Hexane is one of the most widely used extraction solvents in the global food system. Derived from petroleum, it plays a central role in efficiently extracting vegetable oils from crops such as soy, sunflower, rapeseed, and corn. The same process produces protein-rich oilseed meals that are widely used in animal feed. From a technological perspective, hexane is effective, inexpensive, and well understood. From a toxicological and regulatory perspective, however, it is increasingly under scrutiny.In the European Union, “technical hexane” is authorized as a food extraction solvent under Directive 2009/32/EC. Its last full safety assessment by the EU’s Scientific Committee on Food dates back to 1996. In 2024, the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/sp.efsa.2024.EN-9001">European Food Safety Authority</a> (EFSA) concluded that this assessment is no longer sufficient and formally called for a re-evaluation. The reasons are scientific rather than sensational: technical hexane is not a single pure compound, its impurities are poorly specified, human absorption of n-hexane is well documented, and exposure—particularly for infants and young children—may have been underestimated under current regulatory assumptions.At the same time, public attention has intensified. Investigations commissioned by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.greenpeace.fr/scandale-sanitaire-lhexane-un-solvant-toxique-dans-vos-assiettes/">Greenpeace</a> reported detectable hexane residues in a wide range of everyday foods, including vegetable oils, butter, milk, infant formula, and poultry. While the measured levels generally fall within current legal limits, these <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theexamination.org/articles/processing-agent-hexane-found-in-everyday-foods-renewing-concerns-about-toxic-chemical">findings</a> highlight a critical gap between regulatory compliance and public expectations of food safety and transparency. Processing aids like hexane are not listed on labels, even though trace residues may remain in final products.From a scientific standpoint, the debate raises several important questions. How robust are existing toxicological datasets for chronic, low-level exposure? Do current analytical methods sufficiently characterize impurities and residues across complex food matrices? And should efficiency-driven processing choices be reconsidered when safer—though potentially less economical—alternatives exist?EFSA’s conclusion is cautious but clear: there is no immediate acute health concern, but the available evidence is insufficient to confidently assess long-term risks. As new toxicological data emerge and analytical capabilities improve, hexane has become a case study in how legacy food technologies can outpace the science and regulation designed to govern them. The outcome of the ongoing re-evaluation may shape not only future solvent use, but also broader expectations around transparency, precaution, and trust in the food system.<h3>Global inconsistencies in safety standards</h3>Hexane regulation varies widely across jurisdictions. European limits are among the most conservative, yet they rely heavily on industry-generated data. In other regions, allowable residue levels are significantly higher, and in some cases, hexane use in food and feed is largely unrestricted. This variability complicates global risk assessment and raises questions about harmonization and scientific consistency in food safety governance.<h3>Beyond compliance: Rethinking food processing choices</h3>The ongoing re-evaluation of hexane illustrates a broader challenge in food science: technologies adopted for efficiency and cost-effectiveness may persist long after their safety assumptions become outdated. The issue is not whether hexane poses an immediate public health crisis—EFSA has explicitly stated that it does not—but whether current scientific evidence is sufficient to justify its continued widespread use without further scrutiny.Advances in analytical chemistry now allow more sensitive detection of residues and impurities, while modern toxicology places greater emphasis on long-term, low-dose effects. At the same time, alternative extraction technologies, though less efficient, are becoming more viable as sustainability and safety considerations gain weight.<h3>What are the best methods for detection?</h3>Detection options<ul><li>HS-GC-FID: robust, sensitive for hydrocarbons, widely used for routine control (often aligned with “official” oil methods such as AOCS workflows referenced in the literature).</li><li>HS-GC-MS: adds spectral ID confirmation (useful when there are interferences or you want stronger identity evidence).</li></ul>Quantification<ul><li>Prefer internal standard calibration (often a similar volatile hydrocarbon not expected in the sample) and matrix-matched calibration where feasible.</li></ul><h3>Conclusions</h3>EFSA concluded that there is a need to re-evaluate the safety of technical hexane used as an extraction solvent in the production of foodstuffs and food ingredients. A key aspect of this re-evaluation concerns the accurate characterization and quantification of hexane residues and related hydrocarbons, where <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/products?category=1&amp;manufacturerItems=3">gas chromatography (GC)</a> plays a central role. Robust GC-based analytical methods are essential to reliably determine residual solvent levels, distinguish between different hexane isomers and impurities, and ensure compliance with regulatory limits.Advances in GC methodology, including improved separation, sensitivity, and detection capabilities, can significantly reduce analytical uncertainty and support more precise exposure assessments. High-quality GC data are therefore critical for refining dietary exposure estimates, identifying potential sources of variability, and supporting a science-based risk assessment. Strengthening analytical controls through validated GC methods will be an important component of addressing EFSA’s safety concerns and ensuring continued consumer protection.Visit us on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/72003132/admin/dashboard/">LinkedIn:</a>&nbsp;#hexaneSafety, #GC-FID #GC-MS<section><blockquote><h5>Petra Gerhards</h5>Petra Gerhards, Dipl-Ing, is Regional Marketing Manager of GC and GC-MS for EMEA at Thermo Fisher Scientific. She has more than 29 years of experience in the fields of GC-MS, SPE and LC-MS. Since joining the regional team she has contributed to workflow solutions combining vials and closures with SPE solutions, GC-MS and LC-MS. She works with KOL's on data for regional specific marketing campaigns, organizes in-house seminars and works on customer specific solutions. Her main expertise is in the field of doping and drugs-of-abuse analysis.</blockquote></section>

Hexane in Food: When Processing Chemistry Meets Public Health

In the week of February 16, the following webinars await you in the field of gas / solid phase and especially Raman, FTIR, GC and GC/MS.<blockquote><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/webinars">👉 DETAILS AND REGISTRATION IN THE WEBINARS SECTION</a></h4>👉 Search and filter in the largest global database with over 5 000 GC, LC, MS and spectroscopy webinars.</blockquote><div><div><div><div><div><div><h5>1. Agilent Technologies: Small Size, Big Impact – High-Performance Benchtop GC and GC/MS with the Agilent 8850 GC</h5><ul><li>Tu, 17.2.2026 17:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/webinar/5723">Registration</a></li></ul>Discover how the Agilent 8850 GC, compatible with single and triple quadrupole MS, reduces bench space, utilities, and run time while delivering high-performance GC and GC/MS analysis.<h5>2. Wasson-ECE Instrumentation: Dynamic Blender</h5><ul><li>Tu, 17.2.2026 21:30 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/webinar/5745">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how the Dynamic Blender dilutes standards with carrier gas to generate accurate multi-point calibrations from single gas cylinders.<h5>3. Waters Corporation: Ask Me Anything About Managing Computerized System Risks to Data Integrity</h5><ul><li>Th, 19.2.2026 17:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/webinar/5809">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn practical strategies for managing computerized system risks in regulated laboratories to protect data integrity, ensure compliance, and avoid regulatory findings.</div></div></div></div></div></div>

Webinars LabRulezGCMS Week 08/2026

This laboratory experiment introduces undergraduate chemistry students to headspace GC–MS through a forensic toxicology framework. Students analyze common volatile compounds such as ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, and 1,1-difluoroethane while learning key concepts in gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, calibration, and data evaluation.Participants prepare calibrators and controls, quantify ethanol, and assess qualitative analytes in a simulated vitreous humor sample using objective acceptance criteria. Implemented over three semesters with a &gt;92% success rate, the experiment is adaptable to different course levels and resources. Headspace GC–MS offers additional advantages, including minimal sample preparation and reduced instrument maintenance.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118">Introducing Headspace Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry to Undergraduate Chemistry Students from a Forensic Toxicology Perspective</a></h4>Devin C. Baer, and Michele M. Crosby*J. Chem. Educ. 2026, 103, 1, 441–448<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118">https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118</a><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>Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is widely used across chemistry disciplines, from analysis of biodiesel feedstocks to pesticides residues in vegetables and even two-dimensional GC (GC × GC) such as GC × GC time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) in forensic science applications. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(4−6)</a> The two-dimensional GC of the GC × GC-TOFMS can provide more optimized separation of analytes compared to one-dimensional GC and the time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer is an alternative to the quadrupole discussed earlier in this section. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(6)</a> In the environmental field, GC-MS can be used to detect pollutants related to microplastics and pesticide residues. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(7,8)</a> GC-MS and GC tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) is useful in food safety and quality assurance because of its ability to detect contaminants and assess ingredient quality. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(9,10)</a> GC-MS, including GC × GC-TOFMS and GC-MS/MS, is used in characterization of coal-derived liquids and petroleum exploration. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(11,12)</a> In forensics, these types of instrumentation are used to identify residues, like fire accelerants, explosive residues, or drugs at a crime scene, and to identify drugs, poisons, or other substances in biological samples. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,6,13)</a> In summary, a fundamental understanding of GC-MS will lend itself tremendously to any potential career field or discipline that may interest an undergraduate chemistry student.In one application of headspace GC-MS, an aliquot of the biological sample is diluted with an internal standard solution and placed in a sealed glass vial. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,14)</a> The internal standard solution is a saline-based solution that optimizes the evaporation (sometimes called “salting out”) of the volatile compounds into the headspace portion of the vial, and it contains a compound that is similar in chemical structure to the analyte(s) of interest, The glass vial is heated to separate the volatile compounds from the biological matrix, and a sample of the headspace vapor containing the volatile compound is taken. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,14)</a> The concentration of the volatile analyte in the dilute aqueous sample is directly proportional to the concentration of the volatile analyte in the gas phase, or headspace, above the liquid. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(14)</a> Internal standard solution is added to a sample to give an indication of the extraction quality and aids in the concentration determination. The same concentration of the internal standard is added to the calibrators, controls, and case samples in a batch. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> The ratio of the analyte response to the internal standard response is the most important factor to consider, not the absolute value of the analyte, in determining the concentration (or the qualitative presence/absence) of the analytes. By using this ratio, students can account for differences in analyte responses due to variables like extraction recovery, matrix effects, and injection volume. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,2)</a><h4>Relevance to Forensic Toxicology</h4>Currently, very few published experiments exist for undergraduates involving forensic toxicology, <a href="javascript:void(0);">(15)</a> and even fewer involve volatile analysis. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(16)</a> Forensic toxicology laboratories routinely analyze samples for the presence of ethanol, methanol, acetone, and isopropanol. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> Cases involving driving under the influence (DUI) and homicides are just a few examples targeted by these types of laboratories. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,17−20)</a> Ethanol, commonly referred to as alcohol, is the main type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages and is considered the most commonly encountered substance in forensic toxicology casework. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> In the U.S., most states have established a per-se limit for the blood alcohol concentration for drivers of 0.08 g/dL and violating this law could lead to prosecution for driving under the influence. Ethanol is also frequently encountered in post-mortem cases, such as homicides, traffic accidents, and alcohol poisonings. However, it is important to consider when interpreting ethanol concentrations that ethanol can be produced in the body after death by microorganisms breaking down the body. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> Certain types of specimens collected after death, such as urine and vitreous humor (clear fluid inside the eye), are more resistant to this phenomenon and can be used to help determine antemortem ethanol consumption versus post-mortem production. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> Isopropanol can be found in rubbing alcohol, so it is recommended that a different kind of antiseptic be used to clean the skin before a blood draw for a DUI. Isopropanol can also be found in various household cleaning products. It is also important in post-mortem forensic toxicology as it may be abused by chronic users or accidentally ingested. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,19,20)</a> Acetone is important as it is ta product of the metabolism of isopropanol, but it is also produced endogenously. High levels of acetone may be an indication of uncontrolled diabetes, so it is very important in post-mortem casework. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1,20)</a> Methanol, sometimes known as wood alcohol, can be encountered in forensic toxicology casework, as it is found in improperly distilled alcoholic beverages and many household products. Methanol poisoning can be fatal due to the formation of the metabolite formaldehyde. Furthermore, methanol can be an artifact seen in embalmed specimens. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a>While forensic toxicology laboratories use headspace gas chromatography–flame ionization (GC-FID) detection more commonly for the quantitation of volatile compounds, headspace GC-MS is a gold standard for identifying and confirming other types of volatile compounds such as 1,1-difluoroethane (DFE). DFE is commonly found in keyboard cleaners and has the potential for abuse, which is why forensic toxicology laboratories need the ability to detect it. DFE has been detected in driving under the influence cases as it has become anabused inhalant, due to the cheap cost and ease of access. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(17,18)</a>The University of Tampa possesses a GC-MS equipped with a headspace autosampler; therefore, GC-MS was used rather than GC-FID for this experiment. Furthermore, GC-MS was strategically chosen to give students more practice with complicated data analysis provided by GC-MS in SIM mode. It is important to note that methanol was not chosen as a target for this experiment because of the difficulty in finding enough unique ions without interference from common environmental molecules.<h4>Materials and Reagents</h4>The following were purchased from Fisher (Hampton, NH): ethanol, acetone, and isopropanol. Endust for Electronics (Buffalo, NY) multi-purpose duster was used for the DFE standard. 20 mL headspace vials and caps were purchased from PerkinElmer (Waltham, MA). A DB-624 column (20 m × 0.18 mm × 1.00 μm) was purchased from Agilent (Santa Clara, CA). The instrument used in this experiment was an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=6890N">Agilent 6890N gas chromatograph</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=10&amp;search=5973N">5973N mass spectrometer</a> (operated in SIM mode) with a Gerstel MPS2 multipurpose autosampler (see <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118#tbl1">Table 1</a> for additional instrument parameters). Helium was used as a carrier gas. A 2.5 mL Hamilton CTC and LEAP technologies GC PAL autosampler syringe: gastight was used.<h4>Results and Discussion</h4>There was a total of 43 students enrolled in the course over 3 semesters with an average grade on the assignment of 83 ± 11%. As part of this assignment, students quantitated ethanol concentrations and qualitatively identified acetone or isopropanol. One student did not complete the assignment as instructed and did not provide appropriate results for the analytes; therefore, the following data were compiled for 42 students unless otherwise stated. Of note, DFE is a recent addition to the experiment and was not used in previous semesters. It has been evaluated and determined to be a suitable qualitative compound for this experiment as an alternative or in addition to acetone and isopropanol. Additional information is provided below as part of the potential modifications to the experiment. It should also be highlighted that this course and thus this experiment are designed to prepare students for a career in forensic science based on feedback and advice from forensic science agencies. It mimics laboratory training and proficiency testing that forensic science analysts must undergo before being approved to conduct casework analyses. Therefore, the success of the experiment was determined by the student’s ability to report accurate results rather than student survey data or feedback.The representative retention times are shown in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118#fig1">Figure 1</a> for ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, and tert-butanol (internal standard). DFE was also included in the figure for easy reference. The peak that appears before DFE in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118#fig1">Figure 1</a> represents a small volatile compound that appeared in all samples, including airblanks. If DFE is not used in the experiment, then it is recommended to include a solvent delay of 1 min. The average retention time of ethanol over 3 semesters (n = 42) was 1.60 ± 0.01 min. Acetone’s average retention time was 1.89 ± &lt;0.01 min. Isopropanol’s average retention time was 2.00 ± 0.01 min. The average retention time of tert-butanol was 2.37 ± 0.02 min. See <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118#tbl2">Table 2</a> gives a summary of the average retention times for each volatile compound. Of note, the variation of retention time primarily occurred between semesters due to routine annual maintenance. All 42 students’ data passed the calibration acceptance criteria with an average R2 value of the ethanol calibration curve of 0.995 ± 0.004 over 3 semesters (n = 42). <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00118#fig2">Figure 2</a> shows the chromatograms produced by the SIM analysis of each volatile compound. This figure is an example of one of the components produced in the report generated by students during data processing, where students use these mass spectral data to evaluate and report data.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/J_Chem_Educ_2026_103_1_441_448_Figure_1_Example_total_ion_chromatogram_of_volatile_compounds_and_retention_times_fa3c745c20.jpeg" alt="J. Chem. Educ. 2026, 103, 1, 441–448: Figure 1. Example total ion chromatogram of volatile compounds and retention times." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_J_Chem_Educ_2026_103_1_441_448_Figure_1_Example_total_ion_chromatogram_of_volatile_compounds_and_retention_times_fa3c745c20.jpeg 225w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="1041"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/J_Chem_Educ_2026_103_1_441_448_Figure_2_Example_SIM_ions_of_each_volatile_compound_fd665d9c8c.jpeg" alt="J. Chem. Educ. 2026, 103, 1, 441–448: Figure 2. Example SIM ions of each volatile compound." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_J_Chem_Educ_2026_103_1_441_448_Figure_2_Example_SIM_ions_of_each_volatile_compound_fd665d9c8c.jpeg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="613"><h4>Conclusion</h4>Students met learning outcomes and gained fundamental instrumental knowledge and hands-on experience through this experiment as they explored the concepts of chromatography and mass spectrometry. While students who completed this experiment had previous experience with GC-MS, this experiment introduced a new way of generating data reports. Students had to explain their conclusions based on these data reports as part of their postlab assignment, which provided firsthand practice of data analysis and communication skills. Trends in student results indicated that the experiment is very robust and reproducible, leading to a high success rate for students. This experiment offers a variety of modifications for instructors based on the number of students, student skill level, and resources available.</div>

Introducing Headspace Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry to Undergraduate Chemistry Students from a Forensic Toxicology Perspective

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<ul>
<li>Advances in triple quadrupole ICP-MS for environmental analysis
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<li>Maximizing your lab productivity with true high pressure ion chromatography solutions
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<li>Analysis of VOC and GRO in Water using the TriPlus 500 GC-MS Headspace Autosampler
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<li>At the end of the presentations there will be time for you to ask any questions you have using the chat box
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<blockquote>
Presenter: Simon Nelms (Regional Marketing Manager, Trace Elemental, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
With the advent of triple quadrupole technology, a new level of interference removal in ICP-MS has been achieved. The implementation of an additional quadrupole before the collision cell of the instrument allows pre-filtering of the ion beam to selectively transmit only the masses of interest, which alleviates the problem of unwanted side interference production in the cell through collisions between other masses in the sample and the cell gas. This pre-filtering capability also allows selective chemical reactions to be conducted in the cell to enhance polyatomic interference removal and, in many cases, solve the problem of isobaric overlap. In this presentation, the latest advances in triple quadrupole ICP-MS technology and how these apply to routine analysis of environmental will be described.
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<blockquote>
Presenter: Seif Mohey (Technical Sales Manager Ion Chromatography, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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This presentation summarizes how ion chromatography has evolved over the years into today’s multimode technique suitable for solving analytical problems in all areas of interest. The Reagent-Free Ion Chromatography (RFIC) systems with electrolytic eluent generation make it possible to perform a wide range of ion chromatographic separations using only deionized water as eluent ( Just Add water Technology ). Our top of the range, Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ ICS-6000 HPIC™ system is a modular ion chromatograph, configurable as a single or dual channel system equipped with a modern tablet interface and interactive wellness features offering superior column chemistries to maximize productivity and ease of use. This presentation brings out the advantages of using the ICS-6000 in different applications.
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Presenter: Daniela Cavagnino (Product Marketing Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Environmental testing laboratories involved in volatile organics determination in water and soil samples will benefit of the innovative design of theThermo Scientific™ TriPlus™ 500 HS autosampler offering scalable productivity, extended recovery and data quality, at the best cost/value. Gasoline Range Organics (GRO) are highly volatile compounds that can be easily extracted from the matrix without the need for time-consuming sample preparation. These chemicals are often present in the environment, especially in ground water and soil, mainly due to contamination incidents during handling, storing or transporting oil and related products. The TriPlus 500 HS autosampler offers a very efficient extraction of the volatiles, maximizing the sensitivity in shorter cycle times. The coupling with the GC-FID configuration provides a rugged solution for quantitative determination of volatile hydrocarbons at ppb levels, representing a robust analytical tool for routine environmental laboratories.
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Thermo Scientific: Innovations in Environmental Analysis

Innovations in Environmental Analysis

Advances in triple quadrupole ICP-MS for environmental analysis.

Advances in fracking and favorable regulations have driven unprecedented growth in the oil, gas, petrochemical, and polymer industries.
Exploration requires characterization of prospective sources to decide potential investment. Additional analyses determine quality and other attributes that can affect pretreatment or available markets. This talk discusses solutions from simple rheometry to complex high-resolution mass spectrometry available from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
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Presenter: Nina Albrecht (Product Specialist, HR-IRMS, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
Nina is an isotope geochemist with a passion for mass spectrometry. Driven by this fascination, she acquired about 10 years of expertise with GIRMS, ICP-MS, and TIMS. Eventually, she found herself amongst the very first users of the pioneering Thermo Scientific™ Ultra™ HR-IRMS. This background paved the way to her current role in which she supports geoscientists with their development of innovative HR-IRMS applications.
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Presenter: Kirk Chassaniol (Manager, Application Scientists, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
Kirk is currently a technical leader in the Ion Chromatography (IC) field support group within the North American Centers of Excellence. Over the last 28 years, he has been involved in IC application and customer support in sales and marketing roles. He has helped with the development of IC methods and standards for chloride and sulfate in ethanol, cations in hydrogen cell feed gas, and combustion IC within the ASTM D02 and D03 Elemental Analysis subcommittee.
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Thermo Scientific: Exploration and Production: Optimizing the Opportunity with Simple Laboratory Tools to State-of-the-Art Analytical Technology

Exploration and Production: Optimizing the Opportunity with Simple Laboratory Tools to State-of-the-Art Analytical Technology

Solutions from simple rheometry to complex high-resolution mass spectrometry available from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Simple Laboratory Tools to State-of-the-Art Technology

Producing wells, gas, and oil need some treatment and characterization before they can move by pipeline, rail, and tanker truck.
Midstream has the vital role of moving raw hydrocarbons to refining and processing. Various regulations, safety considerations, corrosion, and fouling all require critical tests to keep the flow moving. This presentation will cover the broad range of solutions offered by Thermo Fisher Scientific, such as combustion IC, gas chromatography, ion chromatography, ICP-OES, and more. All are designed and implemented to provide reliable, repeatable, automated results.
<blockquote>
Presenter: James Pachlhofer (Implementation Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
With over 40 years’ experience in analytical instrumentation, James is a true veteran! His role at Thermo Fisher Scientific is to ensure the solution sold for an oil, gas, or petrochemical application performs perfectly to the customer&#39;s satisfaction. He is a native of Houston, the home of oil and gas, with a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Houston.
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Thermo Scientific: Moving Crude and Gas from Well to Plants - Solutions for Common Problems and Challenges in the Future for the Midstream

Moving Crude and Gas from Well to Plants - Solutions for Common Problems and Challenges in the Future for the Midstream

Solutions offered by Thermo Fisher Scientific, such as combustion IC, gas chromatography, ion chromatography, ICP-OES, and more.

Moving Crude and Gas from Well to Plants

The refining process is complex and continuous. Converting hundreds of barrels of crude oil per minute into its many products requires a highly integrated process.
Analytical laboratories employ many different tests to ensure process optimization, quality control, and regulatory compliance. Today&#39;s presentation covers many of those tests and the role that gas chromatography plays in keeping crude flowing into products while ensuring productivity, safety and quality.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Josh Howard (Customer Solutions Engineer, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
Josh has been with Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2018. He has 15 years of refinery laboratory experience, including 10 years with Marathon Petroleum where he was a refinery GC Chemist in charge of LIMS administration, QC, method development, and equipment maintenance. He has also worked as a GC technical manager for a contract lab and a GC Field Service Engineer.
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Thermo Scientific: Refining Crude into Product - Solutions to Improve Efficiency, Profitability, and Safety and Compliance

Refining Crude into Product - Solutions to Improve Efficiency, Profitability, and Safety and Compliance

Tests and the role that gas chromatography plays in keeping crude flowing into products while ensuring productivity, safety and quality.

Refining Crude into Product - Solutions

Throughout the manufacturing process, routine analytical techniques such as FTIR, NIR, and XRF are used to ensure production optimization and product quality.
This presentation explores various quality control applications in the chemical and polymer industry.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Matt Bartucci (Application Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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<blockquote>
Dr. Matt Bartucci earned his Ph.D. from Loyola University, followed by postdoctoral research for the United States Army Research Labs at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. Matt has been an FTIR applications scientist with Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2017, and has expertise in applying advanced FTIR techniques to support novel material research. He currently works out of the Center of Excellence Laboratory located in Bannockburn, IL.
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Thermo Scientific: Building Confidence in Quality Assurance

Building Confidence in Quality Assurance

Various quality control applications in the chemical and polymer industry.

Research and quality assurance labs often must analyze materials on the micro level.
Combining optical microscopy with vibrational spectroscopy can provide a holistic view of the structure and functional relationship of the material and can be used for identifying foreign materials and defects.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Suja Sukumaran (Senior Application Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Suja Sukumaran obtained her Ph.D. in Biophysics from JW Goethe University, Germany. Currently, she is an applications scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Suja has worked in the field of spectroscopy for over 17 years. Her FTIR application expertise spans many industries including polymer/chemical, pharmaceutical, forensics, semiconductor, and food industries.
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Thermo Scientific: Sweating the Small Stuff - Spectroscopy on the Micro Scale

Sweating the Small Stuff - Spectroscopy on the Micro Scale

Combining optical microscopy with vibrational spectroscopy can provide a holistic view of the structure and functional relationship of the material.

Sweating the Small Stuff

The development of next-generation advanced materials requires analytical tools that cover multiple hyphenated techniques to save material usage while gaining additional analytical insight from the sample.
In this talk, we will explore various applications across R&amp;D.
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Presenter: Ron Rubinovitz (Senior Application Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Dr. Ron Rubinovitz earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, he is a senior applications scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, focusing on FTIR, IR microscopy, FT-Raman, Near-IR, and chemometrics. Ron has extensive experience in the field of vibrational spectroscopy. He has worked with a wide range of sampling techniques covering applications in pharmaceutical, industrial, and food industries.
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Thermo Scientific: Pushing the Boundaries in Material Research

Pushing the Boundaries in Material Research

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a highly flexible analytical technique that can be applied to a broad range of applications, from incoming raw material inspection to process monitoring.
In this presentation, we will review use cases of NIR, including laboratory measurements of hydroxyl value and content uniformity, as well as implementation of NIR and multivariate analysis for process control and monitoring.
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Presenter: Robert Jones (Senior Application Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Dr. Robert Jones earned degrees in Chemistry from the University of New Mexico and the University of California, Berkeley. After holding several positions as a research scientist, program manager, and project leader, Robert joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in April 2013. As an Applications Scientist, Robert’s primary focus has been on the development of spectroscopic solutions for a broad range of customers and markets.
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Thermo Scientific: Improving Manufacturing Quality and Efficiency via Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Improving Manufacturing Quality and Efficiency via Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Use cases of NIR, including laboratory measurements of hydroxyl value and content uniformity, as well as implementation of NIR.

Improving Manufacturing Quality

Adoption of cloud-based LIMS solutions continues to grow, as laboratories across all industries consider the financial and operational benefits of cloud-based solutions.
For new laboratories implementing a LIMS for the first time, cloud can provide a quick road to go-live with low capital expenditure and minimal resources to run and manage the system. For existing laboratories looking to modernize their LIMS implementation, cloud can help minimize IT costs while providing unmatched scalability. In this session, we’ll explore real-world customer stories of laboratories that selected cloud deployments for their Thermo Scientific™ SampleManager LIMS™ software.
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Presenter: Katie Evans (Senior Product Manager, Digital Science, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Katie Evans is a Senior Product Manager for the Digital Science business at Thermo Fisher Scientific and is located in Altrincham, in the Manchester area of the UK. During her 22 years at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Katie has focused on product management and strategy development of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) software with an emphasis on the needs of laboratories serving regulated markets. Katie received her Master of Science degree from Exeter University, UK.
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Presenter. Jon Webb (Senior Sales Manager, Digital Science, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Jon Webb has been with Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2014. His career has focused on helping global R&amp;D organizations manage their scientific data effectively and his work experience has provided him a deep understanding of the benefits of deploying enterprise software to the cloud. His work at Thermo Fisher Scientific has focused on implementing enterprise software solutions to support complex processes and business objectives across the Oil &amp; Gas industry.
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Thermo Scientific: Software to Drive Your Science - Why Some Oil & Gas Companies are Looking to the Cloud

Software to Drive Your Science - Why Some Oil & Gas Companies are Looking to the Cloud

Real-world customer stories of laboratories that selected cloud deployments for their Thermo Scientific™ SampleManager LIMS™ software.

Software to Drive Your Science

Digital transformation is driven by the ability to better connect all aspects of the laboratory - devices, consumables, workflows, data, and people - to accelerate science and increase laboratory productivity.
Smart instruments and consumables are enabling laboratories to improve instrument and consumable usage, reducing downtime and optimizing the use of laboratory supplies and capacity. Data analytics solutions are connecting workflows and data across different methods and instruments to enable scientists to derive insight from their data and make informed business decisions. To take advantage of these recent advancements and those yet to come, organizations need to connect the laboratory and make data accessible to those who need it.
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Presenter: Trish Meek (Director of Marketing, Digital Science, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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Trish Meek has been with Thermo Fisher Scientific for over 20 years focused on enterprise software including Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN), and Chromatography Data Systems (CDS). She is currently the Director of Marketing for the Digital Science business unit.
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Thermo Scientific: Digital Transformation in Process Manufacturing - Increasing Productivity Through Digital Science Solutions

Digital Transformation in Process Manufacturing - Increasing Productivity Through Digital Science Solutions

Digital transformation is driven by the ability to better connect all aspects of the laboratory.