News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 15, 2026

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezGCMS Library in the week of 6th April 2026? Check out new documents from the field of the gas phase, especially GC and GC/MS techniques!

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This week we bring you application notes by Agilent Technologies, BaySpec, poster by MDCW / William & Mary and brochure by Shimadzu!

1. Agilent Technologies: High-Throughput BTEX Analysis in Nail Products by SPME and GC/TQ

Minimal steps, maximum precision

• Application note
• Full PDF for download

BTEX compounds—benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes—are volatile aromatic hydrocarbons widely used as solvents in industrial and consumer products. Among these, toluene is the most prevalent in nail polish formulations, where it serves as a solvent to dissolve resins and pigments, ensuring smooth application, uniform color dispersion, and rapid drying. Historically, these properties made toluene a preferred ingredient in nail coatings, including traditional polishes, gel formulations, and nail art products. However, its inclusion presents challenges for regulatory compliance and product reformulation. In response to these challenges, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has listed nail products containing toluene as Priority Products under the Safer Consumer Products Regulations.1 Manufacturers selling such products in California must submit a Priority Product Notification and conduct an Alternative Analysis if toluene concentrations exceed the 100-ppm threshold. 

To support compliance and ensure accurate monitoring of BTEX levels in nail products, robust analytical methods are essential. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/TQ) has emerged as a preferred approach for volatile organic compound analysis due to its solvent-free sample preparation, high sensitivity, and compatibility with complex cosmetic matrices. The 8890 GC with 7000 Series GC/TQ offers enhanced detection capabilities through dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM), enabling precise quantification of BTEX compounds at trace levels, below regulatory thresholds. This platform provides the analytical rigor required for method validation, including limits of detection, recovery, and precision, ensuring compliance with California's stringent performance criteria and supporting industry efforts toward improving consumer product quality. 

Experimental

GC/TQ analysis 

Analyses were performed on an 8890 GC coupled to a 7000 Series GC/TQ equipped with an EI extractor ion source (Figure 2). The instrument operating parameters are listed in Table 2. The system was operated in splitless mode with an inlet temperature of 200 °C, a purge flow of 3 mL/min, and a purge flow to split vent of 50 mL/min at 2 minutes. Carrier gas was helium at a constant flow of 0.693 mL/min with a total flow of 53.7 mL/min. The chromatographic separation was accomplished on an Agilent J&W DB-624 Ultra Inert column (20 m × 0.18 mm, 1 µm, part number 121-1324UI). The oven program started at 40 °C (hold 2 minutes), ramped at 35 °C/min to 160 °C, and held for 2.58 minutes, giving a total run time of 8.0 minutes. The transfer line was maintained at 230 °C, with the ion source at 230 °C and quadrupoles at 150 °C.

Conclusion 

A rapid, high-throughput headspace‑SPME GC/TQ method was developed for quantifying BTEX in nail product matrices, using a 100-µm PDMS Agilent Smart SPME fiber on an Agilent 8890 GC with Agilent 7000 Series GC/TQ. The method provides solvent-free extraction, 8-minute chromatographic runs, and an ~11-minute total cycle time, enabling high-throughput analysis with robust selectivity in dMRM mode. Quality control results demonstrated mean recoveries of 100 to 107% with RSDs ≤ 8%, meeting method acceptance criteria for compliance-focused testing for toluene. Integration of Smart SPME automation and the intelligent features of the 8890 GC and 7000 Series GC/TQ allows a practical, defensible solution for routine laboratories monitoring BTEX in nail products. Calibration performance showed high linearity and low variance across the working ranges, with all compounds meeting initial calibration criteria via R² ≥ 0.995 or average RF RSD ≤ 20%. Combined with the short cycle time and automated fiber tracking, this workflow is ideally suited for routine compliance testing of BTEX in nail products using the 8890 GC and 7000 Series GC/TQ.

2. BaySpec: Detection of residual pesticides on fruits and vegetables using Portability miniature mass s pectrometer

• Application note
• Full PDF for download

Pesticides are used in a variety of different ways during the production of food. Ranging from preventing crop damage by insects, rodents and molds during growth to prolonging storage of food after harvest. Because of the frequent usage, the residual pesticides are often found in many agricultural products and their monitoring and control is an important step in achieving and maintaining overall food safety in the modern society. 

Mass spectrometry in connection with different separation techniques currently represents the main analytical approach for determination of residual pesticides in food. Traditionally, samples need to be collected and send to a laboratory for analysis using techniques such as GC-MS or HPLC-MS, which are costly and time-consuming. In addition, the conventional mass spectrometry usually requires laborious sample pretreatment, which does not allow for immediate in-situ sample determination. Presented here is an application of Thermal Desorption ElectroSpray Ionization (TD-ESI) for pesticide screening coupled to a portable mass spectrometer. 

TD-ESI is a mass spectrometry technique from the family of ambient ionization methods that utilizes very simple probing of different surfaces with no or limited sample pretreatment while it is still noted for its selective and sensitive detection capabilities. In TD-ESI a solid surface or a liquid sample is touched by a simple metallic probe that absorbs the analyte. The probe is then inserted into a heated tube and the desorbed analyte is carried by gas flow into an orthogonally mounted electrospray. The electrospraty plume extracts the analyte and further ionization and ion introduction follows the conventional electrospray mechanism. 

Bayspec’s Portability mass spectrometer is less than 10kg highly portable and battery operated linear ion trap mass spectrometer with atmospheric pressure inlet (API). When TD-ESI is combined with PortabilityTM then it is possible to perform fast in-field detection of analytes including residual pesticides, directly of the surfaces of fresh food products without any sample pre-treatment. Fast pesticide screening by Portability mass spectrometer can immediately disclose fake organic food products as well as to discover elevated levels of residual pesticides. 

TD-ESI-MS was used to rapidly screen residual pesticides on the surfaces of different fruits and vegetables. Direct sampling probe was used to introduce analytes from surfaces of unprocessed samples. Due to short analysis times (1-5s a sample), the technique allows for fast screening for applications in food and environmental safety. MS (as well as MS/MS) analyses can be performed on surface-residual pesticides at ppm and sub-ppm levels. The miniaturized TD-ESI ion source compatible with Portability is available from BaySpec. This ion source mounts on the Portability front inlet and does not require any additional support, external power or gases. The simple intuitive software interface is operated by touch screen and makes the instrument extremely easy to control. The external TD-ESI source is fully integrated into the main software environment and the hyphenated system is thus very user-friendly, does not require excessive training and can be operated by persons with no previous mass spectrometry experiences.

3. MDCW / William & Mary: Volatile Characterization of American Foulbrood Disease Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography

• Poster
• Full PDF for download

American foulbrood (AFB) is a deadly disease spread by Paenibacillus larvae bacterial spores, targeting the brood stage of Apis mellifera honey bees. Broods perish in a matter of days after exposure to the spores, forming infected colloidal scales in the hive that adult bees cannot remove. 1,2 The spores are extremely persistent and resistant to typical treatment methods, which standardized the immediate euthanasia of bees and destruction of the hive and associated equipment by burning. 3 In an effort to expedite identification of the spores, scent-detection dogs have been trained for use in apiaries. Furthermore, gammairradiation has been tested as a proposed treatment method as it would offer a nondestructive alternative to sterilization.

The goals of this study were to use comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography – time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) to characterize the volatiles associated with AFB disease for understanding scent detection and to measure the effectiveness of gamma-irradiation in sterilizing these volatiles.

Methods

Samples included blanks, material from healthy comb, aged unsterilized diseased scales, fresh unsterilized diseased scales, and diseased scales sterilized with the proposed treatment method of gamma-irradiation. These samples were stored in headspace vials (Figure 3) in the freezer when not in use. No sample preparation was required before injection with solidphase microextraction using the LPAL-3 (CTC Analytics).

Analysis was performed using a Pegasus BT4D (LECO Corporation) according to the parameters described below in Table 1. ChromaTOF software (LECO Corporation) was used to analyze the chromatographic data. Preliminary identifications were assigned to peaks using a minimum signal to noise of 200 and a minimum stick count of 3.

Conclusions

GC×GC-TOFMS can be used to distinguish the volatile profiles of A. mellifera samples at different stages of infection with AFB disease. Future Directions for Research: 

• Discrimination of volatiles specific to AFB from non-specific volatiles 
• Characterization of AFB-specific volatiles for scent-detection purposes 
• Measurement of gamma-irradiation sterilization success in removing AFB volatiles

4. Shimadzu: Screening System for Phthalate Esters, Brominated Flame Retardants and Other Regulated Substances Py-Screener Ver.3

• Brochure
• Full PDF for download

The Py-Screener™ Ver. 3 can screen for 7 types of phthalate esters and brominated flame retardants (PBBs, PBDEs), including substances regulated under the RoHS Directive. In addition, it can also test for PIP (3:1), which is regulated under the US TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act), as well as UV-328, Dechlorane Plus (DP), and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), which are regulated under the Stockholm Convention (POPs Convention) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). These regulated compounds, thermally extracted from the sample by Pyrolysis-GC-MS (Py-GC-MS), are selectively detected and quantified. Py-Screener Ver. 3 consists of dedicated software for easy screening, special standard samples, and a sampling tool kit, making it simple to operate even for first-time users.

Shimadzu Corporation’s Solutions for Complying with International Hazardous Substance Regulations

When manufacturing and exporting products, it is necessary to comply with the chemical and hazardous substance regulations established by each country. Products contain many parts and use various materials and substances. Therefore, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to manage the entire supply chain to ensure that harmful substances are not contained. Shimadzu Corporation provides analysis solutions that comply with these regulations.

Applicable Systems and Software

• GC-MS: GCMS-QP™2020 NX, GCMS-QP2020, GCMS-QP2010 Ultra
• Pyrolyzer: EGA/PY-3030D multi-shot pyrolyzer
• Autosampler: AS-2020E, AS-1020E auto-shot sampler 
• GC-MS Workstation: GCMSsolution™ (Ver. 4.60SP2 or later) + LabSolutions Insight™ (Ver. 5.0 or later)
• Py Workstation: EGA-PY3030 program (Ver. 1.54 or later)