Best of the Week: Nitrosamine Analysis, PFAS in Estuaries, SFC Europe

This week, LCGC International published a variety of articles on trending topics in separation science, including a preview of SFC Europe 2025 and an interview with Oliver Jones and Navneet Singh from RMIT University. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular articles that were published this week in no particular order.

We’d love to hear from you! Is there a topic you’d like to see covered in LCGC? Share your ideas with us—we value your feedback and are committed to exploring the subjects that matter most to our readers. Email chroncich@mjhlifesciences.com with your thoughts. Happy reading!

SFC Europe 2025

J. David Pinkston

Chromatographers worldwide can look forward to SFC Europe 2025–the 19th International Conference on Packed Column Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Related Techniques—to be held in Basel, Switzerland, on October 5–7, 2025. The conference has been held annually in the USA, Europe, or Asia. Basel, Switzerland has been chosen as this year’s European location because of its central location in Europe, ease of access, and excellent accommodation. The conference will kick off with a full-day short course on SFC on October 5, 2025. The course will be of interest to scientists with little SFC experience, as well as those who are more experienced in the field.

The Effect of Time and Tide on PFAS Concentrations in Estuaries

Alasdair Matheson

Oliver Jones and Navneet Singh from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia recently spoke with LCGC International about a recent study they conducted to investigate the relationship between tidal cycles and PFAS concentrations in estuarine systems and offer practical advice on the sample preparation and LC–MS/MS techniques they used to achieve the best results.

Shimadzu Recognized as a Nadeshiko Brand for Commitment to Workplace Gender Equality

Kate Jones

The Nadeshiko Brand initiative, led by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), is intended to highlight companies that promote gender diversity as a means of enhancing corporate value over the medium to long term. This designation is awarded to publicly listed companies that are considered to be actively supporting the advancement of women in the workplace. Recently, Shimadzu Corporation was selected as a Nadeshiko Brand.

Experts Discuss the Complexities of Nitrosamine Analysis

Aaron Acevedo

Nitrosamines are a large group of N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) that bear common functional >N–N=O groups. NOCs can be divided into two classes: N-nitrosamines and N-nitrosamides and related compounds. These compounds can be found in various substances, including pharmaceuticals. If humans are exposed to nitrosamines above acceptable levels and over long periods of time, these impurities can increase the risk of cancer. Detecting acceptable intake limits, or the acceptable amount of impurity, such as nitrosamines, in a drug, can be difficult due to the limited availability of safety data for an impurity.

Are We Living in an Artificial World?

Kate Jones

Our lives are now surrounded by artificial intelligence (AI). From the home to the office and everywhere in between—AI has infiltrated our lives. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can now produce content on everything from recent trends in the chromatography market, to a summary of a research paper, and even a list of questions to ask an interviewee. In separation science, technology is advancing faster than ever, and AI and machine learning (ML) can help to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and automation of analytical methods. Chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) can generate massive amounts of data that require interpretation.