Assessing the Suitability of a Green Solvent for GPC and TREF Analyses of Polyethylene
December 1st 2014This study presents results of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) of polyethylene in butylal (dibutoxymethane, a halogen-free solvent).
Developing Better GC Methods — A Blueprint
December 1st 2014To obtain sensitive, robust, and reproducible gas chromatography (GC) methods, each stage of the chromatographic process needs to be carefully considered and optimized. It is also important to record and report as much detail within the method specification so that the method can be reproduced between operators, instruments, and laboratories. Table I represents a "blueprint" method specification with all of the information that is necessary to faithfully specify and reproduce a split–splitless GC method.
Profiling Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in Blood Serum
November 20th 2014Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodenerative disorders worldwide. It is a progressive disorder characterized by gradual loss of mental ability associated with the death of brain cells, and is diagnosed using a combination of physical, neurological, and laboratory tests. Although there are no curative treatments available, early treatment can reduce the rate of the disease progression. Scientists from the University of Huelva and the Neurological Service from the Hospital Juan Ramon Jim?nez in Spain, began collaborating four years ago to develop new strategies to identify biomarkers that could be used to speed up diagnosis of the disease. In a new study published in the journal Electrophoresis, the team present a metabolomics approach based on ultrafiltration followed by capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry (CE–ESI–MS) for the fingerprinting of polar metabolites in blood serum.
The Development of Bioanalytical Methods for Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research
November 20th 2014The production of new drugs continues to increase, placing pressure on analytical scientists to develop new bioanalytical methods to characterize and ensure quality control and safety. Bethany Degg of The Column spoke to Lucie Novakova of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, about the development, optimization, and challenges of bioanalytical methods as well as future emerging research areas.
Trace-Level Quantitation of Tear Gas Lachrymators in Complex Matrices
November 20th 2014GC?GC–TOF-MS is used in forensic analysis for the analysis of tear gas lachrymators. In this article the analysis of a lachrymator standard is shown first, followed by the detection of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin at trace levels in a complex extract from contaminated clothing.
Monitoring Plastic Exposure in Seabirds
November 20th 2014Researchers from CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship in Hobart, Australia, have published a new approach to monitoring plastic exposure in live birds. Featured in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, the study describes the sampling of preen oil collected from seabirds using a simple swabbing method for gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis.1