The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has agreed to buy 35 inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) systems for about US$9 million for use in state and local health laboratories to upgrade preparations for and response to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks and other public health threats and emergencies.

The systems the CDC has committed to buy are jointly developed by PerkinElmer and MDS/Sciex.

The CDC, based in Atlanta, will buy Elan DRC ICP-MS systems as part of the deal, which also includes support, service and training, PerkinElmer said. ICP-MS systems are used to detect levels of trace elements in liquid samples using high-temperature plasma to break down the sample into elemental components. The systems analyse many elements simultaneously.

MDS/Sciex, in Concord, Ontario, is the analytical instrumentation and technology division of MDS Inc. MDS/Sciex does research, development and production of instruments used in life sciences and health and then distributes and sells its wares through partnerships, including its venture with PerkinElmer.

Chemists, geologists and archeologists are among the scientists who use ICP-MS systems, which also aid with environmental investigations. In the case of health laboratories, the systems can be used to analyse samples in suspected cases of chemical or biological terrorism, as well as to measure environmental chemicals like lead or mercury in blood or urine. Such environmental investigations can help public health officials better understand risks of exposure to chemicals and to figure out ways to protect public health.

Hewlett-Packard and Agilent are among the other companies that make ICP-MS systems, which are part of the increasingly lucrative health and life sciences instrumentation market. The market for that type of instrumentation is about $190 million to $200 million for this year, with a compound growth rate forecast at 5 percent to 6 percent over the next several years, according to Strategic Directions International, an analytical and life science instrumentation market researcher in Los Angeles.