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It makes intuitive sense - the higher the sensitivity of an inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) system, the lower the detection limit. But there are many factors that affect the detection limit for a given isotope in a given sample. These factors include sensitivity, background noise, and interferences.

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography (LC)–MS are widespread successful approaches, based on single-quadrupole MS, for the routine detection, identification, and quantitation of compounds. There has, however, been increasing interest in the use of tandem MS in more challenging, complex matrices such as those commonly found in food, environmental, and biological analyses. The combination of GC with tandem-quadrupole MS (MS-MS) is discussed, where the inherent increase in selectivity and sensitivity of the approach has enabled rapid, confident compound detection and quantitation for such demanding applications.

The Gold Editors' Choice Awards was presented to Waters Corporation (Waltham, Massachusetts) for the Synapt HD–MS system at Pittcon 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. Silver Awards were presented to Paraytec (York, United Kingdom) for the ActiPix and Thermo Fisher Scientific (San Jose, California) for the LTQ ETD system. Bronze Awards were presented to Bruker Optics (Billerica, Massachusetts) for the ALPHA FT-IR system and Horiba Jobin Yvon (Edison, New Jersey) for the Activa system.

Each month in our Technology Forum we will feature a discussion between industry experts on various trends and issues in the chromatography field. This month's Technology Forum looks at the topic of gas chromatography and the trends and issues surrounding it. Joining us for this discussion are Mark Collins, Gas Chromatography Product Manager at Perkin Elmer, and Jaap de Zeeuw, International Specialist GC consumables at Restek.

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Eksigent (Dublin, California) recently announced a new distribution agreement with Presearch (Hampshire, United Kingdom). The agreement reportedly covers sales of Eksigent's NanoLC HPLC product line in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Waters Corporation (Milford, Massachusetts) and Prosolia, Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana) announced today a collaboration to develop models of Prosolia's Omni Spray Ion Source that are compatible with Waters mass spectrometers.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (Santa Barbara, California) and Groton Biosystems LLC (Boxborough, Massachusetts) recently announced an agreement.

SFC Product Focus

As I write this instalment of "LC Troubleshooting", I have just completed teaching a series of liquid chromatography (LC) method development classes to pharmaceutical scientists in India. As a parting gift, my host gave me a copy of Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat?.1 One central theme of this book is that the technology and skills for the science and information technology sectors are available around the world and are no longer the exclusive domain of the US and Western Europe.

The Indian Society of Analytical Scientists (ISAS) Delhi Chapter has announced that the National Symposium on Recent Advances in Analytical Sciences and Applications will be held at the Himachal Pradesh University (Summer Hills, Shimla, India) between 5–7 April 2007.

In June of this year, the 30th meeting in the International Symposium in Capillary Chromatography series will convene in Dalian, People's Republic of China. The meeting promises to be a major celebration of separation science, and the separation science community has thrown its weight behind this initiative. The meeting is held under the auspices of the "International Organization for Promotion of Microcolumn Separations" and the "Chinese Academy of Science," with support from various organizations in China. Combined with the "4th Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography Symposium" and the "16th Chinese Symposium and Exhibition on Chromatography," the conference will offer many opportunities to present both international and regional accomplishments in chromatography. During the period of the symposia an exhibition will be held to showcase newly developed instruments and reagents from manufacturers around the world.

New Technologies

Eksigent (Dublin, California) announced a new distribution agreement with Presearch (Hampshire, United Kingdom). The agreement reportedly covers sales of Eksigent's NanoLC HPLC product line in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The 5th HIC/RPC Bioseparation Conference takes place at the Lindner Grand Hotel Beau Rivage Palace, Interlaken, Switzerland from 20–23 March 2007 and is co-ordinated by Tosoh Bioscience GmbH. It is designed to provide a forum for in-depth discussion on industrial downstream processing.

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E-show Daily Pittcon 2007 Files

News All the news from February 2007 Zosimus In this issue Zosimus voices complaints about the difficulties associated with connecting column fittings to instruments. Market Trends & Analysis Glenn Cudiamat reports on one of the most dynamic markets in the analytical science industry - HPLC. Biodiesel - The Alternative Fuel Zoe Grosser and David Armstrong Biodiesel (FAME) Analysis by FT-IR Mike Bradley Tips & Tricks: GPC/SEC How to find the optimum sample concentration and injection volume for GPC/SEC instruments. Q&A Self-confefssed elder statesman of separation science, Peter Myers, reveals all about his past in the subject and enthuses about his new project at Liverpool University.

Ted Szczerba and Paul Wrezel, Regis Technologies, Inc.