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To kick off season 6, we continue our sample prep series with a focus on cobalt. Our team discusses digestion methods for cobalt metals, alloys, oxides, and ores, including when to use nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, or fusion techniques. We also cover testing considerations for ICP-OES and ICP-MS, including cobalt’s sensitivity, common interferences, and its role as an internal standard in oil and coolant analysis. Plus, hear tips for handling cobalt in pharmaceutical testing and learn about the resources available on our website to support your method development.

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In this episode, we sit down with Bench Boost listener and instructional designer Alexa Jackson to talk about career growth, chemistry communication, and her journey from academia to the battery industry. Alexa shares valuable advice for early-career chemists, including tips for writing lab notebooks your future self will thank you for, building scientific intuition, and embracing continuous learning.

She also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her latest work with Pestana Solutions and the launch of Nanoverse Battery Courses, a resource designed to make battery science more accessible and engaging for STEM professionals.

Looking to continue the conversation? Connect with Alexa on LinkedIn to follow her work in chemistry education and the battery industry.

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In this solo episode, Mike dives into titrations — a method that's still essential across industries like environmental testing, manufacturing, and even winemaking. Learn tips for improving accuracy, from proper burette qualification and indicator usage to endpoint detection techniques like quick drops vs. full drops. Mike also shares common troubleshooting advice for colorblindness in titrations, sliding endpoints, and working with high-concentration samples.

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This episode takes a fun detour into the world of chemistry conspiracy theories! Mike Booth explores the science behind chemtrails vs. contrails and explains how you could actually test for elements like aluminum, barium, lead, and lithium in air samples using ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Learn practical tips for sample collection, how to avoid common interferences, and why trace analysis requires extra care with contamination control.

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In this episode, we tackle unexpected high recoveries, caused by internal standard signal timing during ICP analysis. Then we unpack a challenging multi-element blend, involving silver, tungsten, sulfur, rare earths, and more — plus how acid choices and order of addition impact stability. Finally, we dig into a sample prep puzzle for chloride analysis in iron phosphate, offering digestion strategies, matrix compatibility tips, and insights from Dr. Paul Gaines.

These real-world cases are packed with lessons to improve your prep, analysis, and problem-solving in the lab.

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In this episode, we dive into two real-world stability challenges from our lab. First, we explore a custom tune solution prepared in dilute ammonium hydroxide for ICP-MS, designed to improve lab efficiency. Learn how it performed over time and how to use it effectively for short-term use. Then, we dig into an unexpected silver instability in a low-level multi-element blend — traced back to residual chloride from chromium prep.

From method design to trace contamination troubleshooting, this episode is full of practical lessons for anyone working with custom solutions or chasing long-term stability.

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Experiencing issues in your prep or analysis? This episode is full of practical advice to keep your data on track.

Learn how to improve mercury recoveries, including best practices for stabilization in different matrices and container types. We also dive into designing high-concentration multi-element blends, highlighting unexpected incompatibilities and how acid concentration impacts stability. Finally, we discuss anion and IC standard preparation, covering pH control, contamination risks, and tips for preventing nitrite degradation and microbial growth.

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In this episode, we wrap up our glossary discussions with a focus on element speciation — why ICP alone can't distinguish oxidation states and how chromatography can help. We also break down working solutions, explaining how to properly dilute stock standards for analysis. Plus, we discuss matrix effects, covering signal suppression, ionization buffers, and why matrix matching is critical for accuracy.