<h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.isc2026.org/">ISC 2026</a></h3>The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/314">International Symposium on Chromatography (ISC)</a> represents the oldest conference series on separation science. ISC symposia have been organised since 1956 in each even year. ISC is one of the premier meetings series for discussion of all modes of chromatography and separation science with a broad coverage of techniques and applications.The major focus of the symposium will be on the impact of chromatography and separation science to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical, environmental, food and health industry, as well as science and medicine. The symposium programme will reflect these themes and highlight new challenges and emerging opportunities for the science and marketing of separation and detection systems and methods.As an integral part of the scientific programme of lectures and poster sessions, an international exhibition and vendor seminars on instrumentation and services for chromatography, separation science and mass spectrometry will be organised. ISC 2026 will provide the perfect forum for attendees from academia, industry and government research institutions for scientific exchange and networking.<h3>ISC 2026 SYMPOSIUM KEY DATES</h3><h4>6-10 SEPTEMBER 2026</h4><ul><li>15 January 2026: Opening of Early-bird Registration &amp; Abstract submission</li><li>11 March 2026: Deadline for abstract submission (orals)</li><li>21 April 2026: Sending acceptance letters (orals)</li><li>15 May 2026: Deadline of early-bird registration and payment &amp; Author registration deadline (orals)</li><li>1 June 2026: Preliminary detailed program on web</li><li>1 June 2026: Deadline for abstract submission (posters)</li><li>16 June 2026: Sending acceptance letters (posters)<ul><li>Authors who submit their abstracts with a poster preference by 5 May 2026 will be notified of the outcome by 12 May 2026 and will have the opportunity to register at the early-bird rate until 15 May 2026.</li></ul></li><li>30 June 2026: Author registration deadline (posters)</li><li>30 July 2026: Deadline for abstract submission (late-breaking posters)<ul><li>without the possibility of competing for the Best Poster Award</li></ul></li><li>11 August 2026: Sending acceptance letters (late-breaking posters)</li><li>18 August 2026: Author registration deadline (late-breaking posters)</li><li>25 August 2026: Deadline for late registration &amp; payment&nbsp;</li><li>6-10 September 2026: Symposium</li></ul><h3>REGISTRATION</h3><blockquote>👉<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.czech-in.org/cmPortalV15/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2FcmPortalV15%2FPortal%2FISC26%2Fnormal">Register HERE for the ISC 2026</a></blockquote><h3>ABSTRACT SUBMISSION</h3><blockquote>👉<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.czech-in.org/cmPortalV15/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2FcmPortalV15%2FPortal%2FISC26%2Fnormal">Submit your Abstract HERE</a></blockquote><h3>SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM</h3><h4>SHORT COURSES</h4><h5>SC 5 Oligonucleotides and Other Biopharmaceuticals</h5>🗓️ SUNDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 2026🕗 12:30 – 15:45Analysis of nucleic acid and protein-based pharmaceuticalsThe pharmaceutical industry has undergone a profound transformation over the past four decades driven by continuous innovation in therapeutic and prophylactic modalities. While small molecules have been the foundation of medicine for ages, successive waves have introduced biologics such as recombinant proteins and antibodies, in addition to nucleic acid and cell-based products. Each wave has expanded our ability to treat diseases but also challenged us, analytical scientists, to build a toolbox to characterize these ever more complex modalities. This short course will cover chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods for analyzing nucleic acid and protein-based medicines including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) and larger nucleic acids such as messenger RNA (mRNA), in addition to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and &nbsp;antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs).&nbsp;<h4>Lecturers</h4><h5>Koen Sandra</h5><ul><li>Koen Sandra received a PhD degree in Biochemistry from the Ghent University, Belgium in 2005. After his PhD, he joined Pronota, a molecular diagnostics company where he was active in developing analytical platforms for disease biomarker discovery and in setting up external collaborations. In 2008, he joined RIC, a company that provides analytical support to the chemical, life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, where he holds the position of CEO. As a non-academic scientist, Koen Sandra is author of over 50 highly cited scientific papers and has presented his work at numerous conferences as an invited speaker.</li></ul><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/ISC_2026_Koen_Sandra_2ff9f97b34.jpg" alt="ISC 2026: Koen Sandra" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_ISC_2026_Koen_Sandra_2ff9f97b34.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="500" height="500"><h5>Amanda Guiraldelli Mahr</h5><ul><li>Amanda Guiraldelli Mahr is a senior scientist at the RIC group in Belgium, specialized in chromatographic and LC-MS strategies for biopharmaceutical and small molecule analysis. With more than 17 years of experience in analytical development, she leads the design and qualification of procedures for release testing, stability studies, and structural characterization of monoclonal antibodies, peptides, and oligonucleotides, with strong expertise in SEC, IEX, RPLC, HILIC, HIC, and high-resolution MS workflows. She drives the implementation of ICH Q2(R2), Q14, and Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) principles in collaboration with global biopharmaceutical partners. Amanda serves as a member of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Pharmaceutical Analytical Lifecycle and Data Science Expert Committee and is a board member of the ECA Analytical Quality Control Group. Before joining RIC, she spent more than 12 years at USP, where she worked both as a Senior Scientist – leading method development and validation projects, impurity analysis by LC-MS/GC-MS, and reference standards characterization by LC-HRMS – and as a Scientific Affairs Manager, contributing to major standards such as &lt;1220&gt; and &lt;1225&gt; and driving initiatives in AQbD, predictive modeling, and analytical procedure lifecycle management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy–Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, and has been a visiting scientist at TU Berlin and Leiden University, focusing on LC-HRMS-based protein analysis.</li></ul><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/ISC_2026_Amanda_Guiraldelli_Mahr_0bd046c778.jpg" alt="ISC 2026: Amanda Guiraldelli Mahr" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_ISC_2026_Amanda_Guiraldelli_Mahr_0bd046c778.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="500" height="500">

ISC 2026 Short Course 5 - Oligonucleotides and Other Biopharmaceuticals

🎤 Presenter: David E. Alonso (LECO Corporation)💾 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/O_3_Alonso_6f61e3ea43.pdf">PDF presentation</a><h3>Abstract</h3>Enormous quantities of Polyfluoro- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been produced through telomerization and electrochemical fluorination since the late 1940s. PFAS are a group of anthropogenic chemicals produced to improve the physical and chemical characteristics of products such as food packaging, cookware, textiles, paints, flame retardants, and stain-resistant clothing. PFAS increase heat, water, and oil resistance in these consumer products. Humans can be exposed to these harmful substances through ingestion and inhalation. Therefore, it is crucial that researchers screen these toxic chemicals on a regular basis. Unfortunately, monitoring hazardous chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is challenging due to the complexity of sample matrices. The goal of this study was to develop an analytical methodology for the comprehensive screening of complex samples for volatile and semi-volatile PFAS, as well as additional emerging contaminants.&nbsp;The protocol included the application of effective sample introduction techniques, as well as the design of general data acquisition and processing strategies for quick analysis of a wide variety of consumer goods. Different ionization modes: 1) Electron Ionization (EI), 2) Positive Chemical Ionization (PCI), and 3) Negative Chemical Ionization (NCI). The rich <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=2-13-3&amp;manufacturerItems=25">GCxGC-HRTOFMS</a> data were used to annotate different classes of PFAS and additional harmful chemicals.<h3>Video Transcription</h3><h4>1) Background and objective</h4>The presentation focuses on screening and characterizing PFAS-related compounds (including PFOS/PFAS components and related xenobiotics) in consumer products and consumables using GC, GC×GC, and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry.PFAS-type chemicals are widely used in industry and are increasingly recognized as environmentally and health-relevant contaminants. The speaker’s broader work includes screening materials such as ski wax, specialty lubricants, dental floss, chewing gum, and anti-fog solutions.The overall goal is to show:<ul><li>why high-resolution accurate-mass TOF is powerful for unknown identification, and</li><li>how combining HRTOF-MS + GC×GC + advanced software tools enables fast, confident screening in complex matrices.</li></ul><h4>2) Instrumentation and sample preparation approach</h4><h5>Instruments used</h5><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/products/1097">LECO Pegasus BTX</a> (initial experiments)</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/products/39">LECO Pegasus HRT</a> (high-resolution TOF for accurate mass and improved confidence)</li></ul><h5>Sample preparation philosophy</h5>The speaker emphasizes minimal sample manipulation, using:<ul><li>“Dilute and shoot” for liquid samples</li><li>Thermal desorption, followed by pyrolysis (in separate steps) for solid/complex materials</li></ul><h4>3) Case study A: Anti-fog solutions (PFAS concerns and unknowns)</h4><h5>Motivation</h5>Anti-fog products are commonly used (lab work, sports such as hockey/skiing). Prior reports suggested some anti-fog solutions may contain PFAS-related components.<h5>Initial GC-MS results (BTX)</h5>A simple chromatogram can appear “clean,” but deeper evaluation shows:<ul><li>multiple organic classes (e.g., alkanes/alkenes)</li><li>a set of unknown major components, which became the key focus</li><li>limited library coverage for PFAS at the time (NIST version constraints were mentioned)</li></ul>The speaker identified a handful of compounds through automated processing, but many peaks remained unidentified (not found in NIST/Wiley/ChemSpider).<h5>Why high resolution was needed</h5>One compound of interest (“X”) produced:<ul><li>poor library match quality (“ridiculous” similarity score)</li><li>insufficient spectral clarity for confident identification</li></ul><h5>HRTOF-MS advantages highlighted</h5>With HRTOF-MS the speaker gains:<ul><li>accurate mass (high precision mass values)</li><li>ability to compute elemental formulas for ions/fragments</li><li>RDBE / ring double bond equivalence to support structural reasoning</li><li>multiple ionization modes:<ul><li>EI (electron ionization)</li><li>CI (chemical ionization), positive and negative</li></ul></li></ul><h5>Key step: Switching to CI for molecular ion information</h5>The speaker notes EI spectra may be “skinny” (limited informative ions), while CI can provide:<ul><li>a strong protonated molecular ion with excellent mass accuracy</li><li>useful methane-CI adduct patterns (e.g., M+29, M+41)</li><li>isotopic fidelity scoring (confidence metric; values above a high threshold indicate strong agreement between theoretical and observed isotope patterns)</li></ul><h5>External database search to propose structure</h5>Even with formula confidence, structure identification required:<ul><li>literature context (a specific paper was used as a clue)</li><li>searching the EPA CompTox library</li><li>narrowing to a small set of candidate structures</li><li>combining evidence from formula + fragmentation patterns (including signs of glycol-like substructures such as repeated CH₂CH₂O motifs)</li></ul><h5>Extending logic to other unknowns</h5>Once compound “X” was tentatively assigned, related unknowns (e.g., peaks 6–14) could be approached systematically by:<ul><li>analyzing recurring fragment motifs</li><li>applying complementary CI data</li><li>assigning consistent series behavior</li></ul>The speaker reports annotating the unknown series as polyfluorinated ethoxylate-type compounds, based on combined evidence and pattern relationships.<h4>4) Case study B: Chewing gum (extreme matrix complexity and false positives)</h4><h5>Why chewing gum?</h5>Chewing gum was unexpectedly complex and served as a strong example of:<ul><li>heavy thermal degradation (especially for sugar-containing gums)</li><li>a wide concentration dynamic range</li><li>analytes of interest present at very low levels, making screening difficult</li></ul><h5>A key lesson: Library matches can mislead</h5>The speaker reports seeing apparent PFAS hits with decent match scores (around the “confidence” range many users might accept), but calls them false positives due to:<ul><li>“skinny” spectra lacking molecular ion evidence</li><li>insufficient confirmation without accurate-mass + ionization support and advanced screening logic</li></ul><h4>5) The “ultimate” workflow: HRTOF-MS + GC×GC + software-driven screening</h4>The speaker describes the strongest approach as a combination of:<ul><li>GC×GC (better separation and pattern recognition in complex mixtures)</li><li>HR accurate mass (formula-level confidence)</li><li>software tools that enable fast triage without manual peak-table review</li></ul><h4>Screening strategy (needle-in-a-haystack)</h4>Instead of relying purely on automated peak finding (often unreliable for trace levels), the speaker uses a multi-step spectral approach:<ol><li>Sum ions across the GC×GC contour plot to capture the full complexity</li><li>Build a mass defect plot:<ul><li>y-axis: mass defect</li><li>x-axis: accurate mass</li></ul></li><li>Target entire PFAS fragment series at once:<ul><li>uses known spacing (e.g., CF₂ repeat patterns with consistent mass spacing)</li><li>targets both “tail” fragments and “head” fragments (e.g., acrylate-related head groups)</li></ul></li><li>Use specialized visualization (e.g., scaled mass defect plots) to make the PFAS-related ion series appear clearly aligned and easy to spot</li></ol>After locating candidate signals, the workflow moves to confirmation.<h4>6) Confirmation logic: EI + CI (positive and negative) in “discovery mode”</h4>The speaker’s standard operational mode is:<ul><li>acquire EI, then automatically acquire CI positive and CI negative</li><li>if EI lacks a molecular ion, CI often provides:<ul><li>protonated molecular ion</li><li>isotope-pattern confirmation via isotopic fidelity</li><li>accurate-mass formula confirmation</li></ul></li></ul>If needed, final confirmation can be achieved by:<ul><li>purchasing and running a reference standard, when available</li></ul><h4>7) Results from chewing gum screening</h4>Using the described approach, the speaker reports:<ul><li>identifying many gum constituents (sweeteners, flavor compounds such as terpenes in spearmint gum, softeners like glycerol and glycerides, and lipid-related compounds)</li><li>probing the gum base by increasing thermal conditions (e.g., higher temperatures revealing polymer degradation products)</li><li>evidence consistent with gum-base polymer components (example given: degradation products associated with polyisobutylene, such as isobutene and oligomers)</li></ul><h5>PFAS conclusion for gum samples</h5>For the gum samples tested (including gum, wrapper, and box):<ul><li>PFAS-related compounds were not detected (good news)</li></ul><h4>8) Take-home messages</h4><ul><li>HRTOF-MS is essential for unknown characterization, especially when libraries are incomplete.</li><li>EI alone can be misleading, particularly for trace components and when spectra are information-poor (“skinny”).</li><li>CI (positive/negative) adds decisive molecular-ion and formula confidence.</li><li>GC×GC + HR accurate mass + mass defect workflows enable rapid screening for PFAS (and other POPs) without manually grinding through peak tables.</li><li>The workflow is broadly applicable for screening PFAS and other trace pollutant classes such as PCBs and persistent organic pollutants.</li></ul><blockquote>This text has been automatically transcribed from a video presentation using AI technology. It may contain inaccuracies and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct.</blockquote>

Exploring PFAS in consumer goods using GCxGC-high-resolution mass spectrometry (David Alonso, MDCW 2026)

News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 09, 2026

Article

Events

Application

Video

Presentation

The Multidimensional Chromatography (MDC) Workshop draws experts in this exciting field to share and discuss their research.

The Multidimensional Chromatography Workshop

Everything from the world of analytical chemistry in one place. We connect people in solving their problems. At Labrulez you will find all the necessary information easily, quickly and clearly. Stop searching and start finding.

LabRulez

The International Symposium on Chromatography (ISC) represents the oldest conference series focussing on separation science. ISC symposia have been organised since 1956 in each even year. ISC is internationally recognised as one of the premier meeting series for discussion of all modes of chromatography and separation science with a broad coverage of techniques and applications.

International Symposium on Chromatography - (ISC)

Separation Science

Agilent Technologies

GERSTEL

Phenomenex

SelectScience

Shimadzu Corporation

We will first discuss considerations and best practices for method optimization when converting a SQ method or starting your lab with a TQ. The TQ provides additional acquisition types that can be utilized to answer questions about a sample, if you know how to configure the experiment. By the end of this webinar you should feel comfortable acquiring and analyzing data from a TQ in full scan, product ion, precursor ion, neutral loss and MRM analyses.
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Presenter: Matt Curtis (GC/MS Applications Scientist, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
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Matt joined Agilent in 2013 as a GC/MS applications scientist in the Santa Clara, CA Center of Excellence, with GC/MS experience starting as an undergraduate. His primary responsibility is focused on providing instrument demos for customer interested in each technology Agilent offers; the GC/MS single quadrupole, triple quadrupole and the quadrupole Time-of-Flight. The variety of different applications submitted to the demo lab provide a unique knowledge of optimizing parameters for each experiment.
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Agilent Technologies: A GC/MS TQ Does More Than Just MRM Analyses. How to Fully Utilize a TQ in Your Lab

A GC/MS TQ Does More Than Just MRM Analyses. How to Fully Utilize a TQ in Your Lab

One of the most common questions in technical support is, “When do I change this consumable or that consumable?”
There are many consumables in the GC flow path and sometimes it can be tricky to know when it is time for a replacement. Join us as we review the common consumables in the GC flow path and point out common signs or symptoms that indicate it may be time to do some maintenance.
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Presenter: Alex Ucci (Application Engineer, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
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In his current position at Agilent, Alex provides application assistance and technical support for sample preparation products as well as GC and LC consumables. Before he joined Agilent in 2014, Alex was a graduate student at the Pennsylvania State University researching the morphology and surface properties of aerosol particles using a wide variety of analytical techniques. He has an MS degree in chemistry.
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Agilent Technologies: When Should I Change That? Ensuring Proper Instrument Performance for GC

When Should I Change That? Ensuring Proper Instrument Performance for GC

Helium shortages mean that laboratories will soon need a sustainable alternative to this non-renewable resource. Also, the struggle to maintain a consistent helium supply is causing a drop in productivity in many labs and the cost of helium continues to rise.
Progressing to a more sustainable laboratory is possible by switching to a multi-gas system. Switching to hydrogen, for example, protects laboratories against future helium shortages and is more sustainable because high-purity hydrogen can be generated from water. Hydrogen offers faster chromatographic separations, shorter thermal desorption methods and lower-temperature separations than helium, drastically increasing laboratory throughput, extending consumables’ lifetimes and extending maintenance intervals. Hydrogen also produces the same high-quality data as helium but at a greatly reduced cost.
<h3>By attending the presentation you’ll learn about:</h3>
<ul>
<li>The current situation with the global supply of helium</li>
<li>The benefits of using hydrogen as a carrier gas</li>
<li>Configuring thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analytical instrumentation to work safely with hydrogen as a carrier gas as well as with helium and nitrogen</li>
<li>The pros and cons of different hydrogen sources (bulk supply vs gas generator)</li>
<li>Common pitfalls when switching carrier gas and how to avoid them</li>
</ul>
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Presenter: Ed Connor
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joined PEAK Scientific in February 2013 as a GC product specialist and now functions as a Product Manager. He has been working on a number of collaborative projects with PEAK customers and the major LC-MS and GC instrument manufacturers worldwide. The main focus of these collaborations has been to look at conversion from helium to hydrogen or nitrogen carrier gas for GC applications but he has also worked on ELSD nitrogen gas solutions and nitrogen generators for LC-MS instruments.
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Presenter: Jessica Berger
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graduated from the University of Glamorgan (now University of South Wales) with a BSc. degree in Chemistry. She joined Markes International in 2012 as an Inside Sales Specialist, before being promoted to Product Manager for the thermal desorption business unit. In this role, Jessica is responsible for both the introduction of new thermal desorption products, as well as the management of the exiting product line.
</blockquote>

Pixabay/Andrew Martin: Moving Towards Sustainable Gas Chromatography Laboratories

Moving Towards Sustainable Gas Chromatography Laboratories

The QuEChERS analysis method is a popular solid-phase extraction method used for the analysis of pesticide residues in food. Communition for small and homogeneous test portions favors the QuEChERS automation for online and offline GC-MS and LC-MS analysis. The extraction part is standardized by the official methods EN 15662 and AOAC 2007.01., however, limitations of the method arise in the cleanup steps, analytically and for the lab logistics.
This webinar introduces automated sample processing of the QuEChERS analysis method for pesticides. The PAL System replaces the manual cleanup with an automated workflow designed for ease of handling, increased sample throughput. The automated solution uses micro-SPE columns for the cleanup step, and one type of cartridge is used for all food matrices.
Dr. Hans-Joachim Huebschmann, Gwen Lim and Chiew Mei Chong will present two workflow variations for high sample throughput in online GC-MS and LC-MS analysis. Plus, the integration of the QuEChERS extraction step will be demonstrated with the example of processing orange juice from extraction and cleanup to injection to GC-MS.
<h3>Key learning objectives</h3>
<ul>
<li>How the PAL System addresses and facilitates current laboratory demands, including the increase of sample throughput, reduced sample sizes, and preparing for GLP compliance with traceability</li>
<li>How complex manual workflows are automated with the PAL System: the automated sample preparation is demonstrated with QuEChERS extraction and micro SPE cleanup</li>
<li>How users of the PAL System create automated workflows using a graphical method composer</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who should attend</h3>
Lab managers and technicians in food, environmental, pharmaceutical or forensic laboratories in industry, contract labs, official control, and research.
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Presenter: Dr. Hans-Joachim Huebschmann (Specialist in automated sample preparation)
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Hans-Joachim Huebschmann graduated as a Certified Food Chemist from the Technical University in Berlin, Germany, working on residue analysis of anabolic agents and pesticides in foods.
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Hans started his career in diagnostics, medical analytical instruments, and application development, working for a number of German companies in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and biotechnology. In 2002, he joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in Bremen and held several international positions covering inorganic and isotope ratio mass spectrometry, high-resolution GC-MS and GC-MS/MS, specializing in food safety, forensic and dioxin analysis. Hans has worked for CTC Analytics AG in Switzerland since 2015, in the development of automated sample preparation workflows. In his current international capacity, Hans is located in Europe and Osaka, Japan.
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<blockquote>
Hans is the author of the popular Wiley <a href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-3527334742.html">“Handbook of GC-MS”</a>, available internationally and already in its third edition in 2015.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
A second newly launched textbook covers the <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Automated+Sample+Preparation%3A+Methods+for+GC+MS+and+LC+MS-p-9783527345076">automated solutions for sample preparation for GC-MC and LC-MS</a>
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Presenter: Chiew Mei Chong (Application Specialist, CTC Analytics AG)
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Chiew Mei Chong , graduated from the National University of Singapore, Department of Chemistry. She started as a Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry specialist in Shimadzu. In 2016, she joined CTC Analytics and based in Zwingen, Switzerland for 2 years. Currently, she bases in the CTC Analytics&#39; Singapore laboratory, developing fully automated sample preparation workflows, including the online Liquid-Liquid Extraction, µ-Solid Phase Extraction, online derivatization, SPME Arrow, Headspace and ITEX Dynamic Headspace. 
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<blockquote>
Presenter: Gwen Lim (Specialist for automated sample preparation, CTC Analytics)
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Gwen graduated as analytical chemist from University of Science, Malaysia in Penang, Malaysia, and she is a Member (MMIC) of Malaysian Institute of Chemistry.She first started working at analytical laboratory on blood samples analysis in bioavailability and bioequivalence studies. In 2007 she changed her career into analytical instrument application support; mainly focused on chromatography and mass spectrometry. Since then, she has been supporting various laboratories on analytical methods, specifically on food safety, environmental monitoring, drug analysis (forensic &amp; narcotics) and chemical QC control. Gwen joined CTC Analytics AG in 2018; developing automated sample preparation workflows. Currently she is located in Singapore under CTC Analytics Asia.
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Moderator: Dora Wells (Editoral Team, SelectScience)
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Dora studied biomedical science at the University of Manchester, UK, and as a member of the editorial team, plays an integral role in helping to shape the content on SelectScience.
</blockquote>

Unsplash/Arjun MJ: Automated sample preparation for pesticides using QuEChERS extraction and cleanup

Automated sample preparation for pesticides using QuEChERS extraction and cleanup

Modern regulations put emphasis on analytical methods that are capable of separating critical analyte pairs for identification and quantitation. To meet experimental separation goals and exceed regulatory requirements, new gas chromatography (GC) column selectivities are now essential.
In this webinar, Dr. Ramkumar Dhandapani will explore advances in GC column selectivity and provide method development tips to help solve challenging chromatographic problems. A variety of important and popular analytical methods will be explored for environmental and food applications, including:
<ul>
<li>Fast, single-column separation of dioxins, substituted furans, and PCBs</li>
<li>Fast analysis of PAHs and PCBs using unique GC column selectivity</li>
<li>Lifetime evaluation with challenging matrix extending column lifetime</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key learning objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Learn about new GC solutions for environmental and food testing of persistent organic pollutant (POPs)</li>
<li>Learn how to utilize novel GC column selectivities during method development</li>
<li>Evaluate new GC column selectivities to test for dioxins, PAHs, and semi-volatiles by GC-MS</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who should attend?</h3>
<ul>
<li>GC and GC-MS method development scientists that are interested in optimizing POP methods</li>
<li>Scientists in environmental and food testing labs that are looking to increase the performance and productivity of their GC analytical methods</li>
<li>Chromatographers who are looking to improve their current PAH, PCB, dioxin GC methods with an alternative column or technique for faster and more effective separation</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr. Ramkumar Dhandapani (Global Product Manager - Gas Chromatography, Phenomenex)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Ramkumar Dhandapani has been in the chromatography industry for over 17 years, with hands-on and troubleshooting chromatography experience. He has earnt a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Seton Hall University, with specialization in microextractions, multidimensional chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy techniques. He has developed and validated several regulatory compliant methods in pharmaceutical, food, fuels and environmental industries, as well as incorporated method improvement and troubleshooting across a range of separation techniques. Dr. Dhandapani joined Phenomenex in August of 2014 and he serves as a Global Product Manager. In addition to managing the GC product line, Dr. Dhandapani presents on innovations in gas chromatography at various chromatography conferences.
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<blockquote>
Presenter: Blake Forman (Editorial Team, SelectScience)
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Blake studied chemistry at the University of Surrey, UK, and further went on to study a master’s in chemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. Blake has previously worked in the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) lab at LGC and as a technical sales specialist for Waters. As a member of the Editorial team, he now plays an integral role in shaping the content on SelectScience.
</blockquote>

Unsplash/Towfiqu barbhuiya: Utilizing new and unique GC column selectivities for optimal separation of dioxins, PCBs, and PAHs in environmental and food matrices

Utilizing new and unique GC column selectivities for optimal separation of dioxins, PCBs, and PAHs in environmental and food matrices

New technologies and methods are continually pushing the field of metabolomics by expanding the metabolite landscape interrogated within a single sample. One exciting approach is to exploit and integrate the orthogonality of both liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC), coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometers, into a metabolomics workflow. In this presentation, Dr. John A. Bowden, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, will examine a diverse suite of reference materials using a multi-platform metabolomics approach. Utility of the multi-platform metabolomics approach will be explored for the analysis of a novel in vitro gastrointestinal model to assess the effects of ubiquitous chemicals on the microbiome. Measurement of emerging volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will also be discussed.
<h3>Key learning objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Learn how to implement metabolomics experiments for both gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry using the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 mass spectrometer and Thermo Scientific Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer</li>
<li>Learn how high-resolution accurate mass data can provide broader coverage and a deeper understanding of samples, including detection of merging compounds</li>
<li>Learn how in vitro techniques can be used to assess the effects of ubiquitous chemicals on the microbiome</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who should attend?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Research scientists with a focus on metabolomics, exposomics and emerging contaminants</li>
<li>Analytical chemists</li>
<li>Laboratory managers</li>
<li>Gas and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry users</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr. John Bowden (Assistant Professor, University of Florida)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. John A. Bowden is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida (UF). He also has a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry and has affiliations with the Center for Human and Environmental Toxicology and the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure &amp; Environment. He received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from UF under the guidance of Dr. Richard A. Yost in 2009. After a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Saint Louis University, he joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as an NIST/NRC postdoctoral fellow in 2011, working at the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, SC, where he would later serve as a research chemist until 2018. In his current position, his research is focused on employing novel mass spectrometric methods at the chem/bio interface, with an expanding interest in the fields of metabolomics, lipidomics and exposomics.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr. Juan Henao (Lipidomics Scientist, BERG Health)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Juan Henao is a Lipidomics Scientist at BERG Health in Framingham, MA, USA. He completed his PhD at the University of Waterloo in Nutritional Lipidomics with Dr. Ken Stark, as well as a Postdoctoral position at the University of Florida with Dr. John Bowden. Juan’s expertise is in method development using LCMS and GCMS for lipidomics, metabolomics and environmental contaminants. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Moderator: Sarah Thomas (Editorial Team, SelectScience)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Sarah studied biology at the University of Bath, UK, and has worked in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis. As a member of the Editorial team, Sarah plays an integral role in shaping the content on SelectScience.
</blockquote>

SelectScience: A multi-platform metabolomics approach for exposure science using mass spectrometry

A multi-platform metabolomics approach for exposure science using mass spectrometry

Since 2005, GERSTEL has sponsored a regular Applications Seminar in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, where users talk about their lab challenges and how they use advances in sample prep and introduction solve their problems. Due to the current COVID situation the 2021 Seminar took place in a virtual format.
Now we are extending this symposium to an international level and organizing an additional seminar in English.
At the seminar, users and partners with practical experience will be informed first-hand about the use of GERSTEL devices and systems in their everyday laboratory work and applications. The range of topics extends from the currently hotly debated determination of PFAS an Mycotoxines, through the possibilities of method optimization in the dynamic headspace (DHS), the very fast measurement of contanimants in Air from &quot;gas-collection-tubes&quot; and the automatic standard-preparation for a variety of laboratory tasks.
<h3>Programm:</h3>
<h4>08:50 a.m. : Welcome</h4>
<h4>09:00 a.m. : State-of-the-art Sample preparation techniques for Flavor Analysis</h4>
<ul>
<li>Presenter: Christoph Devos / RIC | Group</li>
</ul>
Food and beverage companies rely on accurate and detailed aroma profiling to deliver high-quality products with consistent key flavour compound profiles and to develop new products. Quality and reliability of aroma analysis by capillary gas chromatography (GC) is greatly affected by the applied sample preparation technique. Conventional solvent-based extraction techniques can now be miniaturized and automated, but still suffer sometimes from severe matrix contamination resulting in poor chromatographic performance. New GC technologies can be implemented to avoid such matrix influence on performance.
Solvent-based extraction techniques are also increasingly being replaced by solventless techniques, such as dynamic headspace sampling (DHS), which is suitable for the characterization of aromas in food and beverages. The technique can also be fully automated and delivers full aroma profiling covering a wide volatility range due to less selectivity than other headspace enrichment techniques. Besides the principle of DHS, the flexibility of working in different DHS modes and the high sensitivity that can be reached with DHS enrichment, it will be shown how to successfully implement DHS for aroma profiling purposes depending on the type of food matrix and the volatility range that needs to be covered. 
<h5>09:30 a.m. : The secret power of your GERSTEL MPS: automated liquid handling and its many applications</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presenter: Camilla Liscio / Anatune Ltd</li>
</ul>
Automation is getting more and more established in the analytical community. In fact, autosamplers are a constant presence in any analytical laboratory. The GERSTEL MPS is amongst them, being successfully employed by many GERSTEL users. Nevertheless, the use of the MPS is often limited to sample introduction tasks such as headspace sampling, injection and thermal desorption leaving unexplored a whole array of additional capabilities which could bring valuable benefits to your laboratory workflows.
Automated liquid handling is the very foundation of every successful automated sample preparation. How can you harness this unexploited power of your MPS? You can start with the basis. Accurate preparation of stock and calibration standards is crucial to achieve reliable and reproducible analytical results. However, this process is often time consuming and sometimes biased by human error. Automated standard preparation can deliver results at least as good as those obtained by an experienced analyst while removing the possibility of human error and improving batch-to-batch reproducibility, with GERSTEL Maestro Software featuring several options for the liquid handling fine tuning.
But there is more.
In this talk we will outline the foundation of successful liquid handling, giving an overview of the different applications, from the preparation of your calibration curve to more complex sample preparation workflows. 
<h5>10:00 a.m. : Confined Space entry monitoring - and how can this be automated</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presenter: Andreas Koblitz / Ineos</li>
</ul>
In order to be able to enter tanks and columns of a production plants for inspections and maintenance, it is necessary to check the air in these parts for composition and contaminants. For this purpose, gas samples are taken, which are then analyzed in the laboratory.
The official requirements will change in the near future, so that the measurement technology must be adapted to these more stringent measurement values. In this presentation it will be shown which sample introduction technique is used to transfer the air sample from the gas collection tube into the SYFT-MS, and that the automated measurement results are available in a very short time.
<h5>10:30 a.m. : Automated sample preparation in the field of LC-MS - online SPE and LLE on some example applications</h5>
<ul>
<li>Presenter: Thomas Brandsch / GERSTEL</li>
</ul>
An LC-MS measurement is often preceded by an extraction, which results in enrichment of the analytes and/or purification of an extract. There are various possibilities for automating a solid-phase or liquid/liquid extraction. Some of them are shown by the example of the analysis of glyphosate, PFAS and mycotoxins.

GERSTEL: International GERSTEL Symposium 2021

International GERSTEL Symposium 2021

The Agilent 8355 SCD is a major advance in sulfur chemiluminescence detection, with improved technology that is more reliable and easier to use. It is highly sensitive and specific with a simplified burner design.
<h3>In this webinar, we will review:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Sulfur detection techniques while focusing on the Operating principle of the SCD</li>
<li>Latest information on Agilent 8355 SCD &amp; Applications</li>
<li>Agilent innovations that are available to our SCD and GC customers</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Abbey Fausett (Application Specialist, Agilent Technologies)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Abbey Fausett is an Application Chemist within Agilent’s Gas Phase Separation Division. Abbey was an Agilent customer for nearly 10 years, before joining Agilent in 2011. She has held various roles within the company, including Field Service Engineer and the GC representative on AFO’s RSS team. She has been a chemist with the GC marketing group for 4 years and enjoys the marketing functions of collecting experience and feedback, along with the infusion of that information into new products and associated collateral.
</blockquote>

Agilent Technologies: Analyzing Sulfur-containing Compounds with Enhanced Sensitivity and Reliability with the 8355 SCD

Analyzing Sulfur-containing Compounds with Enhanced Sensitivity and Reliability with the 8355 SCD

To meet experimental separation goals and exceed regulatory requirements, new gas chromatography (GC) column selectivities are now essential.
In this presentation, you will explore advances in GC column selectivity to help solve challenging chromatographic problems. A variety of important and popular analytical methods will be explored, including Fast, single-column separation of dioxins, substituted furans and PCB, Fast analysis of PAH and PCBs using unique GC column selectivity, Lifetime evaluation with challenging matrix extending column lifetime.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Rahela Banu (Business Development Manager - Gas Chromatography India)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Rahela Banu holds a master’s degree in Micro Biology from Osmania University. She worked as a Microbiologist in Royal life sciences doing analysis of FAME by Gas chromatography from various microbial samples. Later started working with Merck as Patient Support counselor. After successful 3 years stint with them she moved to Phenomenex. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
She started as an Application specialist with Gas Chromatography; Being the sole person to handle GC technique entirely for 10 years, Rahela has gained vast experience in handling customer Applications/Inquiries catering to wide extended market segments. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Rahela has traveled extensively through all parts of India reaching customers of various segments working with GC/HPLC/SPE technique as Industry Specialist; Having visited manufacturing plant of Phenomenex Torrance unit Rahela works very closely with GC developing team making a bridge between advanced technologies and customer applications. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Currently she is working as a Business Development Manager at Phenomenex India and is responsible for Seminars/webinars/training&#39;s/Global coordination/market development in all product lines that goes into this applied market segment PAN India.
</blockquote>

Restek: GC Solutions for Food & Environmental Industry

GC Solutions for Food & Environmental Industry

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive is considered one of the most complex regulations. Since its recent amendment to include 4 phthalate esters and expanded the scope of applicable products, the need for continual compliance has been an uphill task.
With the evolving landscape in the RoHS Directive, our expert team will provide rapid screening strategy to determine whether the sample has passed or failed the test. Using Shimadzu’s analytical solutions, including EDXRF and Py-GCMS, the screening workflow can be simplified and performed with confidence regardless of the user’s skills level
<h3>Learning Objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>EDXRF and Py-GCMS are ideal solutions for screening of all ten restricted substances</li>
<li>EDX-7200 fully supports various directives with exclusive screening analysis kits</li>
<li>Py-Screener ver.2 has even faster capabilities and is easy to operate regardless of the user&#39;s skills level</li>
<li>Shimadzu&#39;s analytical solutions for both screening and determination in RoHS (II) compliance</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Tan Teck Beng (Product Manager (Scientific), Shimadzu Asia Pacific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Tan Teck Beng is the Product Manager for Scientific Instrument in Shimadzu Asia Pacific. He has been providing application support for OES, XRF, XRD, EPMA, SPM and ESCA for the past 20 years. He has conducted numerous Application Seminars and Workshops on Materials Characterization/Failure Analysis/Restriction of Hazardous Substances in countries supported by Shimadzu Asia Pacific. The countries where he has conducted include Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Singapore. He is currently providing Application and Technical Support for Shimadzu Scientific Instruments for more than 200 companies in Asia Pacific Region utilizing shimadzu scientific instruments. He has an MSc degree in Materials Science from the National University of Singapore. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Cynthia Lahey (Assistant Manager (Centre for Application Solutions), Shimadzu Asia Pacific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Cynthia obtained her MSc in Chemistry at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore. She started working with GC and GCMS in Shimadzu (Asia Pacific) in 2003, including various techniques such as headspace, SPME, thermal desorption, and pyrolyzer. She has delivered numerous GC &amp; GCMS training courses and developed application notes for Shimadzu. Cynthia has also participated in international seminars, workshops, and conferences as a speaker.
</blockquote>

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