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Green analytical chemistry (GAC) has emerged as a critical discipline focused on minimizing the environmental footprint of analytical methods. This second article in this week's series curated by Adrián Fuente-Ballesteros of the Faculty of Sciences at University of Valladolid (Spain) traces the evolution of GAC through the development of its key greenness assessment metrics.

LCGC International spoke to Maria Hayder, corresponding author of a recently published paper (1) discussing a novel workflow for nanoplastic analysis in environmental water samples, incorporating asymmetrical-flow field-flow fractionation coupled with multiangle light scattering (AF4-MALS) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) in an offline combination.

Researchers at the Université de Montréal evaluating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single oral dose of trazodone in laboratory rabbits determined plasma concentrations of the drug with high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).

Noemi Procopio

As part of “From Sample to Verdict,” LCGC International sat down with Noemi Procopio, who is the Principal Investigator of the "Forens-OMICS" team and a Senior Research Fellow in Forensic Science at the University of Central Lancashire to talk about her team’s work. In Part III of our conversation with Procopio, she discussed how her team analyzes bone samples for post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation. In the final part of our conversation, Procopio discusses what a routine omics-based PMI assay could look like in the future.

As part of our “From Sample to Verdict” series, LCGC International sat down with Furton to discuss his team’s work in the Global Forensic and Justice Center. In Part II of our conversation with Furton, he discusses the applicability of SPME in other forensic applications, as well as the limitations of using SPME.

Noemi Procopio

As part of “From Sample to Verdict,” LCGC International sat down with Noemi Procopio, who is the Principal Investigator of the "Forens-OMICS" team and a Senior Research Fellow in Forensic Science at the University of Central Lancashire, to talk about her team’s work. In Part I of our conversation with Procopio, she discussed the development of the Forens-OMICS approach and how her team estimates PMI using metabolomics, proteomics, and metabarcoding. Part II dives deep into post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation and how bone proteomics can be used to accurately estimate PMI.

LCGC International sat down with Daniel Petras to discuss persistent challenges in non-targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) metabolite annotation, where only a small fraction of acquired spectra match existing libraries, and how the multiplexed chemical metabolomics (MCheM) workflow introduces functional group-specific derivatization to generate orthogonal chemical data.

Ira Lurie © Image courtesy of interviewee

LCGC International spoke with Ira Lurie, a professional lecturer at George Washington University in the USA, about his research using innovative chromatographic strategies to improve the specificity and efficiency of forensic drug analysis. He details the application of “flip-flop” chromatography using silica hydride stationary phases to alternate between reversed-phase and aqueous normal-phase separations without changing solvents. Lurie also highlights the use of derivative gas chromatography–vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy (GC–VUV) to differentiate challenging synthetic cannabinoid isomers, emphasizing the critical legal and scientific importance of accurate isomer identification in forensic casework.

As part of “From Sample to Verdict,” LCGC International sat down with Furton to talk about his team’s work in the Global Forensic and Justice Center. In Part I of our conversation with Furton, he discusses his work in environmental forensics, including applying solid-phase microextraction (SPME-GC–MS) in distinguishing crude oil sources.