Trends

The lack of proper method validation has important implications in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) determinations. We examine this issue, addressing the importance of gas chromatography (GC) for BAC determination, why certain validation procedures are important, and why accreditation bodies need to step up their game.

Further miniaturization of separations will greatly extend the reach of single-cell proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics, but key challenges in instrumentation, column technology, and ionization sources must be addressed.

Given that sample preparation consumes over two thirds of analysis time, sample preparation becomes the bottleneck issue in analytical chemistry, resulting in the urgent necessity of developing accelerated sample preparation techniques.

We might well ask “Where is gas chromatography (GC) heading?” For many analysts, the answer may be just “more of the same,” reflecting that GC is mature and that most analysis tasks and sample types have been tried and tested. In this scenario, any changes to the basic method may be marginal—sample introduction, and maybe a new detector? But beneath this status quo is an undercurrent of passion, excitement, and power.

In this article, I share my perspective on the trends in 2D-LC, and the developments we are likely to see in the field in the near future.

We kick off a new article series that offers an insider’s view of the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on the role of separation science and separation scientists.

In this issue, we feature fundamental and innovative efforts from within the walls of some the leading companies in the separation science industry. The theme was inspired by the continuous output of essential separation tools and the seemingly endless streams of pertinent information that these companies provide the scientific community.

Having to handle mentorship remotely during the pandemic created challenges but also spurred us to think creatively.

Empowering the next generation of female separation scientists is crucial to helping them realize their potential in advancing the separation science field.

Reviewing your contract laboratory’s QA/QC protocols can reveal much about the accuracy of the data the lab generates. Here is what to look for.

It is of paramount importance that companies develop their in-house macromolecular separations expertise, not only polymer manufacturing companies but also those employing macromolecules for any of a host of applications, from drug-delivery and tablet coatings to ink-jet printer formulations and food additives, to name but a few.

Given the excitement surrounding the “green rush,” it is worth stepping back to examine the trends and nuances of the cannabis testing environment.

Our annual LCGC salary survey takes a look at employment conditions, salary, benefits, and other workplace concerns affecting scientists and technicians working in the chromatography and separation sciences field, and assesses where things stand after more than 18 months since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

In this month’s blog, we provide information about the Subdivision on Chromatography and Separations Chemistry (SCSC) of the Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS), sharing our main goals and introducing our newly appointed executive board members.

Is there a secret formula to getting hired into a pharmaceutical analytical chemistry group? What skills are prized above all others?

In April 2020, on the heels of the pandemic shutdown, the price of crude oil fell to a negative value for the first time ever. The shutdown hit many oil and gas companies hard. But while companies lick their wounds and decide their next moves, an important concept called environmental and social corporate governance (ESG) has come greater into focus.

The separation science community is full of talented, productive, and innovative researchers of all genders, from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, working around the globe in academia and industry. Our awards should reflect this. It is one thing to say this. It is another thing to do it. But there are steps we can each take to ensure that our awards showcase the full range of separation science talent.

In addition to analyzing salary trends, the 2020 edition of our annual survey of separation scientists expands its view to focus on broader issues, such as job security, professional concerns and challenges (especially in the era of COVID), workplace discrimination, and the outlook for 2021 and beyond.

The Eastern Analytical Symposium has gone virtual for 2020, making it easy for everyone to attend. We highlight a few of the talks and innovative sessions that you won’t want to miss.

The HPLC symposium series is recognized as “the forum” where new developments in liquid phase separations and their hyphenation to mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of (bio)pharmaceutical compounds and their metabolites are presented.

This is the second in a series of articles exploring current topics in separation science that will be addressed at the HPLC 2017 conference in Prague, Czech Republic, from 18–22 June.

Ion chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (IC-MS) does not follow the same rules as coupling other modes of liquid chromatography to mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Leon Barron from the Analytical & Environmental Science Division, at King’s College London, UK, reveals some of the misconceptions surrounding IC and discusses contemporary trends and novel applications for this inventive technique.

In recent years, food analysis has blossomed out from a singular focus on food safety to a studies of a wide array of questions such as the authentication of food origin and the nutritional aspects of natural food compounds. In this new e-book, we explore some current trends in food analysis and also provide some concrete advice for preparing food samples for analysis.

Leading separation scientists discuss their approaches to improving the analysis of large molecules.

Structural, bioanalytical, characterization, and quality control studies are critical for successful drug development. These studies must be as accurate, sensitive, and selective as possible, and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS) has been the technique of choice for many areas of small molecule analysis for the past 30 years. During that time, rapid improvements in analytical technologies have supported the development of more sensitive and robust methods. However, the pharma and biopharma industry continues to need more powerful instruments and more diverse methods, particularly as therapeutics have expanded to include large molecules. This work follows on from an earlier article that explored the limitations of LC–MS–MS for bioanalysis of biologics. This article considers some of the current issues for analysis of small and large molecules, and emerging trends in method development.

The results obtained from a new survey on sample preparation techniques were compared with the results of previous surveys from 1991 to March 2013. The survey investigated trends in technologies currently being used, sample loads, sample sizes, automation, the use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) devices (cartridges, disks, plates, tips), SPE chemistries, selection criteria, and problems encountered. Respondents were also asked about sample preparation technologies on the horizon.

This instalment of “Sample Preparation Perspectives” compares the results obtained from a new survey on sample preparation techniques with the results of previous surveys from 1991 to March 2013. The survey investigated trends in areas such as technologies currently being used, sample loads, sample sizes, automation, the use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) devices (cartridges, disks, plates, tips), SPE chemistries, selection criteria, and problems encountered. Respondents were also asked about sample preparation technologies on the horizon.

A survey of LCGC readers on sample preparation techniques and methodology investigated trends in technologies being used, sample loads, sample sizes, automation, the use of SPE devices (cartridges, disks, plates, tips), SPE chemistries, selection criteria, and problems encountered.

Benedetto Natalini spoke to LCGC about the driving forces in pharmaceutical analysis, including the importance of regulation, chirality, and miniaturization. Natalini also discussed his recent research in chiral chromatography, as well as developments in diagnostics using novel orthogonal liquid chromatography methods to quantify neurotransmitters involved in Parkinson?s disease

Michal Holcapek from the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic discusses the surprising advantages of LC–MALDI coupling and gives reasons why ion mobility mass spectrometry is gaining more attention.