Vaughan S. Langford

The method of standard additions (MoSA) enables quantification of volatile impurities in condensed-phase samples, such as emulsions, for which matrix-matched calibration standards are required. The technique is, however, expensive because it requires multiple analyses of each sample.

Pharmaceutical excipients, such as polyethylene glycol-based polymers, must be tested for the presence of ethylene oxide (EtO) and 1,4-dioxane as part of a safety assessment, according to USP Chapter <228>.

Pharmaceutical excipients, such as polyethylene glycol-based polymers, must be tested for the presence of ethylene oxide (EtO) and 1,4-dioxane as part of a safety assessment, according to USP Chapter <228>.

Selected ion flow tube mas spectrometry (SIFT–MS) offers real-time measurements directly from air without chromatography or sample preparation, providing an attractive alternative for these hard-to-measure volatile organic compounds.

This article surveys the application of headspace-SIFT-MS to untargeted screening of food products and ingredients, such as beer, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and strawberry flavor mixes.

Multiple headspace extraction (MHE) can be readily implemented with automated headspace-selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).

Applying headspace-SIFT-MS to untargeted screening of food products and ingredients.

Direct-injection mass spectrometry (DIMS) and gas chromatography (GC) approaches have some significant differences that are pertinent when analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We explain.

SIFT–MS analysis has potential to screen large numbers of packaging samples for the volatile MOH fraction, providing a rapid indication of packaging material contamination.

The differences between DIMS and GC approaches are presented.

Newer direct-injection mass spectrometry techniques can improve real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds.

Ensuring that volatile leachable impurities are at low levels in polymeric materials is very important for minimizing migration to food and pharmaceutical products.

Application of multivariate statistical analysis to a combined data set demonstrated that SIFT-MS discriminates premium quality beef from eight sensory defects, and, therefore, could be applied as an instrumental grading tool, obviating sensory panel grading.

For the BTEX compounds, detection limits in the single-digit parts-per-billion concentration range (by volume) are readily achievable within seconds using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS), because sample analysis is achieved without chromatography, preconcentration, or drying.

The sensitive, selective, and real-time analysis characteristic of the SIFT-MS technique provides simple, robust, and continuous analysis of extremely diverse odor compounds at trace levels in air. This application note illustrates instantaneous, broad spectrum odor analysis with monitoring data from a chicken meat production facility.