A dual-injection, single-run liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method enabled simultaneous profiling of phenolic and lipophenolic compounds in olive oil by-products. The approach achieved efficient separation and identification of over 40 compounds, overcoming solubility challenges and advancing high-throughput characterization of bioactive metabolites for sustainable valorization applications.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of cotton headspace volatiles showed that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria consortia alter emission profiles linked to reduced Spodoptera exigua oviposition. Key compounds, including terpenes and green leaf volatiles, mediated pest avoidance behavior, highlighting GC–MS as a tool for advancing integrated pest management strategies.
Headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of paired maternal and umbilical cord blood demonstrated that induction-to-delivery time strongly influences fetal sevoflurane exposure. While maternal anesthetic levels did not predict fetal concentrations, longer delivery intervals increased transfer, highlighting timing as a critical factor in managing anesthetic exposure during cesarean delivery.
Researchers utilized high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) and chemometric modeling to profile the leaf metabolomes of three taxonomically complex Brazilian Vanilla species. By identifying 17 core discriminating biomarkers, this untargeted metabolomic approach successfully established species-specific metabolic fingerprints, providing a robust new strategy for chemotaxonomic classification and species authentication.
Researchers using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to study the gases released from heat-treated spruce wood found that heating the wood—especially at higher temperatures—greatly reduces the amount of these gases, which can affect indoor air quality.
As more people choose plant-based milks like oat, almond, soy, and coconut, new challenges arise in ensuring these drinks are safe—especially in preventing accidental allergen exposure. While factory checks are standard, they don't address risks at the point of consumption. A recent study proposed a "digital nose" using AI to "smell" and verify milk quality in real-time. To calibrate these sensors, researchers used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with solid-phase microextraction (GC-MS-SPME) as the gold-standard reference to accurately identify the unique scent profiles of each milk type.
To address the growing challenge of trace contaminants surviving standard water treatment, Portuguese researchers have developed and validated a highly sensitive solid-phase extraction ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass-spectrometry (SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS) method to monitor 23 microscopic pollutants—including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and UV-filters—in drinking water. The method successfully identified four target compounds at safe residual levels, providing vital data to support emerging European Union water safety directives and filling a critical gap in regional water monitoring.
Researchers combined gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), and gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) to characterize volatile compounds in cigar tobacco leaves from different regions. Fifteen key aroma-active compounds were identified, defining sensory profiles such as fruity, citrus, and chocolate notes, supporting improved raw material selection and future predictive models for cigar aroma development.
A recent study shows that integrating multipass cyclic ion mobility spectrometry into liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry improves detection and separation of toxic plant-derived pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including previously indistinguishable epimers, in complex food samples. LCGC International spoke to Laura Carbonell-Rozas, lead author of that paper, about the study.
Researchers utilized untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and metagenomic sequencing to analyze the gut microbiota and fecal metabolites of captive Asian elephants. Seeking to understand reproductive challenges in this endangered species, the team compared pregnant females, non-pregnant adults, and subadults. Ultimately, these multi-omics insights aim to guide better dietary and health management to support the conservation and breeding of captive Asian elephants.
This week highlights advances in food authenticity research, AI applications in analytical chemistry, REIMS for pork classification, improved GC×GC sensitivity, and greener SFC workflows.
A pilot study conducted by researchers from Texas State University and Yale utilized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze whole blood samples from active-duty firefighters for 24 distinct per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The analysis successfully quantified key analytes, revealing a direct negative association between PFOS concentrations and cognitive processing speed. This research highlights the essential role of advanced LC-MS/MS techniques in uncovering the hidden occupational hazards and neurotoxicological impacts of "forever chemicals" on first responders.
Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with fluorescence detection was used to measure peripheral concentrations of tryptophan (Trp), serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze volatile compounds across various commercial smoked products, tracking the specific chemical drivers of smoky flavors.
Researchers used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure over 200 environmental exposures in the blood of adults from an industrialized region in northern China. The study found that elevated levels of specific endocrine-disrupting chemicals and persistent organic pollutants were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being overweight, emphasizing the potential impact of complex chemical mixtures on obesity.
Researchers employed ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with orbital trap mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to conduct a multi-omics analysis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The study identified significant gut microbiota dysbiosis, alongside 32 differentially expressed metabolites and 38 differentially expressed proteins. These findings reveal distinct metabolic pathway alterations that could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for early CHD detection and intervention.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to perform comprehensive, nontargeted metabolomic profiling on serum samples from adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The data establishes LC-MS as a powerful diagnostic tool to help prevent the common misdiagnosis of adult T1D as type 2 diabetes.
Following 2025 FDA initiatives to ensure the safety of children's foods, researchers developed a highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to detect eight prohibited acidic and basic synthetic dyes in candies and cereals. Although no unauthorized dyes were found in the analyzed samples, the study demonstrates that robust, routine analytical screening is essential to verify labeling accuracy, maintain regulatory compliance, and protect vulnerable populations.
Headspace-gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) alongside an electronic nose (E-nose) was applied to characterize volatile compounds in ginger slices subjected to hot-air drying (HAD), infrared drying (IRD), and microwave-assisted hot-air drying (MHD). Overall, the dual-platform chromatographic approach effectively connected chemical fingerprints with sensory-relevant attributes, supporting optimized drying strategies for high-quality ginger products.
A recent study explored rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) as a high-throughput, real-time alternative. By analyzing metabolomic fingerprints from pig neck fat, REIMS was combined with multivariate data analysis and machine learning algorithms to successfully classify pork breeds and accurately detect boar taint in both laboratory and slaughterhouse environments. LCGC International spoke to Lieselot Y. Hemeryck and Lynn Vanhaecke, two of the authors of the paper resulting from this work, and their expert colleague, Vera Plekhova, about the study and their findings.
A novel comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) method has been developed to simultaneously quantify and identify a vast array of sugar compounds in human urine and serum. Utilizing a nonpolar-medium polar column setup, this advanced analytical approach overcomes previous limitations that restricted the simultaneous evaluation of complex sugar profiles to just a few compounds. The validated method successfully achieved absolute quantification for dozens of sugars—including discovering concentrations of several sugars in healthy adults for the very first time—demonstrating its significant potential for advancing future research in human nutrition, health biomarkers, and metabolic pathways.
This week's highlights feature our ongoing discussions on women in chromatography, an interview on the future of HPLC columns from analytica 2026, and cutting-edge applications of mass spectrometry techniques to analyze protein variations, the effects of sleep restriction on serum metabolites, and human scent traces on clothing.
While mussels are a vital and economically important food source, their filter-feeding behavior causes them to absorb environmental pollutants. Testing their tissue is challenging due to its high fat and protein content, so researchers successfully applied a QuEChERS-based extraction method coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to analyze samples.
Researchers utilized non-targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze the serum metabolic profiles of elite male water polo athletes before and after an intensive training week. The LC-MS/MS analysis successfully screened 363 metabolites, revealing significant shifts in 33 out of the total metabolites evaluated—specifically those tied to lysine degradation and vitamin B6 metabolism. Ultimately, the study establishes LC-MS/MS as a highly effective analytical tool for monitoring molecular-level metabolic changes, providing valuable baseline data for optimizing athletic training and nutritional programming.
At analytica 2026, Shimadzu Corporation celebrated its 150-year legacy by displaying three new advanced analytical instruments designed to maximize operational efficiency.
Scientists recently compared two methods (LC-MS and nano-ESI-MS) used to analyze the small molecules inside individual cells—a process that helps us understand how cells function and react to their environment. While each method has its pros and cons, a joint study found that LC-MS provides a clearer, more comprehensive picture of the molecules inside the cells. When testing these methods on cells infected with a tuberculosis-like bacteria, LC-MS was significantly better at highlighting the differences between infected and healthy cells. These findings could help improve future research in infectious diseases, clinical diagnostics, and drug discovery.
Japanese researchers have developed an accelerated testing method to quickly and accurately determine if harmful chemicals leak from plastic packaging into food. Because real-time testing for long-shelf-life foods takes too much time, the team used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to accelerate the process. By testing sample plastics in various food-simulating liquids, they proved the LC-MS/MS method is reliable.
Researchers utilized untargeted reverse-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS) to analyze serum metabolite profiles under normal and sleep-restricted conditions. The RPLC-MS analysis successfully identified 90 circulating metabolites—including 14 of microbial origin—and demonstrated that sleep deprivation significantly disrupts the natural rhythmic cycles of these host and microbial compounds. These findings indicate that microbial metabolites detected via RPLC-MS could potentially serve as clinical biomarkers for the various health and metabolic risks associated with sleep loss.
Researchers evaluated the flavor quality of milk processed with alternating-current high electric field (AC-HEF) pasteurization compared to conventional ultrahigh temperature (UHT) treatment, which is known for producing undesirable "cooked" flavors. To analyze the differences, the team profiled volatile compounds using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and utilized gas chromatography-sulfur chemiluminescence detection (GC-SCD) specifically for sulfur-containing volatiles. The robust chromatographic analysis revealed that AC-HEF effectively suppresses the formation of off-flavors while maintaining favorable aromatic compounds, suggesting it is a promising alternative for producing shelf-stable milk with an improved flavor profile.
Markes International announced this morning the launch of the TC-30, a high-capacity multi-tube conditioner designed to improve data confidence, reduce operating costs, and maximize productivity in thermal desorption–gas chromatography (TD–GC) laboratories.
