Single Celled Organism

At school, I never really got the hang of biology classes, and instead preferred topics like chemistry and physics. However, one experiment I do remember from my short engagement with things biological was observing amoeba. These creatures provided an excellent introduction in understanding the processes of cell division. They also helped me understand something about how an ecosystem works, with even something as a simple as a single-celled organism having an important part to play in the food chain.

Well, those days of amoeba watching came back to me recently, as Malvern launched its own single cell organism in the shape of the Hydro SV! This new liquid dispersion unit for the Mastersizer 3000 has been designed as a result of feedback from users suggesting that we needed a ‘simple stirred cell’ to help with the measurement of small sample volumes. If you want to check it out for yourself, then take a look at the live demonstration we carried out as part of our launch event – you can see a clip below, or watch the whole event here.

So – does the fact that the Hydro SV is simple mean that it is basic in application and design? The answer is definitely no! During the next few weeks, the development team for the product will share some of the complexities associated with designing something which is both simple and works robustly.

Also, just as with the amoeba, the capabilities of the Hydro SV play an important part in the Malvern ecosystem of dispersion units provided for the Mastersizer 3000. Its ability to measure very small volumes of material enables its use in the early stages of development of pharmaceutical, chemical and other products. The data it produces is therefore amongst the most important in the lifecycle of new products, enabling the performance and processability of materials to be understood as soon as possible, and enabling possible formulation development routes to be identified. It also provides the first insights into future product specifications.

So, definitely not simple after all!

Further Reading:

Using laser diffraction to support early stage product development

Hydro SV & Hydro Sight Launch Lab Party – A Storify

Top 10 Things to Consider When migrating to the Mastersizer 3000 from the Mastersizer 2000