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The implementation of the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) and the continued globalization of the food supply have increased the need for improved analytical methods for quality and safety testing. Food safety and quality requirements are increasingly stringent, as are consumer expectations. In addition to new methods, the industry continues to look for improvements in laboratory productivity and new ways to reduce costs. These trends extend to dietary supplements and natural products. This article discusses the current state of efforts to modernize US Pharmacopeia (USP) compendial methods to take advantage of new chromatography technology, including the use of “allowable adjustments”.

A preview of RAFA 2017, which will be held 7–10 November 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Luigi Mondello spoke to The Column about his group’s research into characterizing pigments in bell peppers using offline multidimensional supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) combined with reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC).

Click the title above to open The Column February 21, 2017 Europe & Asia issue, Volume 13, Number 3, in an interactive PDF format.

Click the title above to open The Column February 21, 2017 North American issue, Volume 13, Number 3, in an interactive PDF format.

The 2017 Guiochon Fellowship will be awarded to Dwight Stoll, an Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Chemistry at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, USA.

Delivering samples to the analytical column in “clean” mobile phase is important for robust methods and high-quality results.

Raw data is a term that is used in both good manufacturing practice (GMP) and good laboratory practice (GLP) laboratories but it can create misunderstanding. What exactly does raw data mean and what electronic records are within the scope of the term?

The carotenoid test allows one to build a simple classification map of stationary phases used in reversed‑phase liquid chromatography, on the basis of the shape recognition (plotted on the x axis), the polar surface activity (plotted on the y axis), and the phase hydrophobicity (related by the bubble size).

Gel permeation chromatography/size-exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) is used to determine molar mass averages and the complete molar mass distribution with just one injection. This is possible because GPC/SEC is a fractionating technique. The fractionation power allows the higher molar mass fraction to be characterized and more about low molar mass compounds such as oligomers, additives, or residual educts to be learned.

Bruker (Bremen, Germany) has announced the acquisition of SCiLS GmbH in Bremen, Germany. Founded as a spin‑off from the University of Bremen, SCiLS develops software tools such as statistical analysis software, sophisticated visualization viewers, and secure cloud-based services for collaborative interpretation of complex mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) data sets. Currently, 95% of all MSI data is acquired by label-free MALDI imaging systems.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (Sunnyvale, California, USA) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) have developed an ion chromatography-based method for the simultaneous determination of nitrogen and phosphorous levels in water.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (Santa Clara, California, USA) and Multiplicom N.V. (Niel, Belgium) have announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Agilent to acquire Multiplicom, a European diagnostics company involved in genetic testing. Agilent is acquiring Multiplicom for approximately €68 million in cash.

Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg) has acquired ASL Análises Ambientais (“ASL”), an environment testing service provider in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil.

Click the title above to open The Column February 07, 2017 North American issue, Volume 13, Number 2, in an interactive PDF format.

Click the title above to open The Column February 07, 2017 Europe & Asia issue, Volume 13, Number 2, in an interactive PDF format.

This time I’m going to be looking at how to get the most from your GC–MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) system, and I intend to keep things as simple as possible, however I also make no apology in the fact that some of the concepts may be beyond your current understanding. My intention here is to explain some of the basics so that you will be able to use your instrumentation to best effect.

Click the title above to open the LCGC North America February 2017 Application Notebook Supplement, Vol 35 No s2, in an interactive PDF format.

Discovering and identifying molecular biomarkers in large liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) data sets requires automation without loss of accuracy.

John Dolan’s final LCGC column will appear in October. We are sad to see him go! Fortunately, we have just the person to follow in his footsteps: Dwight Stoll.

Peter Myers on the past, present, and future of stationary phases

Click the title above to open the LCGC Europe February 2017 regular issue, Vol 30, No 2, in an interactive PDF format.

Click the title above to open the LCGC North America February 2017 regular issue, Vol 35 No 2, in an interactive PDF format.

For the most part, we are still instructing undergraduate students in the same way as when I went to school, and I think this is a disservice to the students and to the nature of chemistry. No wonder chemistry programs have trouble attracting students compared to other science disciplines, like biology and psychology. Students will take general chemistry, but they cannot see where it may lead. I want to change that.

A glimpse of what’s on offer for chromatographers at Pittcon 2017, which will be held from 5–9 March 2017 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Separation scientists may seek an optimum spot between chromatographic performance required to obtain sufficient results quality, and the time and resources needed to do so. This instalment of “GC Connections” examines the factors that control peak resolution - one of the main drivers of separation quality - and how chromatographers can use this information to find an optimum between time, cost, and performance.

This instalment describes several commonly used microextraction sample preparation techniques and their applications to forensic toxicology analysis. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME), microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), and different types of liquid-based microextraction (LPME), including single‑drop microextraction (SDME), hollow-fibre supported LPME, three-phase LPME, and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME), are discussed. Examples of application of these techniques to determine illicit drugs and drugs of abuse from various biological specimens are provided as well.