Reagents and high-purity lab chemicals: Feedstocks
Why a by-product shortage like acetonitrile can still bite
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Reagents start from ordinary commodity chemicals; feedstock is a small part of the price. What decides competitiveness is purification know-how, quality systems, certification, packaging and access to lab customers. Shortages of a by-product, such as acetonitrile, can still disrupt the business.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical acids and bases (sulphuric, hydrochloric, nitric acid; caustic soda) | about 1.1-1.5 t per t reagent (indicative) | starting material for analytical grades | under 10% of reagent price (indicative) | indicative |
| Technical solvents (methanol, acetonitrile, hexane) | about 1.1-1.3 t per t (indicative) | HPLC and LC-MS solvents | about 10-30% for solvents (indicative) | indicative |
| Oil Crude oil | indirect | solvent feed | small | indicative |
| Qz Silica sand | packaging | glass packaging | packaging can be a large share for small packs (indicative) | indicative |
| Biological feedstocks (sugars, media, cell lines) | not meaningful | enzymes and biochemicals | small | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Global leaders win on catalogue breadth, quality systems and distribution, not on cost. Indian and Chinese makers are cheaper in standard laboratory and analytical grades.