In the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and beverage, flavor, fragrance and essential oils, petrochemical, metalworking and automotive industries, refractometers play an important role in quality assurance. They determine the refractive index of liquid or solid substances, from which their identity and quality as well as the concentration in binary or quasi-binary mixtures can be derived.
The progress of reactions and substance conversions are also readable via the refractive index. Refractometers are used in a variety of applications, from determining the purity and concentration of drug ingredients, to measuring sugar levels in food and beverages, to petroleum analysis.
Refractometers – fields of application and standards
| Typical applications | Analysed substances | Special requirements | Standards | Recommended devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY | ||||
| Characterisation tests in research and development. Identity test, purity control and concentration determination of raw materials, semi-finished products and end products | Pharmaceuticals, infusion solutions, dialysis preparations, blood sera etc. | Precision, compliance with standards | Pharmacopoeia (USP, BP, JP, Ph. Eur.), GLP, FDA, NIST | DR6100-T, DR6300-T |
| CHEMICAL INDUSTRY | ||||
| Characterisation tests in research and development. Identity test, purity control and concentration determination of raw materials, semi-finished products and end products. Tracking of chemical processes during production |
Organic solvents, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, salt solutions, acids, bases, stains, industrial oils, paints and varnishes, resins, glue components, tensides, extinguishing agents, polymer products, silicones, raw plastic materials etc. | Exact temperature control within a wide temperature range, wide measurement range, variety of scales, variability of measurement methods, option of interval measurements | AOAC, OIML, ASTM, DIN, CID |
DR6100-T, DR6300-T, DR201-95, DR301-95, PR SERIES, PRB21S |
| PETROCHEMICAL, AUTOMOTIVE AND AVIATION INDUSTRY, METAL PROCESSING AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY | ||||
| Identity test and concentration determination. Outgoing goods inspection Stability test |
Lubricating oils, fuels, gear oils, wax, lubricants, cooling lubricants, de-icing agents and anti-freeze agents, battery acid, AdBlue, tensides, cleaners, windshield wiper concentrate etc. | Easy handling, availability of the Brix scale, temperature compensation option | AOAC, OIML, ASTM, DIN, CID |
DR6000-T, DR6200-T, DR301-95, HR SERIES, PR SERIES, PRB21S |
| FOOD INDUSTRY | ||||
| Quality and purity control of raw materials and end products. Determination of the sugar concentration. |
Sugar, jams, honey, syrup, seasoning sauces, mustard and mayonnaise, convenience products, dairy products, baby food, egg products, oils, starch hydrolysis products etc. | Fast measurement and easy handling, easy cleaning, availability of the Brix scale, routine analysis with high sample throughput | AOAC, OIML, ASTM, |
DR6000-T, DR6200-T, AR4, AR2008, HR SERIES, PR SERIES, PRB21S |
| SUGAR INDUSTRY | ||||
| Determination of the sugar concentration in semi-finished products and end products. Determination of the solids content in solutions. Determination of the purity in combination with a polarimeter. |
Sugar cane, beet pulp, molasses, refined sugar, syrup, invert sugar etc. | Availability of the international sugar scale, availability of the Brix scale, maintenance-free | ICUMSA, GLP |
DR6000, DR6200-T, PR SERIES, PRB21 |
| MANUFACTURERS OF AROMAS, FRAGRANCES AND ESSENTIAL OILS | ||||
| Quality control of raw materials and auxiliary materials M onitoring of the production of semi-finished products and end products |
Essential oils (such as orange, lemon, lavender and peppermint oil), glyceric acid, Aromas and perfumes for the food, cosmetic and tobacco industry etc. | Low sample volumes with a high aggressiveness, high accuracy | Pharmacopoeia (USP, BP, JP, Ph. Eur.), AOAC, OIML, GLP |
DR6100-T, DR6300-T, DR6100-TF, DR6300-TF |
| BEVERAGE INDUSTRY | ||||
| Routine analysis with high sample throughput. Quality and purity control of raw materials and end products. Determination of the sugar concentration in juices and alcohol-free beverages Determination of the alcohol or extract content in beer, spices, wine or spirits. Quality control of dairy products Sewage water check. |
Fruit and vegetable juices, dietary beverages, beer, spices, wine, spirits, distillates, liquors, sugar concentrates, dairy products, aromas and colouring etc. | Fast measurement and easy handling, easy cleaning, availability of the Brix scale | AOAC, OIML, ICUMSA, IAMFES, GLP |
DR6200-T, DR6200-TF, HR SERIES, PR SERIES, PRB21S |
| HOSPITALS AND PHARMACIES | ||||
| Incoming and outgoing goods inspection. Checking medicines for pharmacopeias. Analysis of body secretions. |
Medicines, infusion solutions, blood sera, dialysis preparations, urine etc. | Easy handling, availability of the Brix scale, temperature compensation option | Pharmacopoeia (USP, BP, JP, Ph. Eur.), GLP |
AR4, DR301-95, DR6100-T, DR6300-T, HR SERIES |
| TESTING LABORATORIES, INSTITUTES, TEACHING FACILITIES | ||||
| Testing of foodstuff and pharmaceutical products. Testing of the ompliance with national and international standards. Training |
Food and beverage samples, samples from research and development, acids, bases, solvents | Food and beverage samples, samples from research and development, acids, bases, solvents | Pharmacopoeia (USP, BP, JP, Ph. Eur.), AOAC, OIML, ASTM, ISO, DIN, GLP |
AR4, AR2008, DR6100-T, DR6300-T, HR SERIES |
Refractometer Applications by Area Download
