The Nine Lives of Lab Equipment

Courtesy of Cambridge Scientific Products

Last month Ron Smock, owner of Drug Detection Services, a forensic and criminalistic testing facility in Albuquerque, NM, posted this auction on eBay:

Thermoquest GCQ GC/MS/MS in great condition. New controller box and turbo. Complete with computer and software. MANY accessories included, including reagent gas. Terrific system for trace analysis work. Autosampler available at additional cost. Used 3 years. Original price $65,000. Asking price $18,000 or best offer.

If the idea of buying a mass spectrometer on eBay seems laughable, it is hardly unique. eBay lists more than 19,000 items in its "Healthcare, Lab & Life Science" category. Some auctions will find buyers, others will not.

While Smock's auction for the mass spectrometer failed to elicit any bids, the market for used and refurbished lab equipment is clearly growing. Once considered a shady business, secondhand equipment suppliers are now setting high standards for not only ...