This study evaluates benzoylation as a unified derivatization strategy for GC-EI-MS analysis of persistent degradation products associated with G-, V-, and A-series nerve agents. Alkyl methylphosphonic acids, amidines, and guanidines were derivatized using benzoyl chloride and benzoic anhydride, with reaction conditions, solvent effects, derivative stability, and reagent excess systematically optimized.Benzoic anhydride provided superior derivative stability and handling characteristics, with optimized conditions enabling detection limits of 0.02–0.23 μg/mL. The method was successfully applied to contaminated sand, concrete, and water extracts, demonstrating its potential for retrospective forensic analysis of chemically diverse nerve-agent degradation markers.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026265X26024203#s0010">Benzoylation strategy for GC–EI–MS analysis of alkyl methylphosphonic acids, amidines and guanidines as retrospective markers of nerve chemical warfare agent use</a></h4>Tomas Rozsypal, Vladimir Finger, Lukas PrchalMicrochemical Journal, 2026, 119216, Volume 228<div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026265X26024203#s0010">10.1016/j.microc.2026.119216</a></div><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.<div><div><div><div><div>Organophosphorus nerve agents remain among the most toxic synthetic chemicals ever developed and continue to represent a major concern in the fields of chemical security and forensic science. Their intentional misuse in recent decades has renewed global interest in analytical strategies capable not only of identifying the parent agents, but also of detecting their transformation products in complex realworld samples [1,2]. In practical scenarios, the parent compounds undergo hydrolysis and other degradation processes after release, whereas more stable degradation products may persist for substantially longer periods and therefore provide valuable retrospective evidence of contamination [3,4]. For this reason, the analysis of degradation markers has become an essential component of modern forensic and environmental investigations involving nerve agents.&nbsp;Among the most relevant degradation products are alkyl methylphosphonic acids (AMPAs) originating from G-series and V-series nerve agents, as well as nitrogen-containing amidine and guanidine derivatives associated with A-series (Novichok) nerve agents [5–7]. AMPAs are well-established hydrolysis products that are chemically stable, water-soluble, and frequently encountered in environmental and biomedical matrices [4]. In contrast, amidine and guanidine degradation products of A-series agents have received considerably less experimental attention despite their growing relevance in contemporary chemical forensics. These highly polar and strongly basic compounds often exhibit poor chromatographic behavior, limited volatility, and strong interactions with active surfaces, making their analysis particularly challenging [8–11].&nbsp;Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) remains one of the principal techniques for the analysis of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and related compounds [12]. However, polar degradation products often do not possess physicochemical properties suitable for direct GC–MS analysis due to their high polarity and low volatility [13]. Derivatization therefore remains one of the most effective strategies for overcoming these analytical limitations by converting polar or ionic analytes into more hydrophobic, thermally stable, and chromatographically amenable derivatives [14]. Numerous derivatization approaches have been reported for AMPAs, including conversion to silyl derivatives [15,16], alkyl esters [17–20], and esters derived from aromatic alcohols [21–27]. However, these methods may suffer from moisture sensitivity, incomplete reactions, unstable products, or limited applicability across matrices. Moreover, conventional derivatization procedures are generally not suitable for amidines and guanidines, which has stimulated the development of new robust derivatization protocols for routine forensic analysis [9,10].&nbsp;Acylation is a well-established derivatization approach in analytical chemistry and has previously been applied to several compounds related to CWAs, particularly alcohols [28–31] and chlorides [32]. Among available reagents, benzoylation agents appear especially promising. In GC–MS, benzoylation may improve retention, peak shape, and structural identification through characteristic aromatic fragmentation pathways [28,31]. The introduced phenyl group also provides strong UV absorbance useful in liquid chromatography, where these reagents have been widely employed for the determination of amines, phenols, and other polar compounds in environmental, pharmaceutical, food and biological analysis [33–37]. In addition, unlike many conventional halogenated acylating reagents, benzoylation reagents may offer a more favorable environmental profile. Despite these advantages, benzoylation has not yet been systematically explored for AMPAs or amidine and guanidine degradation products related to A-series nerve agents prior to GC–MS identification.&nbsp;The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate benzoylation as a unified derivatization strategy for two analytically challenging classes of nerve-agent degradation products: alkyl methylphosphonic acids and amidine/guanidine markers of A-series nerve agents. Emphasis was placed on selection of suitable reagent, optimization of reaction conditions, and suitability for GC–MS analysis. By evaluating a common derivatization platform across structurally distinct analytes, this work seeks to expand the toolbox available for retrospective identification of degraded nerve agents in environmental and forensic samples.<h4>2. Experimental</h4><h5>2.2. Instrumental</h5><h5>2.2.1. GC–FID and GC–MS</h5>For the development of derivatization methods, a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/3">Trace 1310 gas chromatograph</a> equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC–FID) and a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/1741">TG-5MS column</a> (30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.50 μm; Thermo Scientific, Waltham, USA) was used. The injection port temperature was set to 250 ◦C with a split ratio of 1:20. Helium (99.999% purity) was used as the carrier gas at a constant flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. The detector temperature was maintained at 280 ◦C, with gas flow rates of 350 mL/ min for air, 40 mL/min for hydrogen, and 30 mL/min for nitrogen makeup gas (all 5.0 purity). The oven temperature program started at 80 ◦C (held for 2 min), then increased at 20 ◦C/min to 280 ◦C (held for 2 min). Injections (1 μL) were performed using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/63">TriPlus RSH autosampler.</a> Data acquisition and processing were carried out using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/76">Chromeleon 7.3.0 software</a> (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, USA).&nbsp;For acquisition of mass spectrometric (MS) data and further method optimization, a GC–MS system <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/486">Trace 1610</a> coupled with<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/484"> ISQ 7610</a>, equipped with a TG-5MS capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm film thickness; all Thermo Scientific, Waltham, USA). Samples were injected in split mode (1:5) into a deactivated liner packed with glass wool. The injector temperature was set to 250 ◦C. Helium (99.999% purity) was used as the carrier gas at a constant flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.&nbsp;The oven temperature program started at 80 ◦C (held for 2 min), ramped at 10 ◦C/min to 280 ◦C, and was held at the final temperature for an additional 2 min. The ISQ mass spectrometer operated in electron ionization (EI) mode at 70 eV. The MS parameters were as follows: transfer line temperature 275 ◦C, ion source temperature 230 ◦C, and ion optics temperature 233 ◦C. Data were acquired in full-scan mode over a mass range of m/z 40–400. Sample injections were performed using a TriPlus RSH autosampler, and chromatographic control and data processing were conducted using Chromeleon 7.3.2 software (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, USA).<h4>3. Results and discussion</h4><h5>3.7. Chromatograms (TICs) and mass spectra</h5>Representative chromatograms obtained after derivatization using Bz2O are shown in Fig. 5. All investigated analytes produced wellresolved chromatographic peaks without significant coelution between individual derivatives. Due to the introduction of aromatic benzoyl groups, the formed derivatives exhibited relatively high retention indices ranging from 1692 to 2072. Such retention behavior may be advantageous in practical GC–MS analysis, as late-eluting compounds are generally less affected by volatile matrix interferences and solventrelated background signals commonly occurring in the early part of chromatograms [17,18,27,28,31]. The highest retention was observed for DEA and particularly TEG, reflecting both their molecular size and the contribution of multiple ethyl substituents in combination with benzoylation.&nbsp;<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Microchemical_Journal_2026_119216_Volume_228_Fig_5_Representative_GC_EIMS_total_ion_chromatograms_a71ab48f34.jpg" alt="Microchemical Journal, 2026, 119216, Volume 228: Fig. 5. Representative GC–EIMS total ion chromatograms and corresponding mass spectra of benzoylated derivatives of investigated AMPAs, amidine, and guanidine obtained after derivatization with benzoic anhydride (Bz2O). Chromatograms are presented without background subtraction." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Microchemical_Journal_2026_119216_Volume_228_Fig_5_Representative_GC_EIMS_total_ion_chromatograms_a71ab48f34.jpg 126w," sizes="100vw" width="3549" height="4378">Several background peaks originating from the derivatization system were also observed. The dominant late-eluting signal at 16.56 min corresponded to residual benzoic anhydride reagent. Despite its relatively high intensity, this peak did not interfere with identification of the target analytes due to sufficient chromatographic separation. At the same time, its presence further emphasizes the importance of optimizing reagent excess in derivatization-based analytical procedures in order to minimize unnecessary background contribution from residual derivatization reagents. The optimized reagent volume selected in this study therefore represents a compromise between efficient derivatization and maintaining the residual Bz2O peak as small as reasonably achievable. An additional smaller background signal was observed at 7.25 min identified as benzoic acid. Nevertheless, as with other derivatizationbased GC–MS methods, routine maintenance of the injector liner, the use of glass-wool-packed deactivated liners and guard columns, and periodic trimming of the analytical column are recommended during prolonged routine use to minimize gradual accumulation of non-volatile reaction by-products and maintain stable chromatographic performance.&nbsp;Mass spectra of all benzoylated derivatives were characterized by the presence of molecular ions, which represents an important feature for molecular-weight confirmation and reliable identification. For AMPA derivatives, the spectra were dominated by the benzoyl-related ion at m/ z 105, accompanied by characteristic aromatic fragments at m/z 77 and m/z 51. Molecular ions were observed at m/z 228 for EMPA, m/z 242 for IMPA, and m/z 256 for both IBMPA and NBMPA. The isomeric derivatives of IBMPA and NBMPA exhibited very similar fragmentation patterns, but they were clearly differentiated by their retention times and retention indices (Table 2), demonstrating the importance of combining MS data with chromatographic information.&nbsp;<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Microchemical_Journal_2026_119216_Volume_228_Table_2_Analytical_performance_parameters_of_the_developed_GC_MS_method_following_derivatization_6df37e9e6c.jpg" alt="Microchemical Journal, 2026, 119216, Volume 228: Table 2. Analytical performance parameters of the developed GC–MS method following derivatization with benzoic anhydride (Bz2O) in acetonitrile, including retention times (RT), retention indices (RI), calibration parameters, coefficients of determination (R2), limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), and intra−/interday precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) for retention times and peak areas." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Microchemical_Journal_2026_119216_Volume_228_Table_2_Analytical_performance_parameters_of_the_developed_GC_MS_method_following_derivatization_6df37e9e6c.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1331" height="208">The benzoylated DEA and TEG derivatives also showed prominent benzoyl-related ions at m/z 105 and m/z 77, together with analytespecific fragments. DEA exhibited a molecular ion at m/z 218, with additional characteristic ions at m/z 141, m/z 113, and m/z 189. TEG showed a molecular ion at m/z 275, accompanied by diagnostic ions at m/z 204, m/z 175, m/z 246, and m/z 216. The presence of molecular ions for all derivatives, together with compound-specific fragments and RI data, provided sufficient selectivity for confirmation of structurally related degradation products.<h4>4. Conclusions</h4>Benzoylation has previously been reported in the field of chemical weapons primarily for derivatization of alcohol-containing compounds. In the present study, the approach was successfully extended to analytically challenging alkyl methylphosphonic acids together with amidine and guanidine degradation products related to A-series nerve agents. The developed procedure therefore represents a versatile derivatization strategy applicable to several important classes of retrospective CWA degradation markers within a single analytical workflow.&nbsp;Compared with previously used benzoyl chloride-based procedures, replacement of BzCl by benzoic anhydride significantly improved the practical applicability of the method. Bz2O exhibited superior derivative stability, safer handling properties, lower volatility, and elimination of corrosive hydrogen chloride formation during derivatization. In addition, the reagent was readily soluble in ACN, and the prepared 10% solution remained stable for at least 14 days when stored under refrigerated and dark conditions, supporting its suitability for routine analytical use. Successful derivatization in both ACN and EtOAc further demonstrated that the developed approach is not dependent on chlorinated solvents or highly hazardous derivatization media, improving its practical flexibility and environmental acceptability.&nbsp;The introduced benzoyl moiety substantially increased chromatographic retention of all investigated analytes on a conventional DB-5- type stationary phase compared with many commonly used volatile derivatives. Such behavior may be advantageous for analysis of complex environmental or forensic samples, where numerous matrix-derived compounds are typically concentrated in the early-eluting region of the chromatogram together with residual parent CWAs. The obtained derivatives additionally produced characteristic and structurally informative mass spectra, including observable molecular ions for all investigated analytes. Moreover, the introduced aromatic substituent enabled UV detection of the derivatized compounds by conventional reversedphase HPLC. These preliminary results demonstrate the potential of the benzoylation strategy for complementary HPLC-based analysis, although further chromatographic optimization is required, particularly for the TEG derivative.&nbsp;Optimal derivatization conditions consisted of heating at 60 ◦C for 4 h using Bz2O in ACN without any additional treatments. Nevertheless, substantial analytical responses were already achieved at significantly shorter reaction times, indicating that the method may also be applicable in time-constrained analytical scenarios. Together with the demonstrated stability of the reagent solution and robustness of the derivatization system, this suggests potential applicability not only in stationary reference laboratories but also in mobile analytical laboratories involved in operational and forensic investigations following suspected CWA release.</div></div></div></div></div>

Benzoylation strategy for GC–EI–MS analysis of alkyl methylphosphonic acids, amidines and guanidines as retrospective markers of nerve chemical warfare agent use

This study develops a chiral LC-MS/MS method with pre-column derivatization for simultaneous determination of carnitine (CAR) and acetylcarnitine (ACA) enantiomers in food. Conversion to 3-nitrophenylhydrazine derivatives followed by separation on a CHIRALPAK ZWIX (−) column provided resolution values above 1.57 for the respective enantiomers.After validation, the method was applied to meat, milk, and fermented soybean products. L-CAR and L-ACA were detected in all tested foods, while trace amounts of D-CAR were identified in the traditional Japanese fermented food Hama-natto, demonstrating the method’s suitability for selective food analysis.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#sec0010">Development of a chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of carnitine and acetylcarnitine enantiomers in food samples</a></h4>Aogu Furusho, Hiroki Mizuno, Yutaro Nakayama, Eiji Sugiyama, Kenji Kojima, Kenichiro TodorokiJ. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. Open., 2026, 100111, Volume 7<div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#sec0010">10.1016/j.jpbao.2026.100111</a></div><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.<div><div><div><div><div>Carnitine (CAR) is a functional endogenous compound found in various animals <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib1">[1]</a>. Since CAR has one asymmetric carbon in its structure, the l- and d-enantiomers are present. l-CAR is a cofactor that transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria and promotes energy production via β-oxidation <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib2">[2]</a>. Humans biosynthesize 25% of the required amounts of l-CAR from l-lysine and l-methionine and ingest the remaining 75% from foodstuffs <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib3">[3]</a>, <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib4">[4]</a>. The insufficient intake of l-CAR induces a CAR deficiency <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib5">[5]</a>, and levocarnitine (l-form) is used as the therapeutic drug. Acetylcarnitine (ACA) is an acetylated molecule of CAR and is converted from CAR by carnitine O-acetyltransferase in the human body <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib6">[6]</a>. ACA is also related to energy production and is essential for storing acetyl groups to produce acetylcholine <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib7">[7]</a>. A previous study demonstrated that l-ACA taken from foods was partially hydrolyzed in the body and increased the l-CAR concentration within the tissues of aged rats <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib8">[8]</a>, indicating that CAR and ACA are interconverted. Furthermore, l-ACA has some therapeutic effects to downregulate inflammation-induced angiogenesis <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib9">[9]</a> and to reduce nerve pain <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib7">[7]</a>, <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib10">[10]</a>, making it a promising drug candidate. Both CAR and ACA are also commercially available as supplements to reduce body fat.Meanwhile, the d-isomers don’t have the above functions and are not thought to be present in the human body. Previous studies have revealed some specific functions such that d-CAR inhibited the l-CAR absorption causing CAR deficiency <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib11">[11]</a>, and d-ACA enhanced the efficiency of the drug for the Pompe disease <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib12">[12]</a>. Since the physiological actions of the d-forms and l-forms differ, enantioselective analysis of the CAR and ACA enantiomers is desirable for studying their functions and biokinetics.Several analytical methods have been already developed for the determination of the CAR and ACA enantiomers. In these methods, two approaches were mainly taken; i.e., the reversed-phase separation with the combination of diastereomeric derivatization and the direct separation by an enantioselective column. To convert enantiomers to diastereomers, chiral reagents, such as (+)-1-(9-fluorenyl)ethyl chloroformate <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib13">[13]</a> and l-alanine-β-naphthylamide <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib14">[14]</a>, were used. The conventional ODS column successfully separated the CAR and ACA enantiomers as their diastereomeric derivatives, and the methods were reported to be applicable for the enantiomeric purity check of drug substances. Regarding the chiral liquid chromatographic (LC) method, various types of enantioselective columns have been tested, but it was revealed that the separation of the CAR and ACA enantiomers was quite difficult <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib15">[15]</a>. A CHIRALCEL OD-R column based on the polysaccharide structure was among the few that achieved simultaneous separation of the CAR and ACA enantiomers. The target analytes were derivatized with (α-bromo)methyl phenyl ketone, and the method was applied to the analysis of drug substances <a style="color:rgb(2, 114, 177);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949771X26000101#bib16">[16]</a>. However, the measurement of foods, pharmaceutical agents, and biological samples has scarcely been performed, likely due to the low selectivity of the LC separation and ultraviolet/fluorescence detection used in these methods. Thus, improving the selectivity of the method is required to expand the range of the measurable samples.In the present study, a chiral LC-tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of the CAR and ACA enantiomers. Direct separation using an enantioselective column enables the analysis independent of the optical purity of the reagents, and MS/MS could provide a higher selectivity than those of the previous methods. Furthermore, because CAR and ACA possess an ammonium cation which contributes to the high ionization efficiency, a high sensitivity by MS could also be expected. After the method development and validation, the content analyses of the CAR and ACA enantiomers were performed for meat, milk, and soybean fermented food samples.<h4>2. Experimental</h4><h5>2.4. LC-MS conditions</h5>The LC-MS/MS system consisted of ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic systems (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/198">ACQUITY H-class</a> and<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/199"> I-class</a>, Waters, Milford, MA, USA) and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/212">Xevo TQ-S</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/209">TQ-S micro</a>, Waters). The chiral separation of CAR and ACA was performed on a CHIRALPAK ZWIX (-) column (3.0 mm I.D.×250 mm, 3 µm, Daicel Corporation, Osaka, Japan) at room temperature. The mobile phases were 5 mM FA/NH4FA in H2O/MeOH/MeCN (A: 2/9/89 and B: 2/19/79, v/v/v) at the flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The LC gradient property was as follows: 0–25 min, 100% A; 25.1–45 min, 100% B; 45.1–60 min, 100% A. The MS detection was performed with the following conditions: 3.0 kV spray voltage for ESI positive ionization; 150 L/hr cone gas flow rate; 1000 L/hr desolvation gas flow rate; 150°C source temperature; 500°C desolvation temperature. The selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode was used for the detection, and the set transitions, cone voltage (CV), and collision energy (CE) for the target compounds are summarized in Table 1. The different CEs were used for 3-NPH-ACA on Xevo TQS (10 eV) and Xevo TQ-S micro (20 eV). Data processing was performed using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/products/635">MassLynx v4.2 software</a> (Waters).<h4>3. Results and discussion</h4><h5>3.4. Determination of the CAR and ACA enantiomers in food samples</h5>The developed method was applied to the analysis of the CAR and ACA enantiomers in food samples. CAR and ACA are known to be abundant in animal-based foods [23], thus, beef, pork, chicken, and milk were measured. The measured cuts of meat were the shank for beef, thigh for pork, and thigh for chicken in this study, and these parts are commonly used in commercially-available ground meats. Fermented foods are reported to contain relatively high levels of d-amino acids, and some of them are considered to be produced by bacteria during the fermentation process [24]. To investigate the production of CAR and ACA by bacteria, three fermented foods made from soy beans (miso, soy sauce, and Hama-natto) were analyzed. Hama-natto is a traditional food from the Hamamatsu City area in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Steamed soybeans are fermented with koji mold, then salted and dried in the sun.The chromatograms of the beef and Hama-natto samples are shown in Fig. 4. l-CAR and l-ACA were clearly observed in both samples. The l-forms were also found in the other tested samples, and their quantified values are summarized in Table 4. Comparing the amounts of l-CAR in the meat samples, beef had the highest levels, followed by pork and chicken. The l-ACA levels were also the highest in beef, and chicken contained more than pork.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Fig_4_Determination_of_the_CAR_and_ACA_enantiomers_in_beef_56d92bf289.jpg" alt="J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. Open., 2026, 100111, Volume 7: Fig. 4. Determination of the CAR and ACA enantiomers in beef and Hama-natto samples as their 3-NPH derivatives. The selected ion chromatogram of ACA is shown for 0–30 min, and that of CAR is shown for 30–60 min." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Fig_4_Determination_of_the_CAR_and_ACA_enantiomers_in_beef_56d92bf289.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="2247" height="542"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Table_4_Amounts_of_l_CAR_and_l_ACA_in_the_food_samples_1c2411fe51.jpg" alt="J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. Open., 2026, 100111, Volume 7: Table 4. Amounts of l-CAR and l-ACA in the food samples." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Table_4_Amounts_of_l_CAR_and_l_ACA_in_the_food_samples_1c2411fe51.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="981" height="447"><h5>3.5. Confirmation of D-CAR in the Hama-natto sample</h5>To confirm the presence of d-CAR in the Hama-natto, four approaches were conducted; i.e., remeasurement of the fraction, detection with a different SRM transition, separation under different LC conditions and use of high-resolution MS. The fraction was placed in a 1.5 mL tube for three min before the MS to purify the d-CAR. The solution (total 750 µL) was dried and dissolved in 50 µL of the mobile phase. The chromatogram obtained by the remeasurement is shown in Fig. 5A, and the result detected by a different SRM transition (297.1 &gt; 102.1) is in Fig. 5B. The peak of d-CAR was clearly observed in both measurements, and the peak shapes were similar. However, the amount of d-CAR was under the LLOQ and could not be quantified. As shown in Fig. 5C, d-CAR was also detected using the different LC conditions described in Section 2.6, suggesting that the peak was definitely derived from the d-CAR. A high-resolution MS analysis detected a molecule with m/z 297.155, which closely matched with the exact mass of 3-NPH-CAR (m/z 297.156). The extracted ion chromatogram of that molecule is shown in Fig. 5D, and the d-CAR peak was clearly observed. These results demonstrated that trace amounts of d-CAR were present in the Hama-natto sample. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to find natural d-CAR in foods. One possible origin of this d-CAR is a production by bacteria including koji mold. Some bacteria are known to produce d-amino acids for cell wall formation [32]. The bacteria capable of producing d-CAR may exist and be involved in the fermentation of Hama-natto. Since the l-CAR and l-ACA concentrations in the other fermented foods were lower than that in Hama-natto, there is a possibility to also detect the d-forms from other foods by the improvement of the extraction process. Further research using various food samples is expected.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Fig_5_Chromatograms_of_the_3_NPH_d_CAR_fractions_2c9fbf4df7.jpg" alt="J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. Open., 2026, 100111, Volume 7: Fig. 5. Chromatograms of the 3-NPH-d-CAR fractions analyzed by the different analytical methods. The SRM transitions were 297.1 &gt; 102.1 (A) and 145.1 (B). The fraction was analyzed by LC-MS/MS under the different conditions (C) and LC-TOF-MS (D). The detailed analytical conditions are described in Section 2.6." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_J_Pharm_Biomed_Anal_Open_2026_100111_Volume_7_Fig_5_Chromatograms_of_the_3_NPH_d_CAR_fractions_2c9fbf4df7.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="2663" height="1199"><h4>4. Conclusion</h4>In the present study, a chiral LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of the CAR and ACA enantiomers in food samples. The derivatization with 3-NPH extended the retention time and improved the enantiomeric separations especially for CAR. The validated method was successfully applied to the analysis of meat, milk, and soybean fermented food samples, and trace amounts of d-CAR were discovered in Hama-natto. The present method is able to distinguish enantiomers in various samples and can contribute to clarifying the origin of d-CAR in food samples and searching/developing for new functional food products.</div></div></div></div></div>

Development of a chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of carnitine and acetylcarnitine enantiomers in food samples

This case study uses ICP-OES and ICP-MS to compare the elemental composition of archaeological hair from a child and an adult female with soil from their burial environment. Fourteen major, trace, and toxic elements were quantified by ICP-OES, complemented by semiquantitative multielement ICP-MS heatmap analysis.The hair samples were chemically distinct from each other and from the surrounding soil. Although burial substantially altered their mineral composition, individual elemental patterns remained detectable after centuries of soil exposure, highlighting the value of analyzing both hair and burial soil when investigating ante- and postmortem environmental exposure.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X26000045#sec2">Elemental analysis of archaeological hair compared to soil composition: A case study of a child and adult female from LaGrange Place, PA</a></h4>Gabrielle DiEmma, Jillian Conte, Kimberlee S. Moran, Karen S. ScottForensic Sci. Int.: Synergy, 2026, 100661, Volume 12<div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589871X26000045#sec2">10.1016/j.fsisyn.2026.100661</a></div><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.<div><div><div><div><div>Hair consists of a keratin biopolymer that has been known to persist for centuries, as exemplified by hair recovered from archaeological contexts [[1], [2], [3]]. As an analytical matrix, hair has the potential to provide insight into who an individual was (e.g., nuclear and mitochondrial DNA), how they lived (e.g., dietary history, evidence of mineral deficiencies), and their environmental exposures (e.g., pollution, heavy metal toxins, soil type, and bacteria involved in human decomposition) [2,4,5]. Soil can also provide valuable information about the past and present as it is formed and altered by the environment and anthropogenic influences over extended periods of time. Soil consists of a non-homogenous mixture of inorganic and organic particulate matter of various sizes and textures; it is full of microorganisms, decomposing organic matter, minerals, nutrients, and water [4,6].Hair and soil analyses have many applications across industries, such as the development of consumer products and environmental monitoring [[7], [8], [9], [10]]. From an archaeological and forensic perspective, hair and soil are forms of trace evidence that can help establish connections between people and places when compared to reference samples. In forensic toxicology, hair is an alternative matrix that can be used to establish an individual's drug use history to help interpret toxicological findings [11,12]. Additionally, DNA can be extracted from hair and soil to help identify unknown individuals and assess a variety of environmental factors [[13], [14], [15], [16]]. Archaeological and forensic hair analyses involve both microscopic examinations of the hair morphological features (e.g., color, presence/absence of medulla and postmortem root morphologies) as well as the chemical, elemental, and isotopic composition of the hair [5,7,[17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27]].The information that can be obtained from hair and soil samples may be limited by the presence of contaminants or interfering substances, sample quantity, the extent of damage or degradation if present, the efficacy of sample preparation procedures, and the sensitivity of the instrumentation used. To analyze hair's endogenous features, the hair must undergo washing procedures to remove exogenous contamination or adhering soil and dust particles that could contaminate a sample and interfere with the analysis. There is no standardized hair washing procedure used throughout the hair analysis field [11,24,[28], [29], [30], [31]]. Studies investigating the elemental composition of human hair and soil matrices employ a variety of sample preparation procedures (e.g., washing, digestion), methods of sample introduction, and instrumentation [[9], [10], [11],23,24,[28], [29], [30]]. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have often been used for elemental hair and soil analyses, the latter of which has greater sensitivity and lower detection limits [24,32,33].While previous studies have investigated the microscopic features of archaeological hair and documented the observed degradation characteristics and morphologies, few studies have simultaneously investigated the elemental composition of archaeological hair compared to the surrounding soil composition [1,3,27,34]. During a salvage archaeology project known as the Arch Street Project, the remains of several hundred individuals were recovered from the site of the former First Baptist Church of Philadelphia (FBCP) burial ground, also known historically as LaGrange Place (Philadelphia, PA, USA). [35]. The individuals buried in the FBCP burial ground were reportedly relocated to Mount Moriah cemetery in 1860. However, in 2016, a news article reported that a box of bones had been collected at a construction site at 218 Arch Street in Philadelphia [36]. Local archaeologists saw the article, researched the site, and discovered that the land was that of the FBCP burial ground, active from 1722 to 1859. Limited monitoring of the backhoe excavation was permitted by the property developer until it was clear that there were full coffins and multiple layers of burials at the site. The construction company agreed to halt construction for a week in March 2017 to allow a small team of local archaeologists, students, and volunteers to conduct a salvage excavation. Commingled remains and loose bones were collected in labeled boxes and coffins were removed intact and stored for processing at a later date [35]. Among these remains were two individuals (G-009 and G-033) with intact hair masses that are the focus of this case study. Microscopic and elemental analyses were conducted on portions of these archaeological hair samples and compared to the soil from the FBCP excavation site. This research was approved by the decedent community and the Rutgers IRB (study Pro2022001564).<h4>2. Materials and methods</h4><h5>2.4. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)</h5>A PerkinElmer Avio® 500 Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer was used for the elemental analyses. The instrument was equipped with a Meinhard Concentric glass nebulizer, Baffled Glass Cyclonic spray chamber, 2.0 mm Alumina Injector, 1 Slot Quartz Torch, and 1500 W power. Method parameters included 10 L/min plasma gas, 0.2 L/min auxiliary gas, 0.65 nebulizer gas with a sample uptake rate of 1.00 mL/min. Three elements – Ca, Mg, Na – used the radial viewing angle while axial was used for the remaining analytes of interest. A seven-point linear calibration curve (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 ppm) prepared from NIST traceable single element stock standards was used. Two analytical wavelengths per element were analyzed to check for interferences and confirm the reported parts per million (ppm) concentrations in the solution. A 2-ppm calibration verification standard and five samples spiked with the fourteen elements of interest (As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, and Zn) were prepared from an independent set of NIST traceable single element stock standards.<h5>2.5. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)</h5>An <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/icpms/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=7700">Agilent Technologies 7700 Series ICP-MS</a> (G3281A, Serial No. JP09330055) equipped with an ASX-500 Series ICP-MS Autosampler and an Agilent Technologies G1879B Heat Exchanger was used for parts per billion or micrograms per liter (μg/L) elemental analyses. Data collection and processing used the Online ICP-MS MassHunter® software and the system was run in both no gas and helium (He) tune modes depending on the analyte. Calibration standards were made using the Inorganic Ventures IV-ICPMS-71A 3 % v/v HNO3 standard solution containing 10 ppm of Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ho, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, Pr, Rb, S, Se, Sm, Sr, Th, Tl, Tm, U, V, Yb, and Zn. Additional standards were made as needed to cover all the elements of interest using the PerkinElmer Pure AA Test Mix containing 50 ppm of Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Ni; 20 ppm of K; and 10 ppm of Na and Zn in 2 % HCl. The Inorganic Ventures IV-ICPMS-71D, 3 % v/v HNO3, solution containing 10 ppm Bi, In, Li6, Sc, Tb, and Y was used as the internal standard.<h4>3. Results and discussion</h4><h5>3.1. Microscopic analyses</h5>The G-009 (Fig. 1) and G-033 (Fig. 2) hair samples had extensive soil contamination and degradation. The hair samples collected from under the occipital region of the skull of G-009 displayed multiple postmortem root morphologies in the form of hard keratinized points (HKPs) (Fig. 1a and b). These HKPs were easily visualized by their dark discolored, opaque ends resulting from a sharp break at the postmortem root band. The G-009 hair samples had extensive soil contamination that became evident during the washing procedure as it took an additional final acetone wash for the decanted solvent to run clear. In addition, the G-009 hair had plant and fungal material present with hyphae wrapped around the hair shaft (with minimal penetration via tunneling) (Fig. 1c and d).<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Fig_1_G_009_Hair_Under_the_Microscope_da93ee448f.jpg" alt="Forensic Sci. Int.: Synergy, 2026, 100661, Volume 12: Fig. 1. G-009 Hair Under the Microscope – Photographs of the G-009 hair from under the occipital bone in plane polarized light depicting a) a hard keratinized point (250x); b) two hard keratinized points (250x); c) soil encased root (250x); and d) plant and fungal activity (250x)." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Fig_1_G_009_Hair_Under_the_Microscope_da93ee448f.jpg 160w," sizes="100vw" width="2370" height="2315"><h5>3.3. ICP-OES: Archaeological hair</h5>ICP-OES hair analysis showed the highest concentrated metal is Ca for all samples, followed by Na in the G-033 hair, Fe in both individuals, and Mg, Na, and P in G-009 (Table 2). The least concentrated metal was Ni with multiple replicates below the limit of quantitation and two samples (AHM1 unwashed and AHM2 washed) below detection limits in all five replicates (&lt;DL). Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) are not listed in Table 2 as they were below detection limits in all hair samples.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Table_2_Elemental_composition_of_G_009_and_G_033_archaeological_hair_b59c8cf6f5.jpg" alt="Forensic Sci. Int.: Synergy, 2026, 100661, Volume 12: Table 2. Elemental composition of G-009 and G-033 archaeological hair." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Table_2_Elemental_composition_of_G_009_and_G_033_archaeological_hair_b59c8cf6f5.jpg 119w," sizes="100vw" width="837" height="1102"><h5>3.4. ICP-MS data comparison</h5>Overall, most reported concentrations in the G-033 samples did not significantly differ between the ICP-OES data and ICP-MS data. There was consistency across ions and modes used for the ICP-MS data. The 75As ion in [No Gas] mode was unsuitable for analysis due to the high background, likely caused by the 40Ar35Cl polyatomic ion. Analysis of the 75As ion in [He] mode led to a slight improvement in response as the helium collision cell helped remove the polyatomic ions that raise the background noise. Although phosphorus was analyzed using this method, the &nbsp;31𝑃 isotope overlaps with the nitrous oxide 15N16O polyatomic ion in ICP-MS and the results remained highly inconsistent even when the helium collision cell was used. Re-analysis of samples by ICP-MS verified some of the ICP-OES results while demonstrating the differences in the two detection methods’ capabilities for various sample types. The ICP-MS method also had greater sensitivity for the minor and trace elements in the soil samples such as As, Cd, Cr, and Ni that posed issues for the ICP-OES analysis of the same samples.ICP-MS analysis allowed for a semi-quantitative survey of elements across the periodic table. This data could then be represented in a heat map to view the overall elemental distribution of the sample and to help select the elements of interest for further quantitative analyses. This semi-quantitative technique (Fig. 4) was used to analyze two additional soil samples collected from and associated with the head region of the G-009 and G-033 remains, referred to as head soil in this paper. The two soil samples have similar elemental distributions while G-009 (Fig. 4a) has greater levels of Ti, Cu, Zn, Ag, and several of the lanthanides while G-033 has elevated Sn (Fig. 4b).<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Fig_4_Semi_Quantitative_Heat_Maps_2fd18082c6.jpg" alt="Forensic Sci. Int.: Synergy, 2026, 100661, Volume 12: Fig. 4. Semi-Quantitative Heat Maps – ICP-MS semi-quantitative heat maps for a) G-009 Area C head soil and b) G-033 adult head soil. The greater the intensity of the red color over the element, the higher the levels of that element detected in the sample." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Forensic_Sci_Int_Synergy_2026_100661_Volume_12_Fig_4_Semi_Quantitative_Heat_Maps_2fd18082c6.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="430"><h4>4. Conclusion</h4>While the elemental composition of the surroundings affected the distribution of elements in the hair (e.g., elevated Fe, Ca, Na, and Mg concentrations), the hair retained unique, individual elemental information even after over 200 years buried in the soil. There was significant intra-individual variation for both the washed (Cu, Mg, Mn, and Na for the G-009; Cu, Fe, Mn, and Na for G-033) and unwashed (K, Mg, and P for G-009; K only for G-033) archaeological hair samples. Inter-individual variation was demonstrated by significant differences in the elemental content of the G-009 and G-033 washed (Mg, Na, P, Pb) and unwashed (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Pb) hair.Additionally, both the G-009 and G-033 hair were different in content and relative elemental distributions from the AS- and RU-designated soils (Fe, Mn, and Na in all samples) while the AS- and RU- designated soil were also distinct from each other (As, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, Pb, and Zn). The archaeological hair, RU-designated soil, and head soil samples contained elevated concentrations of Fe and Pb. To interpret these findings, it is important to note that many of the remains were recovered with coffins, and the associated coffin hardware (e.g., metal material culture such as pins, nails, coffin handles, and engraved decorations) could contribute to some of the elevated iron concentrations observed in the excavated soil [41]. The elevated concentrations of Pb could reflect industrial lead pollution in Philadelphia in the 18th and 19th centuries and the presence of various material culture and coffin hardware leaching heavy metals into the soil over time [42,43]. However, due to the small sample size in this case study, it is not possible to generalize these hair and soil findings to all individuals and samples recovered from LaGrange Place or the greater Philadelphia area without additional data.While the ICP-MS data was comparable to the ICP-OES data when samples were re-run, additional sample preparation and method development was required to account for matrix effects and interferences in the digests. The semi-quantitative heat maps provided an initial survey of elements that was unfortunately unable to be pursued in this study due to time and resource constraints.Archaeological hair and soil samples contain a wealth of information for forensic investigations. While the time scale of exposure is much larger for archaeological samples, these insights could also potentially apply in forensic contexts, such as in clandestine burials, historical identifications, and cold cases. Hair and soil as trace evidence can provide knowledge about the way people lived and the environments they were exposed to in life and death. As this is a case study of only two historical individuals, it is recommended that additional studies be conducted to determine the rate and extent of elemental exchange in soil-exposed hair samples over shorter timeframes.Both ICP-OES and ICP-MS were useful tools for studying the hair and soil mineral snapshots in this case study. In general, more standardization of sample preparation and analytical techniques is needed to allow for direct data comparisons in forensic and archaeological hair and soil analyses. To allow for the greatest level of interpretation of the data, it is important to also study the soil composition data when analyzing the elemental composition of hair recovered from buried human remains in forensic or archaeological contexts. This research showed that hair recovered from archaeological contexts can retain unique chemical signatures that can provide insight into an individual's life and exposure to the environment ante- and postmortem.</div></div></div></div></div>

Elemental analysis of archaeological hair compared to soil composition: A case study of a child and adult female from LaGrange Place, PA

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In response to the problems laboratories have had with helium shortages, a holistic solution was developed for predictable transition of GC/MS analysis to hydrogen carrier gas. This presentation provides an overview of several successful hydrogen implementations, including pesticides, volatile organics (VOAs), semivolatiles (SVOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), flavors and fragrances (F&amp;F), and explosives.
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In recent years, QuEChERS has greatly simplified sample preparation in food safety analysis. However, downstream of QuEChERS, a strong solvent sample can cause strong solvent effects in LC and LC/MS analysis, leading to peak breakthrough and poor peak shapes, especially as the injection volume increases.
Agilent Feed Injection offers a solution to this challenge. The technique mediates the strong solvent effects by infusing the sample into the mobile phase stream. This allows you to achieve perfect peak shapes and easy peak integration without the need for additional sample preparation.
Join this webinar for a comprehensive introduction to Agilent Feed Injection from Dr. Juan Liang-Schenkelberg, Product Manager, and Dr. Edgar Naegele, Application Scientist, from Agilent. The presentation will be complemented by application examples from the field of food safety analysis.
Learning points:
<ul>
<li>Learn about common challenges in LC and LC/MS analysis following QuEChERS.
</li>
<li>Learn about Agilent Feed Injection technology and how it helps overcome these challenges.
</li>
<li>Discuss application examples from the field of food safety analysis with our expert speakers.
</li>
</ul>
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Presenter: Dr. Juan Liang-Schenkelberg (Strategic Product Manager at Agilent Technologies)
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Juan Liang-Schenkelberg holds a PhD in biochemical engineering from the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) in Germany. Juan joined Agilent Technologies in 2016 as Product Manager of analytical HPLC. She is currently responsible for high-end UHPLC systems and for the food segment.
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Presenter: Dr. Edgar Naegele (Application Scientist at Agilent Technologies)
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Edgar Naegele holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. Edgar joined Agilent Technologies in 2001 as an Application Scientist for LC and MS. Edgar is currently focused on the application of online LC and the new Agilent 1260 Infinity II Hybrid Multisampler in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
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Less work, better peaks

Are strong solvent effects after QuEChERS a challenge in your LC or LC/MS analysis? Agilent Feed Injection offers a solution.

In this presentation we will take a through approach to optimizing various ICP-MS method parameters to improve your analysis. From nebulizer gas flows to lens voltage settings to dwell time, we&#39;ll cover all the advance setting to ensure your method id optimized for your sample needs.
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Presenter: Bert Woods (Application Scientist, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
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Joined the Agilent ICP-MS team in 2004, with previous employment in the semiconductor industry with Dominion Semiconductor (IBM/Toshiba) and Micron. Bert is a 1997 Chemistry graduate of Radford University in Virginia and an avid Washington DC Sports fan.
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Agilent Technologies: Take a deep dive with us and learn Advanced Tuning Tips and Tricks for Single Quadrupole ICP-MS

Take a deep dive with us and learn Advanced Tuning Tips and Tricks for Single Quadrupole ICP-MS

In this presentation we will take a through approach to optimizing various ICP-MS method parameters to improve your analysis. 

Advanced Tuning Tips and Tricks for Single Quadrupole ICP-MS

Welcome to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Powering Productivity in Food and Environmental Testing webinar series!
ICP-MS instruments are common inorganic analysis tools for trace elemental analysis in the environmental industry due to their multi-element capability and ability to detect toxic elements below the levels required by regulations.
Instrument performance has evolved with ever more challenging regulations, and to meet requirements for new and emerging applications. However, the challenge of high matrix samples and achieving maximum instrument uptime is still an issue many laboratories face. The new Thermo ScientificTM iCAPTM RQplus ICP-MS and the Thermo Scientific iSC-65 Autosampler have been developed to face these productivity challenges head on.
This presentation highlights the key role that Thermo Scientific iCAP RQplus ICP-MS has in a modern high-throughput regulated environmental laboratory, with robust, automated handling of wide varieties of difficult sample matrices, from water to brines. In addition, the presenters explore the role of the supporting technologies of ICP-OES, and triple quadrupole ICP-MS in environmental analysis.
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Presenter: Jon Peters (Product Marketing Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Jon Peters is a Product Marketing manager with Thermo Fisher Scientific specializing in Trace Elemental Analysis instrumentation. He applies his experience with atomic spectroscopy instrumentation, software, consumables, and sample introduction accessories to creating innovative marketing initiatives.
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Presenter: Dr. Daniel Kutscher (Product Marketing Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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After graduation in Chemistry in 2007, Daniel obtained his PhD from the University of Oviedo in 2011. In the same year he joined Thermo Fisher Scientific and has had different roles in application development and marketing. Currently, he manages the Application Development for trace elemental analysis and GC/GC-MS products.
</blockquote>

Thermo Scientific: Powering through the complexity of elemental environmental analysis

Powering through the complexity of elemental environmental analysis

The key role that Thermo Scientific iCAP RQplus ICP-MS has in a modern high-throughput regulated environmental laboratory.

The complexity of elemental environmental analysis

Polar pesticides are the talk of the town.
And we are here to encounter them and provide a breakthrough LC/MS/MS solution to address the challenges associated with them. Attend this The Lab Central premiere to find out more.
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Presenter: Dr. Prasanth Joseph (Application Engineer - LC/MS, Agilent Technologies)
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Agilent Technologies: The Encounter: Polar Pesticides and LC/MS

The Encounter: Polar Pesticides and LC/MS

We are here to encounter them and provide a breakthrough LC/MS/MS solution to address the challenges associated with polar Pesticides.

Polar Pesticides and LC/MS

What&#39;s the connection between nirosamine impurities and mass spectrometry?
How do you ensure your lab is ready to handle and analyze any API or formulation sample at any time?
Get answers to these questions in this The Lab Central premiere.
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Presenter: Preeti Bharatiya (Application Engineer LC-MS/MS, Agilent Technologies)
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Presenter: Dr. Soma Dasgupta (Application Engineer GC/MS, Agilent Technologies)
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Agilent Technologies: The Nitrosamines Connection

The Nitrosamines Connection

Connection between nirosamine impurities and mass spectrometry.

Karl Fischer (KF) titration is the primary technique for moisture analysis in many industries.
Although the technique is well-defined, sample preparation and injection are greatly impacted by human error. Even with robust SOPs, slight differences in sample handling by analysts can deliver troubling inconsistencies in results.
Attend this webinar to hear Doug Clark share tips on how you can reduce the impact of human error and improve the accuracy and repeatability of your Karl Fischer results. Doug is an expert with over 30 years of experience in Karl Fischer titration. Our webinar session will conclude with a live question and answer forum moderated by Kerri-Ann Blake, Product Specialist for Titration at Metrohm. This session will answer your questions and present the latest technologies to improve the accuracy of your KF results. 
Key Learning Objectives
<ul>
<li>Learn sample handling techniques to improve KF titration results
</li>
<li>Receive tips for improving KF titration accuracy with proper reagent selection
</li>
<li>Understand how 3rd party devices can be added to titration systems to improve workflow and remove human error
</li>
</ul>
Who Should Attend
<ul>
<li>Analysts performing KF titration who are interested in identifying how human error might be skewing their results
</li>
<li>Lab managers looking to increase accuracy by learning simple tips they can share with their lab staff
</li>
<li>Anyone interested in learning how auxiliary devices, such as an oven, can be integrated into KF titration systems to increase accuracy and repeatability
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Doug Clark (Karl Fischer Expert)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Doug Clark has over 30 years of experience dedicated to Karl Fischer titration. His extensive career includes developing KF reagents and applications as well as having lead the Honeywell and Sigma Aldrich HYDRANAL Technical Center in St. Louis.
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Presenter: Dr. Kerri-Ann Blake (Titration Product Manager, Metrohm USA)
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Dr. Kerri-Ann Blake is the Titration Product Manager at Metrohm USA in Riverview, Florida. She earned her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida where she was a researcher at the Particle Engineering Research Center. In her years with Metrohm USA, she has performed proof of concept studies, internal and external trainings and provided applications support. Kerri-Ann plays a key role in product support and product marketing and also has experience developing and implementing ASTM methods.
</blockquote>

Metrohm: Impact of Human Error in Karl Fischer Titration

Impact of Human Error in Karl Fischer Titration

How you can reduce the impact of human error and improve the accuracy and repeatability of your Karl Fischer results.