Researchers from CATRIN at Palacký University, together with colleagues from VSB – Technical University of Ostrava and Charles University, have developed a new graphene ink for producing inexpensive and sensitive printed sensors. Using single-atom engineering, they incorporated copper atoms into the material, enabling highly sensitive detection of dopamine – a neurotransmitter responsible for transmitting signals between nerve cells. The approach, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.76796">presented in the journal Advanced Science</a>, has strong potential for use in medical diagnostics.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_8a02ad6a66.webp" alt="CATRIN: Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_8a02ad6a66.webp 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="2560">Single-atom engineering makes it possible to control the chemical reactivity of materials at the level of individual atoms. Its broader application in medical diagnostics has so far been limited by a lack of atomically engineered materials and printable inks based on them. Researchers have now developed a new class of single-atom-doped graphene materials as well as an ink for producing sensitive printed sensors. Copper proved particularly effective for dopamine detection, which is important for biomedical research and the development of advanced diagnostic technologies for diseases including Alzheimer’s disease.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_2_97e419f039.webp" alt="CATRIN: Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_2_97e419f039.webp 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="2560">“The NGA-Cu ink we developed enables the production of fully inkjet-printed, sustainable paper-based electrodes at very low cost. Each sensor requires only 1.3 micrograms of active ink, costs approximately one Czech koruna and provided a stable response for at least three months. The ink is also fully compatible with commonly available materials inkjet printers. This creates significant potential for producing affordable, digitally designed sensors whose function can be tailored atom by atom,” said&nbsp;the corresponding author of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.76796">paper</a> Michal Otyepka.The basis for this new generation of single-atom inks was nitrogen-doped graphene acid (NGA), which CATRIN researchers developed several years ago. They have now progressively enriched it with different individual metal atoms, including copper, iron and manganese.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_3_c15d831792.webp" alt="CATRIN: Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_3_c15d831792.webp 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="2560">“We found that the electrochemical response depends fundamentally on the type of atom used. While copper atoms significantly enhance the dopamine signal, other metals suppress it. What matters, therefore, is not only the presence of isolated metal atoms but also the specific metal involved. This is a very important finding for the further development of biosensors,” explained first author Martin-Alex Nalepa.The published results introduce a new class of sensing materials with considerable potential for medical diagnostics. The researchers present a broadly applicable platform for developing graphene inks containing individual metal atoms and open the way towards scalable, reproducible and material-efficient production of advanced electrochemical sensors.&nbsp;“We are only at the beginning and are fascinated by the new possibilities opening up before us. We can see that by changing the type of atom, we can control the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor. In addition to dopamine, we can also determine immunoglobulins very precisely – antibodies whose levels and types may serve as important indicators of autoimmune or infectious diseases,” emphasised Radek Zbořil, a co-author of the paper.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_4_273cd760a5.webp" alt="CATRIN: Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_4_273cd760a5.webp 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="2560">Electrochemical biosensors can find applications not only in medicine but also in food quality control, drinking-water monitoring and environmental pollution monitoring. Their key components are functionalised electrodes, and graphene-based materials have proved particularly suitable for their production. A key factor in the success of the Olomouc researchers was the targeted preparation of graphene ink with the required properties.The research was supported by the TECHSCALE project under the Johannes Amos Comenius Programme.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_5_b1778f77f2.jpg" alt="CATRIN: Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics: Project TECHSCALE (No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004587) is financed by the MEYS OP JAC Excellent research programme, supported by ERDF/ESF." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Atom_po_atomu_Vedci_ukazali_novy_smer_v_lekarske_diagnostice_5_b1778f77f2.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="620" height="87"><blockquote><h4>Article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.76796">Single-Atom-Enhanced Fully Inkjet-Printed Electrochemical Sensor for Dopamine Detection</a></h4>Martin-Alex Nalepa, David Panáček, Vítězslav Hrubý, Matěj Jendřišák, Rostislav Langer, Michal Langer, Petr Jakubec, Ivan Dědek, Vojtěch Kupka, Michal Mazur, Radek Zbořil, Michal OtyepkaAdv. Sci., 2026, e76796<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76796">https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76796</a><h6>licenced under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote><h4>Abstract</h4>Single-atom (SA) engineering offers atomic-level control over interfacial reactivity, yet the lack of printable SA-based inks hinders its practical translation into electrochemical sensing. Here, a fully water-based inkjet-printable ink is introduced based on nitrogen-doped graphene acid (NGA) hosting atomically dispersed Cu centers (NGA-Cu-ink). The ink enables digitally controlled, spatially defined deposition and fabrication of low-cost ($0.04 per sensor), fully inkjet-printed sustainable electrodes on paper. A comparison of NGA functionalized with different SA dopants (Cu, Mn, Fe, Ce) identifies a strong dopant-dependent electrochemical response, with Cu uniquely enhancing the analyte signal while other dopants suppress it, demonstrating that SA identity is a decisive design parameter in printed sensing interfaces profiling sensitivity and selectivity. The functional role of the NGA support is to provide dense anchoring sites (nitrogen and carboxylate groups) that stabilize atomically dispersed metal centers and create adsorption- and electron-transfer–active microenvironments. The NGA-Cu-ink yields enhanced dopamine oxidation, enabling quantitative detection on fully printed devices (limit of detection 9.7 µM; linear range 50–400 µM) and printed-on-electrode platforms (10.6 µM), while maintaining &lt;10% signal variation over 11 weeks. The approach establishes a general route to single-atom graphene-based inks for scalable, reproducible, and low-material-consumption manufacturing of advanced electrochemical sensors.

Atom by atom. Scientists reveal a new direction in medical diagnostics

In the week of September 28, the following webinars await you in the field of liquid phase and especially HPLC and LC/MS.<blockquote><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/webinars">👉 DETAILS AND REGISTRATION IN THE WEBINARS SECTION</a></h4>👉 Search and filter in the largest global database with over 6 000 GC, LC, MS and spectroscopy webinars.</blockquote><h5>1. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Scalable HPLC workflows for linking antibody productivity, titer, and CQAs</h5><ul><li>Mo, 28.9.2026 11:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6478">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover integrated HPLC workflows that provide faster analytical feedback during mAb bioprocess development by linking titer measurements with critical quality attribute (CQA) monitoring.<h5>2. Waters Corporation: Vial Selection, Qualification, and the Evidence Behind the Decision</h5><ul><li>Mo, 28.9.2026 15:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6529">Registration</a></li></ul>Join Waters for a 30-minute webinar on sample vial selection and qualification. Learn how to mitigate risks in regulated laboratory environments.<h5>3. SelectScience: What LC-UV/MS can reveal about GLP-1 impurities</h5><ul><li>Mo, 28.9.2026 17:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6528">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover how combining LC-UV and MS workflows improves confidence in GLP-1 impurity profiling and peptide quality control.<h5>4. Agilent Technologies: Functional ADC Safety Profiling with iPSC-Derived Human Tissues</h5><ul><li>Mo, 28.9.2026 18:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6499">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover how a human iPSC-derived multi-tissue platform enables functional safety profiling of ADCs, helping identify tissue-specific toxicities and improve translational confidence.<h5>5. Tosoh Bioscience: Tosoh Tuesday - Continuous Multi-Column Chromatography for Purification of Inter-alpha Inhibitor Proteins from Human Plasma</h5><ul><li>Tu, 29.9.2026 15:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6570">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover a scalable purification strategy for Inter-alpha Inhibitor Proteins (IAIP), from anion-exchange capture to continuous multi-column chromatography using Octave BIO.<h5>6. Separation Science: How Does HILIC Work for Oligonucleotides Analysis?</h5><ul><li>Tu, 29.9.2026 16:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6532">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how HILIC chromatography works for oligonucleotide analysis and explore the retention mechanisms that govern selectivity and method optimization.<h5>7. Metrohm: Meet OMNIS IC – The new benchmark in ion chromatography</h5><ul><li>Tu, 29.9.2026 17:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6549">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover the new Metrohm OMNIS IC platform and its modular approach to flexible, reliable ion chromatography workflows.<h5>8. labroots: NanoFCM Analysis of Targeted Particles for Extrahepatic Delivery</h5><ul><li>Tu, 29.9.2026 20:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6533">Registration</a></li></ul>Explore nano-flow cytometry for targeted lipid nanoparticles and learn how single-particle analysis supports the development of extrahepatic drug delivery systems.<h5>9. SelectScience: PFAS in motion: Mapping contaminant pathways across industries and environments</h5><ul><li>We, 30.9.2026 17:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6552">Registration</a></li></ul>Explore analytical approaches for mapping PFAS transport from industrial sources through soil, water, and air to understand contaminant pathways across environmental systems.<h5>10. Agilent Technologies: Keeping LC/MS at Peak Performance: Maintenance and Best Practices from Solvent to Signal</h5><ul><li>We, 30.9.2026 18:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6496">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how preventive maintenance and practical LC/MS best practices, from solvent handling to signal optimization, help maintain performance, reliability, and consistent results.<h5>11. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Master Intact Protein Deconvolution with Chromeleon CDS: Set up and best practices</h5><ul><li>We, 30.9.2026 19:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6562">Registration</a></li></ul>Join this practical webinar focused on setting up and optimizing the Intact Protein Deconvolution workflow in Thermo Scientific Chromeleon software.<h5>12. Phenomenex: Mastering HILIC Chromatography: from Principles to Best Practice</h5><ul><li>Th, 1.10.2026 10:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6560">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn the principles of HILIC chromatography, including retention mechanisms and practical method development strategies for polar compound analysis.<h5>13. SCIEX: Tackling emerging contaminants in food and water using the ZenoTOF 8600 system</h5><ul><li>Th, 1.10.2026 10:00</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6432">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover how the ZenoTOF 8600 system combines screening and quantitation to address trace emerging contaminants in complex food and water matrices.<h5>14. Agilent Technologies: LC/QTOF MassHunter Acquisition Software Session 1: Acquiring High-Quality Data and Optimizing MS Workflows for Targeted Analysis and Screening</h5><ul><li>Th, 1.10.2026 14:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6579">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn key principles for acquiring high-quality LC/QTOF data using MassHunter Acquisition Software and optimizing MS workflows for targeted analysis and screening.<h5>15. KNAUER: From R&amp;D to GMP – How to Scale LNPs &amp; PNPs Successfully</h5><ul><li>Th, 1.10.2026 17:00 CEST</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://labrulez.com/en-us/all/webinar/6558">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how to scale LNP and PNP production from R&amp;D to GMP manufacturing while preserving particle quality and supporting robust process development.

Webinars LabRulezLCMS Week 40/2026

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

Article

Webinars

Food

Scientific article

Science and research

The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) at Palacký University is a cutting-edge scientific hub dedicated to advancing research in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and biomedicine. At its core, CATRIN boasts outstanding scientific teams, featuring international researchers. We emphasize interdisciplinarity, foster global collaborations, and work to translate our research findings into practical applications.

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Agilent Technologies

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Phenomenex

Restek Corporation

Waters Corporation

SCION Instruments

Charge variant analysis is a demanding application for applied liquid LCMS instruments offer great specificity, selectivity, and sensitivity. Therefore, this technique is widely used in clinical research labs that are regularly tasked with developing fast and reliable methods to analyze a wide range of analytes. Often in these laboratories space is at a premium so a smaller LCMS instrument is an advantage.
We will review several common applications for clinical research labs, for example: 25-hydroxyvitanmin D, testosterone and the measurement of other analytes in biological matrices using the Agilent Ultivo TQ LCMS system. Recommendations and experience gained from developing these methods will also be presented.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Andre Szczesniewski (Applications Chemist, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Andre graduated from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a master’s degree in Food Science. Working for over 30 years in the instrumentation industry as an applications chemist, Andre has specialized in the development and implementation of LC-MS applications for various industries including clinical research. He has expert knowledge of chromatography (from nano- to preparative-scale) and mass spectrometry with extensive practical knowledge in areas of small and large molecules, quantitation, proteomics, metabolites identification, forensics, clinical, toxicology, food and environmental analysis.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Jennifer Hitchcock (LCMS Applications Scientist, Agilent Technologies Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Jennifer is an Application Scientist with Agilent Technologies, developing methods utilizing LC and RapidFire front ends with mass spec detection for clinical and cannabis labs. Prior to joining Agilent in 2015, Jennifer worked as an R&amp;D scientist in a clinical testing lab in North Carolina. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family in Richmond, Virginia.
</blockquote>

Agilent Technologies: LCMS Applications for Clinical Research using the Agilent Ultivo TQ

LCMS Applications for Clinical Research using the Agilent Ultivo TQ

Bulk gas supply in the form of liquid nitrogen dewars and cylinders present laboratories with safety risks stemming from the frequent need to handle and manage gas supplies. Laboratory staff are at risk of injury every time they need to move a gas cylinder and a leak from bulk storage can result in the development of a potentially deadly atmosphere.
Flammable gases such as hydrogen present additional risks of fire or explosion, which need to be addressed through safe gas handling, storage and detection in the laboratory, increasing the cost of their use.
<h3>Attend this webinar to learn about:</h3>
<ul>
<li>General gas cylinder safety tips</li>
<li>Risks associated with bulk gas supply</li>
<li>The risks of using nitrogen and hydrogen in the laboratory</li>
<li>Benefits of using a gas generator to supply nitrogen and/or hydrogen</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr. Ed Connor (Product Manager, PEAK Scientific)
</blockquote>

Unsplash/Julia Lobkova: Gas Safety in Your Laboratory

Gas Safety in Your Laboratory

Using technical controls in laboratory informatics solutions is the best way to achieve both data integrity and regulatory compliance.
Whilst designing electronic workflows, three principles of laboratory automation must be followed:
<h5>1. Data acquisition at the point of origin:</h5>
Always interface instruments to acquire analytical data
<h5>2. Never transcribe data:</h5>
All data must be transferred electronically between systems using validated processes to avoid making transcription errors
<h5>3. Know where data is stored:</h5>
This may involve location and file naming conventions so that data can be retrieved easily for audit or inspection quickly and easily
Data process mapping should be used to identify vulnerabilities in the process and well as process inefficiencies and by using the three automation principles above, the vulnerabilities can be eliminated as well as ensuing data integrity and regulatory compliance is achieved. This results in a more efficient and effective process.
Further examples upon the approaches involving sample preparation and chromatographic analysis will also be discussed.
<h3>Watch this webinar, to learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>How to ensure the integrity and compliance of reported data, from sampling to reporting.</li>
<li>How to utilise technical controls in laboratory informatics to ensure integrity and compliance.</li>
<li>The three principles of laboratory automation for designing effective workflows.</li>
</ul>
Presenter: Bob McDowall (Director, R D McDowall Limited)

Technology Networks: Data Reporting, Integrity and Compliance

Data Reporting, Integrity and Compliance

She will also provide an introduction to SCION GC and HPLC Instruments for complete Cannabis Analysis including:
<ul>
<li>Introduction to Cannabis Analysis using both GC and HPLC instruments</li>
<li>Demonstrated applications highlighting key features of Cannabis Analysis</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Ashleigh Mellor (LC Product Manager at SCION Instruments)
</blockquote>

HPLC Applications

Concerned about your validated LC method working on the new HPLC instrument? Excited about getting even more out of your method?
<blockquote>
Presenter: Douglas J. Turk, Ph.D. (Business Unit Manager, Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Douglas J. Turk is Business Unit Manager of Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing in Toronto, Canada. Doug is responsible for the scientific operations, management, technical and administrative functions of the BPT Laboratory. He directs the research, development, chemical release testing, microbial testing and regulatory affairs for our GMP accredited laboratory. Doug has over 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical R&amp;D and analytical testing in both large pharma and contract research organizations. Doug received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in analytical neurochemistry from the University of Oklahoma in Norman as well as a Bachelor of Science degree (honors) in Chemistry and a Master of Science degree in Analytical Chemistry both from McGill University in Montreal. He was a founding member of the annual Land O’Lakes Bioanalytical conference and has a continuing interest in a number of scientific organizations including the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, American Chemical Society, American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Chemical Institute of Canada, Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Scientists, the Global CRO Council and Sigma Xi – the Scientific Research Society.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Pauline McGregor, Ph.D. (CChem MRSC, PMcG Consulting)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Pauline McGregor Ph.D. CChem MRSC founded PMcG Consulting in September 2006. She has over thirty years’ experience in the Pharmaceutical industry and holds a PhD in organic, analytical chemistry . She originally came to Canada from Edinburgh, Scotland in 1995 to carry out her postdoctoral studies at the University of Western Ontario.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Pauline brings a technical expertise to laboratories which enable her to assist them to develop, transfer, verify and validate analytical procedures, and also optimize efficiency with regards to laboratory operations and troubleshooting in an analytical development and QC environment. She been involved in the development and evolution of lifecycle management for analytical procedures and AQbD since 2010. Pauline was a member of the USP expert panel for Validation, Verification and Transfer of Analytical Procedures and a member of a USP Chemical Medicines expert review committee. She continues to be a USP volunteer Expert Advisor and is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry , UK.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Amanda Dlugasch (Application Chemist, Waters Corporation)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Amanda Dlugasch is an Applications Chemist II in the Systems Development Laboratory at Waters Corporation in Milford, MA. She received her B.A. in Chemistry from Manhattanville College and her M.S. in Chemistry from Sacred Heart University. She started at Waters Corporation in the Instrument Evaluation group developing qualification protocols for newly released products. Upon transferring to the Systems Development Laboratory, her initial focus was to evaluate and provide application and training material for the release of ACQUITY Arc UHPLC System. Currently, she is studying how LC instrument design and LC system characteristics influence chromatography when transferring, scaling and modernizing methods.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Moderated by: Isabelle Vu Trieu (Pharmaceutical Market Development Manager, Americas, Waters Corporation)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Isabelle is a business development professional dedicated to delivering benefits to analytical scientists in the life sciences industry. With 17 years of experience in chromatography and mass spectrometry, Isabelle is particularly interested in helping pharmaceutical scientists achieve the data quality and integrity needed to drive decisions for drug quality, safety and efficacy. Isabelle joined Waters in 2009 and currently manages the development of the pharmaceutical market in the Americas. She holds Masters’ degrees in Chemistry from Columbia University and the University Claude Bernard in Lyon, France as well as a Chemical Engineering degree from Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Physique Electronique in Lyon, France.
</blockquote>

Waters Corporation: LC Method Migration: Moving methods to newer LC assets within or across labs

Save Time and Money with Waters Session 8: LC Method Migration: Moving methods to newer LC assets within or across labs

The importance of the LC column regarding the successful outcome of analyses is often being underestimated. It is regarded as a consumable but is in fact a high-tech product whose performance depends on the applicability for a specific method and a specific instrument but also crucially on its proper treatment.
Very often the column does not get the appropriate attention although it is mostly small details which need to be considered. As a consequence, unnecessary and easily avoidable errors are caused which compromise the whole system. Frequently their origin can´t be found immediately.

Restek: The LC column - an unknown creature?

The LC column - an unknown creature?

Basics on LC columns, their production, stability, aging and tips for handling and care, prevention of typical errors.

<blockquote>
Darshan Engineer (Senior Business Development Manager, Phenomenex India)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Darshan Engineer has 15 years of chromatographic experience and is an expert in practical HPLC/UHPLC/LC-MS/Sample Prep method development and troubleshooting. In his current role as a Sr. Market Development Manager at Phenomenex India, Darshan provides technical assistance to customers across India, including on-site method development assistance, application support, and troubleshooting. Darshan also delivers chromatography and product trainings and seminars at customer sites.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Prior to joining Phenomenex, Darshan worked with Lambda Therapeutics and Accutest Laboratories Ltd, where he was involved with HPLC, LC-MS method development. Darshan holds a master’s degree in Organic Chemistry from Gujarat University and also holds a Diploma in Business Management from ICFAI University. 
</blockquote>

Phenomenex: Separation Science – Columns, A Wonderful Tool

Separation Science – Columns, A Wonderful Tool

Despite the discovery of antibiotics, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains a serious global health threat and was responsible for 1.4 million adult and 230 thousand child deaths in 2019. Granuloma formation is a hallmark of the host-response to Mtb infection and results in diverse environments that pose significant challenges to both immunological resolution and chemotherapeutic clearance of infection.
Single and multiple pass experiments in the cyclic ion mobility cell were conducted to evaluate the impact of ion mobility resolution on the number and type of ions detected. 
<h3>Key Learning Objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Discover how MS Imaging is being used in clinical and lipidomic investigations. </li>
<li>Find out how ion mobility resolution improves the detection and identification of a panel of key biological markers and the added benefit Cyclic IMS provides. </li>
<li>Learn how improvements in imaging techniques, including DESI XS enhance the quality of images and information gleaned from biopsy and tissue samples.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who Should Attend:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Everyone with a passion for imaging mass spectrometry, especially scientists seeking the latest advances to accelerate their research, with focus on clinical and biomedical research. </li>
<li>Clinical research groups and academics</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr Claire Carter (Assistant Professor, Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Claire Carter, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and a Research Assistant Member at the Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health. She is Co-Director of the Mass Spectrometry and Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource, a joint venture between Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health. Dr. Carter completed her Ph.D in mass spectrometry imaging at the University of Birmingham, UK, under the supervision of Professor Josephine Bunch (2012). She then moved to the US for a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Maryland Baltimore (2013-2018). This was followed by a short appointment at the Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, New Jersey (2018-2019), prior to her move to Hackensack Meridian Health’s newly constructed research center, the Center for Discovery and Innovation (2019).
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Carter possesses a rare translational background that combines expertise in bioanalytical chemistry, clinical histopathology and biomedical science. Dr. Carter’s research group is multifaceted and centers on the use of next generation imaging techniques, with a particular focus on mass spectrometry imaging, and how this is utilized at the chemistry-biology interface to probe the biomolecular networks that drive disease progression. Her primary areas of research are neuro-oncology and infectious disease.
</blockquote>

Waters Corporation: Enhancing protein detection and lipid class coverage during the analysis of tuberculosis granulomas using DESI imaging and Cyclic IMS

Enhancing protein detection and lipid class coverage during the analysis of tuberculosis granulomas using DESI imaging and Cyclic IMS

As part of the close collaboration between Phenomenex and chromatographers in the Food and Environmental Field, you are invited to our online seminar.
<h3>Agenda:</h3>
<ul>
<li>10:00 Introduction (Kate Parkinson)
</li>
<li>10:05 Sample Preparation and Chromatography Considerations in PFAS LC-MS-MS workflows for Complex Matrices (Jörg Baute)
</li>
</ul>
(20 minutes presentation + 5 minutes questions)
<ul>
<li>10:30 Confident quantification of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (Jianru Stahl-Zeng)</li>
</ul>
(25 minutes Presentation + 5 Minutes Questions)
<ul>
<li>11:00 GC-MS: Improving Speed and Resolution of Dioxin and PCB Analysis of Environmental and Food Samples (Patrick Borkulo-Sankofa)</li>
</ul>
(25 minutes Presentation + 5 Minutes Questions)
<ul>
<li>11:30 PPCP in water intended for human consumption (Jianru Stahl-Zeng)</li>
</ul>
(25 minutes Presentation + 5 Minutes Questions)
<ul>
<li>12:00 End</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Patrick Borkulo-Sankofa (Senior Technical Consultant, Food and Environmental Accounts in Benelux, Phenomenex)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Jörg Baute (European Business Development Manager/Bioseparation Specialist, Phenomenex)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Jianru Stahl-Zeng (Senior Technical Marketing Manager , Environmental Applications, SCIEX)
</blockquote>

Advancements in Food and Environmental Applications - analysis of Dioxins and PCBs, PFAS, and PPCPs

Some of the most frequently asked questions we see are about HPLC capillaries and fittings.
Problems with LC connections are often mistaken for column issues and can be a source of frustration and downtime. 
<h3>In this webinar we will take look at your instrument’s flow path and discuss</h3>
<ul>
<li>Standard LC system capillaries</li>
<li>Fitting types and valve connections</li>
<li>System volume and dispersion</li>
<li>Application specific capillaries, including Bio-Inert and PFAS</li>
<li>Troubleshooting clogs</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Mark Powell (Application Engineer, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Mark Powell is an Applications Engineer located at Agilent’s Little Falls site in Wilmington, DE. Before joining Agilent in 2011, Mark worked in the pharmaceutical industry synthesizing, purifying and analyzing drug candidates. He provides applications assistance and technical support for Agilent’s HPLC columns and consumables.
</blockquote>