Aiming to determine the presence of heroin, fentanyl, amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), xylazine, and other substances in Tijuana and Mexicali, Baja California, researchers randomly selected 300 drug residues from confiscated syringe plungers. After analyzing them with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and BTNX test strips for ATS and fentanyl and its analogs, the test strips showed a high positive predictive value of 81% when compared with GC–MS.
Research conducted at the Federal University of Pelotas (Brazil) investigated the formulation of oleogels based on Butia seed oil and their potential as a replacement for hydrogenated fats in cookies. Gas chromatography (GC) was used to determine the fatty acid profile and identify and quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
UHPLC-QTOF metabolomics and the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform revealed 185 secondary metabolites in Egyptian blue lily, which link flavonoid-rich flowers to antioxidant neuroprotective potential activities.
LCGC International presents a sampler of our 2025 interviews with key opinion leaders in the field of chromatography, exploring emerging trends, persistent analytical challenges, and the innovations poised to redefine separation science.
Emerging blood microsampling technologies offer a promising alternative by enabling minimally invasive, user-friendly collection, facilitating repeated sampling and broader population recruitment. A recent study conducted at Stockholm University critically reviewed commercially available microsamplers, their use in multiomics research, and experimentally evaluated their chemical backgrounds. LCGC International spoke to Solveig Thiele, lead author of the resulting paper, about this work.
Egyptian scorpions of the Androctonus genus produce neurotoxic venom that result in life-threatening stings. However, the composition and enzymatic activities of their venoms remain poorly understood. Researchers used electrophoresis to analyze the protein components of venom collected from three Androctonus species, with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS).
Researchers developed a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for the simultaneous measurement of 11 types of estrogen from song sparrows using derivatization with 1,2-dimethylimidazole-5-sulfonyl-chloride (DMIS) to enhance sensitivity.
As a response to the growing interest in identifying novel, non-invasive biomarkers reflecting endogenous inflammatory processes in asthma, researchers evaluated the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath from patients with clinically controlled asthma to assess how tobacco exposure influences their expression. Breath samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Determining the pharmacokinetics of famciclovir in healthy cats after single or multiple oral and intravenous administrations involved the analysis of their blood samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for detecting the drug in their plasma.
Researchers optimized two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) using a Design of Experiments-guided optimization approach to overcome breakthrough effects, enabling high-resolution oligonucleotide impurity profiling beyond conventional 1D-LC. LCGC International spoke to Megane Aebischer of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, lead author of the paper that resulted from this work.
A study investigating the use of lard-derived diacylglycerol (DG) as a fat replacer on the flavor characteristics of frankfurters detected 50 volatile compounds in the samples analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Researchers developed a technique optimizing the extraction process of six cannabinoids in cannabis oil and marijuana samples, as well as an analytical validation of a quantitative and qualitative method for seven cannabinoids, using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with low-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-MS).
Responding to a lack of sensitive analytical methods for detecting associated medications in complex wastewater matrices, researchers at the University of Louisville developed and validated a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using multiple reaction monitoring for 10 common respiratory pharmaceuticals.
A research team comprised of members of the University of Liège and the College of William & Mary developed a robust analytical workflow to profile volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during accelerated thermal aging of smokeless powders formulated with those green stabilizers. Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HS-SPME–GC×GC–TOFMS) provided high peak capacity and sensitive VOC detection. LCGC International spoke to Pierre-Hugues Stefanuto of the University of Liège about this workflow and its potential implications for future research.
To detect estrogen and its metabolites in the ovarian-type stroma of pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) tumors, researchers applied a novel liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.
Researchers investigating how beer and the hepatopancreas influence the flavor of red swamp crayfish assessed the effects of cooking with or without the hepatopancreas in beer or water on crayfish quality using sensory analysis, electronic nose technology, and gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS).
Researchers aiming to determine the optimal harvest time for maximum essential oil and linalool yields from basil hydro distilled the dried leaves of gathered plant samples for extraction of essential oil and subjected the resulting produce to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to determine the variance in chemical compounds composition.
Researchers investigating the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury assessed participants’ vitamin D levels using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).
Silica stationary phases are traditionally prepared through silanization, where silanol groups on the silica surface react with organosilanes to create chemically bonded layers, typically with hydrocarbon chains such as C18 or C8 for reversed-phase separations. A research team from the Department of Chemistry at the University at Buffalo introduced an alternative surface modification method that avoids silanization, using diazonium chemistry instead. LCGC International spoke to Luis A. Colón, corresponding author of the paper that resulted from the team's research, about the method.
Researchers at the Dubai Police’s General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology set out to validate the use of Py-GC-MS for detecting THC in edibles and other THC-containing products with complex matrices, with the methodology then compared with GC-MS analysis to ensure it is fit-for-purpose.
Researchers profiled and compared metabolites in drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible sweet potato cultivars under water-deficient conditions. Leaf samples were collected and analyzed for metabolite changes using untargeted ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS).
A joint study between Amsterdam University Medical Centers and MEDLAB analyzed over two dozen glucose sensors, insulin pumps, and insulin infusion sets to identify the chemicals present in these devices using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
Using advanced chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques, researchers mapped how metabolites move between coral tissue and skeleton, uncovering clear metabolic differences across tissue and skeletal layers.
Georgia Tech and NASA used advanced chromatography and a new computational tool to compare organic compounds in meteorite and terrestrial rock samples.
Researchers investigating the role of cholesterol metabolism disorders in the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through the analysis of central and peripheral oxysterol levels assessed those levels using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Researchers analyzed 200 mustard samples using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) to determine their fatty acid profile, with a specific focus on erucic acid (EA) content.
Researchers at Iran’s Islamic Azad University investigated the fatigue and cracking behavior of aged asphalt modified with various percentages of recycled and conventional rejuvenators commonly used in Iran using gel permeation chromatography.
Researchers at Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR), part of Wageningen University & Research (The Netherlands), developed a manually curated open-access LC–HRMS/MS spectral library of 1001 food toxicants and 6993 spectra. LCGC International spoke with WFSR’s Ivan Aloisi about the work.
Researchers from China’s Southwest Medical University and The First People's Hospital explored metabolic associations and pathways in acne comorbid with depression via untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-MS.
This edition of LCGC International’s “Equipment Roundup” spotlights Shimadzu’s i-Series LC-2070/LC-2080 Integrated High-Performance Liquid Chromatographs, and recent software upgrades to their ACD/Labs Spectra and Percepta platforms.
