To the Editor

The 2024 Analytica trade fair brought together thousands of exhibitors and attendees from around the world. Many are focused on developing sustainable technology.

From new anion exchange chromatography systems to purification tools and size-exclusion chromatography columns, here are some of the new products vendors showcased at the world’s largest laboratory and analysis industry trade fair.

Reports of the omnipresence of microplastics have mainly focused on their presence in the environment, but there is a growing interest in investigating the health impacts of microplastics. Many people would assume that infants' exposure to microplastics would be limited. However, infant formula was found to be a possible exposure pathway. Extracting and isolating microplastics from infant formula can be difficult due to the range of formulations, ingredients, and components, such as fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and sugars. This application note demonstrates the importance of quality control in microplastics analysis. The study also shows how the Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Chemical Imaging System can accurately identify and quantify microplastics in infant formula.

Michelle Colgrave of Edith Cowan University and Australia’s national science agency is the recipient of the 2024 Harvey W. Wiley Award.