Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Orbitrap Exploris EFOX mass detector, a high-resolution accurate-mass (HRAM) system purpose-built for environmental and food safety labs. The company says EFOX is the first Orbitrap platform designed specifically for these routine testing workflows, with full-scan data to support both targeted quantitation and non-targeted screening, plus retrospective analysis as regulations evolve.
U.S. regulators finalized national drinking-water limits for PFAS in 2024, including 4 parts per trillion maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS and a hazard-index approach for four additional PFAS. Labs are expanding trace-level capacity and methods; EFOX is pitched to meet those needs.
Purpose-built HRAM for routine labs
The system combines full-scan Orbitrap analysis for suspect screening and profiling alongside precise quantitation. It integrates with Chromeleon CDS to simplify processing and reporting in routine environments. EFOX stands for “Environmental and Food Organic Xenobiotics.” The spec sheet lists up to 90,000 resolution at m/z 200, EASY-IC for less than 1 ppm RMS drift over at least five days, and scan rates up to 22 Hz at 15,000 resolution.
Thermo Fisher says EFOX broadens the toolkit for labs anchored in triple-quad quant, while a dedicated TSQ Altis Plus EFOX configuration continues to serve high-throughput targeted workflows.
Market positioning
Lidija Raicevic, vice president and environmental and food safety lead at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said the environmental and food safety market, along with PFAS research and detection, is a significant area of focus as the company equips scientists and labs in this changing landscape.
“With the Orbitrap EFOX, we pair an integrated, automated high-throughput PFAS extraction workflow with a PFAS-focused platform so labs can run both targeted and non-targeted testing on one system, creating economies of scale, reducing hands-on time and making it easier to adapt as regulations expand,” Raicevic said.
She added that the Orbitrap EFOX addresses several areas. It broadens the toolkit for labs currently anchored in triple-quad workflows by opening up capability beyond pure quantitation, while also making it easy for labs to ramp up net-new capacity when regulations widen. The triple-quad remains a stalwart in the portfolio for high-throughput targeted work, so customers can choose the right path or combine approaches as their needs evolve.
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