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Magnetic Nanoparticles for Solid-Phase Extraction
April 21st 2016Magnetic nanoparticles (m-NPs) are becoming important in analytical chemistry as sorbents in dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) because they simplify the extraction process and save time as a result of their isolation from the sample matrix by an external magnetic field. Many synthetic processes have been developed to fabricate these nanomaterials and an additional coating step is usually included at the end of the synthesis to improve their stability and to avoid the formation of agglomerates. A wide variety of coatings have been used for this purpose to improve selectivity. This manuscript provides an overview of the different synthesis methods, coatings, and applications of m-NPs as sorbents in d-SPE.
Practical Advances in SFC for the Purification of Pharmaceutical Molecules
April 21st 2016Recent progress in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) instrumentation has led to renewed interest in the technique as a powerful tool for chiral and achiral separations of pharmaceutical molecules, for both analytical and preparative purposes. The “green” aspect of the technique and low running costs make SFC technology particularly attractive for preparative chromatography because it considerably reduces the consumption of organic solvents. These factors led to a revised strategy for purification and to a general interest in evaluating possible extensions for the application of packed SFC (pSFC). The results of this extensive evaluation have led to the establishment of SFC platforms for preparative achiral purifications as a standard practice, alongside its use for preparative chiral separations.
Identification of Synthetic Colorants Using HPLC-DAD and Chemometrics
April 20th 2016A team of researchers from the State Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics in China has developed a novel high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method for the identification of six synthetic colours in five beverages.
Tips & Tricks GPC/SEC: Flow Marker — An Easy Concept to Increase Reproducibility
April 11th 2016Experienced gel permeation chromatography/size-exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) users know that equilibration of the columns takes much longer than the time needed by the pump to produce a constant flow. An analysis in this phase would clearly yield different results from those achieved after complete equilibration of GPC/SEC columns. Furthermore, false but constant flow rates affect the molar masses derived from a GPC/SEC calibration curve. An internal flow marker can help to increase reproducibility and accuracy of GPC/SEC results.
Trajan Scientific Acquires LEAP Technologies
April 11th 2016Trajan Scientific (Melbourne, Australia), which develops medical devices as well as analytical systems such as gas and liquid chromatography columns and sample preparation systems, has acquired the business of LEAP Technologies (Carrboro, North Carolina).
Low-Pressure GC and UHPLC Analysis of Environmental Contaminants in Meats
April 11th 2016A team of researchers has developed a high‑throughput analysis method for 192 diverse pesticides and 51 environmental contaminants in cattle, swine, and poultry meats. The team used a combination of low-pressure gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LP)GC–MS–MS and ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem MS in the analysis.
Characterizing New Psychoactive Substances
April 11th 2016Researchers from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission have published a case study detailing the characterization of new psychoactive substances using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, high‑resolution tandem mass-spectrometry, and Raman spectroscopy.
Schoenmakers Awarded 2.5 Million Euros for “A Million Peaks” Project
April 6th 2016Peter Schoenmakers of the University of Amsterdam has been awarded a prestigious grant worth 2.5 million Euros by the European Research Council to develop new high-performance separation technology. The grant will fund Schoenmakers’s research project “Separation Technology for A Million Peaks” (STAMP).
