. Any contact with Karl Fischer reagents is avoided – simply open the lid of the bottle cap and connect the liquid adapter to it. That’s all!

One of the many benefits of the NEXTGEN Smart Reagents is highlighted here. Since they have the original manufacturer’s data stored on the RFID tag, this data is automatically transferred to the system configuration when the reagent is connected. This is much more secure than entering the reagent data manually in the software, as typing errors are completely avoided.

Finally, the connection itself is smart and very simple. With just one hand and one single click it is done—no complicated procedures are necessary, and there is no exposure to chemicals.

Reagent exchange

The OMNIS Solvent Module expands the titrator possibilities by allowing contact-free reagent exchange. The OMNIS Solvent Module can be controlled either manually or via the OMNIS Software. The buttons for addition and aspiration can be programmed easily by the user. Just one click on the addition or aspiration button and the pump will then run for a self-defined period. A sophisticated algorithm ensures that the added volume is always the same, independent of how full the solvent bottle is.

When using the OMNIS Solvent Module there is no need to open the titration vessel for reagent exchange. Contact with the reagents is avoided and conditioning times are reduced.

Automatic titration start

Many readers have probably experienced the following situation. The titration cell is conditioned and the drift is low and stable. You have filled the syringe with sample, and it stands on the tared balance. Everything is ready and you want to carry out a determination. You take the syringe from the balance, pierce the septum of the vial with the needle, and add some sample. The addition of titrant starts… and then you realize that you did not press start before adding the sample. The titration was not started, and conditioning continues.

Summary

OMNIS and Hydranal NEXTGEN reagents make Karl Fischer titration safer and more convenient. The intelligent system components are monitored and users are informed if a component needs attention. In combination with the Hydranal Smart Reagents, using the wrong titrant is far less likely. Users can avoid contact with the reagents thanks to the OMNIS Solvent Module which also allows the automatic reagent exchange. Finally, there is no longer a need to remember to press start before adding a sample. OMNIS recognizes a sample addition and starts the determination automatically.

Your knowledge take-aways

On-demand webinar: Safer Karl Fischer titrations with CMR-free reagents and OMNIS