Dr Catherine Santai is an Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Program Lead of the Integrative Sciences program at Harrisburg University of Science & Technology. The program utilizes a number of analytical techniques teaching undergraduates about their use, giving them the experience ahead of entering research or industrial roles in later life. So far, the Magritek 60 MHz Spinsolve Benchtop NMR Spectrometer has been used in the Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry laboratory sessions. These provide invaluable hands-on lessons about NMR techniques and analysis of a variety of compounds. NMR is used alongside FTIR (Fourier transfer infrared), AAS (atomic absorption), UV-VIS (ultraviolet – visible) and fluorescence spectroscopies.
Dr Santai is very enthusiastic about the use of the Magritek Spinsolve and its benefits compared to other NMR or spectroscopy systems:
The fast processing time, easy operation and shimming in a robust instrument means that I can feel comfortable with students using. I shopped around quite a bit for an NMR to meet our needs – primarily teaching. The Magritek system is a great space saver (table top) and does not require cryogen so upkeep costs of the instrument are very low. The most common student mistake would be to break a tube off inside the instrument. Fixing this does not require a service technician visit, but rather can be easily removed by the user. I love the simplicity of its design.