The Column-12-06-2011

A new study has found that treated wastewater contains a wide range of antiandrogens (AA) ? compounds that can block male hormones and that can accumulate in fish.

GPC/SEC samples often show broad and/or multimodal peaks that are not baseline separated and look strange to users of other chromatographic techniques. However, although many weird looking peaks are possible in macromolecular characterization, some peaks are stranger than others and it is worth checking if the observed signal truly describes the sample.

Gas chromatography?mass spectrometry (GC?MS) combines a gas chromatographic front-end separation with a mass spectrometer. For the most part, the gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers used are modular in design and relatively easily separable. GC?MS is the most widespread tandem technique in the analytical instrumentation industry, which are employed across many different industries, particularly for environmental, chemical and toxicological applications.

The quick detection of explosives is highly desirable and a new portable device has been developed for the rapid separation of anions relevant to the identification of inorganic homemade explosive devices (HMEs). This simple sequential injection-capillary electrophoresis instrument with capacitively-coupled contactless conductivity detection can detect HMEs about 20 times faster than was previously possible.

We asked the companies who have contributed to the editorial in The Column throughout 2011 to explain in 200 words what their most instrumental innovation/research/scientific breakthrough was this year.

A recent study has been carried out to examine why postprandial insulin is lowered following the intake of rye bread compared with wheat bread.

A novel and rapid capillary zone electrophoresis method has been developed for the rapid simultaneous determination of antimalarial drugs pyrimethamine and sulphadoxine in tablet formulations.