LCGC Europe-09-01-2018

Click the title above to open the LCGC Europe September 2018 regular issue in an interactive PDF format.

Column-based liquid phase separation techniques, such as liquid chromatography (LC) in reversed phase separation mode and capillary electromigration techniques, using continuous electrolyte systems, are widely used for the identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in plants and food matrices of plant origin. This paper is the first of a two-part review article discussing fundamental and practical aspects of both LC and capillary electromigration techniques used for the analysis of phenolic compounds occurring in plant-derived food and in edible and medicinal plants. The chemical structure and distribution of the major phenolic compounds occurring in the plant kingdom, as well as the main methods used for their extraction and sample preparation, are also discussed. Part 1 will focus on liquid chromatography.

Several new materials and columns have been introduced in recent years for size-exclusion separations of proteins. How do I know which one to choose, and which separation conditions will be the best for my protein separation?

The quality of a gas chromatogram depends heavily on the quality of the separation and detection gases, among many other factors. In this month’s instalment, “GC Connections” discusses ways in which chromatographers can ensure a safe working environment while delivering gases that are up to the requirements of the separations at hand, in the context of moving a laboratory to a new location.

This is the second of three articles looking at the impact of the new United States Pharmacopeia (USP) on analytical instrument qualification (AIQ) on data integrity in a regulated chromatography laboratory. This part focuses on how the laboratory should supervise the execution of operational qualification (OQ) protocols by a third-party service provider. The principles described also apply to in-house metrology departments.

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) has become the preferred analytical technique for many challenging assays based on its selectivity, sensitivity, and broad applicability to compounds of varying polarity. Despite its advantages, the complexity of LC–MS systems often leaves analysts struggling to meet method detection limits. In this instalment of “Column Watch”, several strategies will be discussed to improve method sensitivity through the reduction of contaminants, the careful selection of LC method conditions, and the optimization of MS interface settings. By understanding the relationship between these parameters and ionization efficiency, analysts can enhance their signal-to-noise ratio and realize the hidden potential of their LC–MS.

The 38th International Symposium on the Purification of Proteins, Peptides and Polynucleotides (ISPPP 2018) will be held on November 4–7 2018 in Berlin, Germany.