The Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences focuses on research related to nature, the environment, biological and geological processes, and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Image Credit: Milestone™ Srl
Its laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility specializing in high-precision chemical and biochemical analyses. Staffed by skilled scientists and technicians, the lab supports advanced research across disciplines, including biotechnology and environmental science.
The laboratory itself is equipped with advanced instrumentation, ensuring reliable, accurate, and efficient results that confidently meet the highest scientific standards.
The Challenge
Historically, the MINA lab relied on manual dispensers to add acids to hundreds of samples—a routine but labor-intensive and time-consuming task that also posed safety risks. Technicians regularly handled hazardous reagents such as nitric, hydrofluoric, and hydrochloric acids, often repeating the same motion for 200 to 300 samples per batch.
This process demanded precision and close attention, increasing the potential for errors and inconsistencies. It also consumed significant operator time that could be redirected to more critical analytical work. To improve safety, dosing accuracy, and operational efficiency amid growing sample throughput and strict safety protocols, the lab recognized the need to modernize.
Karl Andreas of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences said, “It doesn’t make errors like I do. I was skeptical at first, but once I tested it, I saw how much time I could save. It’s absolutely part of our routine now. We use it all the time for digestions, dilutions, cleaning, and more."
Implementing the easyFILL Automated Reagent Dosing System
To meet these challenges, the lab adopted easyFILL from Milestone™ Srl—an automated reagent dosing system specifically developed to enhance acid handling safety, precision, and efficiency.
Initially introduced as a test unit, easyFILL quickly became a core part of the lab’s daily workflow. Its advanced peristaltic pump technology enables accurate and repeatable reagent delivery, significantly reducing both manual errors and operator workload.
Calibration is fast and simple—just a few minutes with a nearby balance, allowing for consistent volume accuracy. Its user-friendly, intuitive software ensures even new users can operate it confidently. Once integrated, easyFILL proved indispensable for both low-level and high-volume trace analysis workflows.
Image Credit: Milestone™ Srl
Expanded Use Across Lab Workflows
As the MINA team grew more familiar with easyFILL, its applications expanded beyond acid dispensing. It became a reliable tool for post-digestion dilutions and dosing reagents for cleaning digestion vessels and small sample tubes.
For example, the system is routinely used to fill hundreds of 15 mL tubes with nitric acid for soaking, maintaining low background contamination in trace-level analyses. It's also used to acidify incoming water samples, ensuring rapid and consistent preservation.
These expanded uses have further streamlined the lab’s operations, highlighting the system’s flexibility and time-saving potential.
Conclusion
The implementation of easyFILL has brought measurable improvements to MINA’s lab operations, addressing key concerns around precision, safety, and efficiency.
Automating the repetitive task of acid addition has freed up operator time and reduced chemical exposure risks.
Image Credit: Milestone™ Srl
Consistent volume delivery has improved experimental reliability, and the intuitive interface simplifies training and daily operation. Its low maintenance and fast calibration made integration seamless.
Today, easyFILL is a trusted part of the lab’s infrastructure, essential for both routine workflows and sensitive trace-level applications.
Acknowledgments
Produced from materials originally authored by Milestone™ Srl.
About Milestone™ Srl
Milestone was established in 1988 as the first specialized laboratory instrument manufacturer focusing on advanced microwave technology for sample preparation. Today we hold over 50 patents and have over 30,000 global users spanning across government, academic, contract, and manufacturing industries. Milestone’s headquartered is in Italy with offices in the Unites States, China, Japan, and Korea. The R&D and manufacturing sites are in Germany (MLS) and Switzerland (MWS), along with the offices for Austrian, German and Swiss markets. We have grown as advanced microwave technology manufacturer operating worldwide through a network of over 100 exclusive distributors, all providing our customers premium application and service support.
The key to Milestone’s technological leadership lies in bringing together individuals from diverse scientific and engineering disciplines to solve real world problems with innovative microwave instrumentation.
The excellent support of the Application Team through all these years has highly contributed to the success of our laboratory instruments and our company. All our products are manufactured, assembled and checked by Milestone Production Department according to ISO procedures, to ensure they fully satisfy the needs of our customers.
Milestone has UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 certification representing international standards for quality management in TÜV Rheinland - a global, multi-accredited organization accepted by the majority of the world.
Recently, Milestone has also achieved ISO 14001 certification, a regulatory reference that certifies our effective environmental management system. Through a meticulous and comprehensive process, we have worked to identify, manage, monitor and control our environmental challenges, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed industry standards.
Achieving ISO 14001 certification demonstrates our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and complying with environmental legislation. This accomplishment reflects our ongoing promise to respect the planet for future generations while maintaining the highest standards of operational excellence.
Milestone has been at the vanguard of technology innovation in microwave sample preparation. With 50 patents over 35 years, we have always tried to take the lead in providing enabling technologies to help your lab. Here is our chronology of developments throughout the years, which has allowed today's lab to innovate and be at the forefront of routine and research analysis in several industries.