The Column-10-10-2017

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The Column

There is a growing interest in polyphenols because of their noticeable antioxidant properties and their potential contribution to the defence against oxidative stress and protection against cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Oscar Núñez from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, has been working since 2010 in the analysis of polyphenols by capillary electrophoresis (CE), liquid chromatography (LC), mass spectrometry (MS), and chemometric techniques to achieve the characterization, classification, and authentication of natural products in the prevention of frauds. He recently spoke to The Column about this research.

The Column

Phenomenex Inc. has announced that it will begin to directly serve customers in Switzerland following the mutually agreed upon end of its 26-year-old partnership with local distributor Brechbühler AG.

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The Column

Adulteration is a significant problem for the olive oil industry because of the product’s high value. With the demand for olive oil expected to rise significantly, this problem is set to increase. Reliable and accurate determinations of olive oil adulteration are therefore required to maintain product integrity. This article introduces a principle component analysis‑based approach that uses data obtained by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-charged aerosol detection (CAD) to determine extra virgin olive oil adulteration by common vegetable oil adulterants. Using only sample dilution and analysis, the method could be used to assess olive oil quality relative to pomace oil.

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The Column

The intensity of the light scattering signal depends on concentration, molar mass, and the specific refractive index increment, dn/dc, of the sample. dn/dc therefore usually needs to be known to derive molar masses by gel permeation chromatography/size-exclusion chromatography-light scattering (GPC/SEC-LS). How to overcome the issue of unknown refractive index increments is outlined in this instalment of Tips & Tricks. In particular, a new approach to derive molar masses by GPC/SEC-LS that requires only the molar mass of a reference material, and not the dn/dc of the sample or of the reference material, is introduced.

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The Column

The three-day Chromatographic Society meeting was held on Monday 15th until Wednesday 17th May 2017 and was hosted by Pfizer at Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent, UK. This comprehensive symposium featured oral presentations from leading practitioners of supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) from across Europe. Some of the latest innovations and applications were described and the lectures were augmented and supported by a comprehensive exhibition of instrumentation and consumables. The attendees gained insight into practical application of these techniques across a variety of industries, particularly the pharmaceutical industry. The comprehensive programme had a significant focus on SFC for chiral and preparative-scale analysis.