<blockquote>Welcome back to the topic of protecting your GC column! If you missed <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/article/6766">part 1</a> or would like to refresh your knowledge, find further tips on GC column protection <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.phenomenex.com/knowledge-center/gc-knowledge-center/protecting-your-gc-column-pt1-tech-tip-en-1025">here.</a></blockquote>Protecting your GC column and instrument components from exposure to dirty samples or contaminants is important. Non-volatile or high molecular weight components can contaminate the stationary phase, causing poor peak resolution, lower accuracy, and poor column lifetime. Cutting off the damaged portion of column tubing will often restore your column’s performance, but over time performance will degrade to a point where the column can no longer be used. If you are experiencing rapid degradation of column performance, there are several simple ways to help protect your column and increase its lifetime.<h3>Use A Liner With Wool</h3>The liner is the first line of defense for your column, and the style you choose can make a big impact in how much contamination gets onto the column. The easiest thing to do is to add a small amount of silanized glass wool to a liner, which traps the non-volatile compounds and prevents them from entering directly into the column.&nbsp;<blockquote>Caution: glass wool can also add activity for acids, bases, and pesticides. Crushing the glass wool can expose undeactivated glass and free silanols (-OH groups) even if the wool has been deactivated. This leads to increased activity, so pre-packed liners, rather than self-packed ones are highly recommended to avoid reproducibility issues.</blockquote>In addition to choosing a liner with wool, ensure that your liner (and other system consumables) are free of contaminant build-up that may form over time. Septum cores and other particulates that remain can become trapped in the wool and are sometimes difficult to spot. Regularly replace the liner (and other system consumables as needed) to reduce troubleshooting and maintenance.<h3>Bake Out Your Column</h3>The easiest way to reduce column contamination is to add a short, high temperature bake-out at the end of your standard GC method. This bake out helps remove high boiling contaminants that would otherwise remain in the column and cause damage. To bake out, the final oven temperature needs to be set high enough to ensure elution of these compounds, but not so high as to cause thermal damage. This can be done either isothermally, or more commonly, via an oven ramp until the last components elute from the column. Caution: NEVER exceed the upper temperature limits of your column. DO NOT exceed more than fifteen minutes at the upper isothermal temperature limit specified for the column.

How to Protect Your GC Column - Part 2

🎤 Presenter: Christopher Freye (Los Alamos National Laboratory)💾 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/O_1_Freye_10783a9cf3.pdf">PDF presentation</a><h3>Abstract</h3>Two-dimensional gas chromatography (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=2">GC×GC</a>) when coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) especially high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) provides the ideal technique to discover minute chemical changes. However, GC×GC analyses result in extremely large datasets (GBs of information) wherein the statistically significant chemical changes are buried within the background chemical matrix. To combat these issues, many chemometric techniques have been developed or applied. Recently we introduced a new chemometric technique for GC-MS termed alteration analysis (ALA) and two-dimensional correlation (2DCOR) which can be used to discover statistically significant chemical changes across a series of chromatograms and understand the relationship between the statistically relevant changes. ALA generates three sets of information, the basic alteration map (BAM) which is the magnitude of the change, the synchronous alteration map (SAM) which describes the linear change, and the asynchronous alteration map (AAM) which describes the non-linear change. 2DCOR can then be used to understand the relationship between the chemical changes but 2DCOR can also resolve the sequence of the changes. A workflow for GC×GC-MS will be demonstrated. Special attention will be given to what differentiates the GC×GC work flow from GC for both the ALA and 2DCOR.<h3>Video Transcription</h3>The presentation focuses on how advanced mathematical and chemometric methods can be used to extract meaningful information from highly complex chromatographic data, especially in multidimensional chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS, LC-MS).<h4>Why traditional data analysis falls short</h4>Modern multidimensional chromatography generates extremely large datasets, often containing billions of data points. Visual inspection, peak tables, or classical identification-based workflows are impractical—especially when:<ul><li>Samples are highly complex (e.g. petroleum, metabolomics, high explosives)</li><li>Most compounds are unknown unknowns</li><li>The key question is not what the compounds are, but whether samples differ and how</li></ul>Program managers and decision-makers are primarily interested in detecting statistically significant changes, not exhaustive compound identification.<h4>Introduction of Alteration Analysis (ALA)</h4>To address subtle, trend-based changes across series of chromatograms, the speaker introduces Alteration Analysis (ALA), a chemometric approach adapted from spectroscopy and applied to chromatography.ALA quantitatively evaluates how individual data points change across multiple samples, allowing detection of:<ul><li>Extremely subtle trends</li><li>Overlapping peaks</li><li>Changes hidden in noise or baseline interference</li></ul>Key ALA outputs include:<ul><li>BAM (Basic Alteration Map): magnitude of change</li><li>SAM (Systematic Alteration Map): linear changes</li><li>AM (Alteration Map): nonlinear changes</li></ul>Even changes as small as 1% per sample can be detected reliably, including peaks that are heavily overlapped.<h4>Beyond detection: understanding relationships with 2D Correlation</h4>Once statistically significant changes are identified, two-dimensional correlation analysis (2D-COR) is used to understand relationships between changing compounds, including:<ul><li>Whether compounds are correlated or anti-correlated</li><li>The sequence of changes over time (which changes happen first)</li></ul>This is especially critical for degradation and aging studies, where intermediate species may appear and disappear before the final state—information that traditional methods like Fisher ratio or PCA often miss.<h4>Solving GC×GC challenges with tiling</h4>GC×GC data introduces additional challenges due to:<ul><li>Peak misalignment</li><li>Exponential data growth during correlation calculations</li></ul>The presenter explains how tile-based approaches reduce data dimensionality, overcome alignment issues, and make ALA and 2D correlation computationally feasible—even for massive GC×GC-MS datasets.<h4>Real-world application: explosive aging studies</h4>The methodology was applied to aging and decomposition of high explosives, where:<ul><li>Over 250 chemical changes were identified</li><li>Many intermediate species would have been missed using traditional comparisons</li><li>ALA combined with 2D correlation enabled reconstruction of degradation pathways</li><li>The most significant change was not necessarily the first change, a critical insight for risk assessment and stability studies</li></ul><h4>Key takeaway</h4>By combining Alteration Analysis and 2D correlation, the approach:<ul><li>Detects statistically guaranteed chemical changes</li><li>Handles subtle, overlapped, and noisy signals</li><li>Determines magnitude, type, interrelationships, and order of changes</li><li>Shifts chromatographic data analysis from identification-driven to decision-driven</li></ul>This math-driven workflow enables faster, more reliable interpretation of complex chromatographic datasets and provides actionable insights for applications such as explosive aging, pharmaceutical degradation, and complex mixture analysis.<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>

Discovery analysis for GCxGC trends using alteration and 2D correlation (Chris Freye, MDCW 2026)

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezGCMS Library in the week of 9th February 2026? Check out new documents from the field of the gas phase, especially GC and GC/MS techniques!<blockquote>👉 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library">SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT GCMS AND RELATED TECHNIQUES</a></blockquote><blockquote>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezLCMS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezICPMS</a> libraries.</blockquote>This week we bring you technical note by Agilent Technologies, presentation by MDCW / University of Copenhagen and application notes by Shimadzu and Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. Agilent Technologies: What Causes Spots on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?instrumentationItems=19&amp;manufacturerItems=1&amp;search=PLOT">PLOT Columns</a>? Will It Affect the Performance of the Column?</h3><ul><li>Technical note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/te_what_causes_spots_plot_columns_affecting_performance_5994_8775en_agilent_3b7180512a.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Spots on porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns are caused by small voids in the stationary phase coating inside the tube. These spots are areas where there is an uneven coating or lack of phase. It is normal to find some voids in the phase coating of PLOT columns. The stationary phase in PLOT columns is an opaque, solid, and porous material. In many Agilent PLOT columns such as the GS-Alumina phases, molecular sieves, porous polymers (Q and U), and the GS-OxyPLOT, the stationary phase is visible as a white powder. For many PLOT columns, the stationary phase fill solution is a viscous suspension of particles that are less than 10 microns in diameter. The phase is coated using a dynamic process in which a plug of fill solution is pushed through the tubing, and the plug’s speed and viscosity determines the thickness of the stationary phase layer. Once the PLOT’s stationary phase is deposited, it is held in place by electrostatic charge, chemical interactions between particles, and/or binding agents. In wall‑coated open tubular (WCOT) columns, stationary phases such as polysiloxanes or polyethylene glycols are immobilized by chemical bonding to the glass surface and cross-linking between polymer strands. Because this type of bonding and cross‑linking is not possible with PLOT phases, the result is a stationary phase layer that is both fundamentally different and inherently less stable in PLOT columns than in WCOT&nbsp;columns.<h3>2. MDCW / University of Copenhagen: One-shot tensor decomposition of full-scale GC×GC-VUV datasets for resolving petrochemical groups</h3><ul><li>Presentation</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/O_17_Schneide_67c8ff7866.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>The presentation introduces a novel all-samples-at-once, shift-invariant tri-linear tensor decomposition approach for the analysis of full-scale <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?search=GC%C3%97GC-VUV">GC×GC-VUV</a> datasets, aimed at resolving and quantifying petrochemical groups. Traditional template-based or pixel-based methods struggle with retention-time shifts and co-eluting compounds, often requiring manual intervention and prior chemical knowledge. The proposed approach leverages the intrinsic low-rank structure of GC×GC-VUV data to enable robust, automated group-level analysis across multiple samples simultaneously.At the core of the method is a shift-invariant tri-linear model, conceptually related to PARAFAC and multivariate curve resolution, but extended using frequency-domain (FFT-based) modeling to explicitly account for chromatographic peak shifts. By decomposing the entire dataset in one step, the model provides accurate estimates of peak landscapes, VUV spectra, and relative peak areas, while remaining agnostic to retention-time variability. Importantly, the approach requires only a small number of tunable parameters, making it practical for routine use.The method was demonstrated on a case study involving 14 petrochemical gas-oil samples, including straight-run, hydrotreated, hydroconverted, coker, and light cycle oils. Extracted VUV spectra showed excellent agreement with reference spectra from a VUV spectral database, enabling confident assignment of components to chemical groups such as saturates, olefins, and mono- to poly-aromatics. Quantitative results exhibited high repeatability (RSD typically 3–9%) and strong correlation with established template-based reference methods.Overall, the work demonstrates that one-shot, shift-invariant tensor decomposition provides a powerful and scalable alternative to conventional GC×GC data-analysis strategies. By combining chemical interpretability, robustness to chromatographic shifts, and strong quantitative performance, the approach opens new opportunities for automated, high-confidence group-level analysis of complex petrochemical samples and beyond.<h3>3. Shimadzu: Py-Screener Ver. 3: Simultaneously Test for Substances Regulated Under RoHS, TSCA, and POPs</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_01_00949_en_4754e50164.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul><h5>User Benefits</h5><ul><li>In just one analysis, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=3&amp;search=Py-Screener">Py-Screener</a> Ver. 3 can determine levels of phthalate esters, brominated flame retardants (PBBs, PBDEs), PIP (3:1), UV-328, dechlorane plus (DP), short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs).&nbsp;</li><li>It can also test for SCCPs and MCCPs by electron ionization (EI) instead of negative chemical ionization (NCI).&nbsp;</li><li>PIP (3:1), UV-328, DP, and SCCPs and MCCPs can be screened without the need for corresponding reference materials.</li></ul>Countries and regulatory bodies worldwide are introducing increasingly stringent regulations on the chemical substances used in electronic devices and industrial products. The RoHS Directive and REACH regulations in the EU, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the USA, and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are also targeting an increasingly broad range of substances. Therefore, manufacturers are required to accurately identify regulated substances in their products and comply with each regulation. While Py-Screener Ver. 2 can screen for seven phthalate esters and brominated flame retardants, including substances regulated under the RoHS Directive, version 3 can also screen for PIP (3:1), which is regulated under the TSCA, as well as UV328, DP, and SCCPs and MCCPs , which are regulated under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. A list of supported substances isshown in Table 1. This article introduces the simultaneous analysis of multiple regulated substances and a case study of testing specific regulated substances in samples, using Py-Screener Ver. 3.<h4>Analysis Process</h4>Py-Screener Ver. 3 can determine levels of phthalate esters and brominated flame retardants contained in products in accordance with the international analytical standards IEC62321-8 and IEC62321-3-3. It can also test for specific regulated substances (Table 1) under the same conditions and in the same analysis. In this test, background intensity and instrument sensitivity (S/N) were verified before analyzing samples. These parameters are prescribed by IEC62321-8 to ensure the accuracy of the methods used. Background intensity and instrument sensitivity were determined using a reference material (PN: 225-31003- 91) *1 that consisted of a plastic sheet that was spiked with seven phthalate esters. The results met the criteria for both parameters.The testing workflow is shown in Fig. 1. Before testing samples, calibration curves were prepared by analyzing the 1000 mg/kg phthalate ester reference material and polypropylene spiked with brominated flame retardants (ERM-EC591). A hole puncher was used to punch out two discs at a time of the phthalate ester reference material, and a cutter was used to obtain pieces of the other materials. Each material was weighed in a sample cup for analysis. During the analysis of samples, phthalate esters and some of the regulated brominated flame retardants were quantitated using a one-point calibration curve. The remaining brominated flame retardants and specific regulated substances were quantitated using the correction factor database*2 that is included with Py-Screener Ver. 3.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Py-Screener Ver. 3 successfully determined in samples the concentrations of the regulated substances PIP (3:1), UV-328, DP, and SCCPs and MCCPs. Normally, SCCP and MCCP levels are tested using NCI, but Py-Screener Ver. 3 uses EI. This enables it to test for not only SCCPs and MCCPs but also phthalate esters, brominated flame retardants, and other regulated substances in just one analysis. In addition, by using the relative correction factors linked to DEHP in the phthalate ester reference material, the levels of these regulated substances were determined without the need for the corresponding reference materials. Py-Screener Ver. 3 can also create a screening program that addresses substance restrictions under the RoHS Directive, the US TSCA, and the POPs Convention.<h3>4. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Improving low carbon steel production in specialty steel processes</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/prima_pro_process_mass_spectrometer_an1626_7fc840235f.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>World crude steel production reached 1,691 million tonnes in 2017, up by 5.3% compared to 2016.1 While much of this capacity is still produced in primary steel processes such as basic oxygen furnaces and electric arc furnaces, the need for refined steel with greater durability and resistance to heat and corrosion has led to the increased use of vacuum degassing processes, such as VOD and RH, in secondary steel production. These processes are able to achieve ultra-low levels of residual carbon, while at the same time retaining desired levels of other alloy materials. If these processes are to achieve the required level of steel product quality, they need fast, continuous gas analysis of the furnace exhaust gas. Without accurate information on the composition of the gas leaving the furnace, any variations in the decarburization process are only detected after the event, resulting in the production of out-of-specification steel.<h4>Advantages of mass spectrometry&nbsp;</h4>Traditional Non-Dispersive Infra-Red (NDIR) analyzers are used in many conventional steelmaking processes to measure CO and CO2 , but they can only sample at atmospheric pressure. In vacuum steelmaking the process pressure changes dramatically, typically from atmospheric pressure down to less than 1 mbar, over the 20-30 minutes of the melt. So NDIR analyzers have to sample some distance downstream from the process. Analytical data is updated several minutes after the gas leaves the melt and the control system is forced to operate on historic rather than real-time data.&nbsp;Paramagnetic analyzers can be used to measure O2 , while thermal conductivity analyzers can be used to measure H2 . These analyzers also suffer from slow response, while the need to operate three different types of analyzers adds to the plant maintenance burden. Moreover, the three analyzers cannot analyze inert gases, so N2 is calculated by difference, a result that suffers from the sum of the errors of the three analytical techniques.&nbsp;Mass spectrometry operates at high vacuum so it is ideal for monitoring vacuum processes. It is also able to monitor all seven components in Table 1 in seconds rather than minutes, ensuring the plant control model is frequently updated with accurate compositional data.<h4>Precision of analysis&nbsp;</h4>At the heart of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library?manufacturerItems=2&amp;search=Prima+PRO+Mass+Spectrometer">Thermo Scientific™ Prima PRO Mass Spectrometer</a> (MS) is a magnetic sector analyzer which offers unrivalled precision and accuracy compared with other mass spectrometers. Thermo Fisher Scientific manufactures both quadrupole and magnetic sector mass spectrometers; over thirty years of industrial experience have shown the magnetic sector based analyzer offers the best performance for industrial on-line gas analysis.&nbsp;Key advantages of magnetic sector analyzers include improved precision, accuracy, long intervals between calibrations, and resistance to contamination. Typically, analytical precision is between 2 and 10 times better than a quadrupole analyzer, depending on the gases analyzed and complexity of the mixture.&nbsp;A unique feature of the Prima PRO magnet is that it is laminated. Its analysis times are similar to a quadrupole analyzer, offering the unique combination of rapid analysis and high stability. This allows the rapid and extremely stable analysis of an unlimited number of user-defined gases. The scanning magnetic sector is controlled with 24-bit precision using a magnetic flux measuring device for extremely stable mass alignment.&nbsp;The ion source is an enclosed type for high sensitivity, minimum background interference, and maximum contamination resistance. This is a high-energy (1000 eV) analyzer that offers extremely rugged performance in the presence of gases and vapors that have the potential for contaminating the analyzer. Typical performance specifications for the Prima PRO MS are shown in Table 1. Analytical performance is demonstrated by analyzing the calibration bottle over 1 hour following calibration, with an analysis time of just 6 seconds. Standard deviations measured on the calibration cylinder will be equal to or better than the stated values.

News from LabRulezGCMS Library - Week 07, 2026

Article

Application

Academy

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

Phenomenex is a global technology leader committed to developing novel analytical chemistry solutions that solve the separation and purification challenges of researchers in industrial, government and academic laboratories.

Phenomenex

Separation Science

Agilent Technologies

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Restek Corporation

SelectScience

Chromatography can be complicated. Sample preparation is important, but not always used correctly. This webinar will cover some unexpected problems and solutions to generate better data. We will cover topics including peak shape, ghost peaks, tailing peaks, split peaks, missing peaks, variable retention times, high backpressure, instrument contamination, and ion suppression.
We will go over strategies for cleaning up your sample, protecting your column and instrument from sample matrix contamination, and getting reliable, reproducible, and accurate results from your chromatography.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Alex Ucci (Application Engineer, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>

Agilent Technologies: Techniques for Avoiding Unexpected Problems in LC and GC Analysis

Techniques for Avoiding Unexpected Problems in LC and GC Analysis

Peak shape, ghost peaks, tailing peaks, split peaks, missing peaks, variable retention times, high backpressure, instrument contamination, and ion suppression.

Techniques for Avoiding Unexpected Problems in LC and GC

What if we told you that you can now perform Ethylene Oxide (EtO or ETOX) analysis in foodstuffs with minimal to zero sample preparation?
The Agilent GC/MS provides an end-to-end workflow solution to meet your Ethylene Oxide testing requirements so that the samples pass the export regulatory mandate.
Encounter EtO now by registering for this The Lab Central premiere.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Praveen Arya (Application Engineer - GCMS, Agilent Technologies)
</blockquote>

Agilent Technologies: The Encounter: Ethylene Oxide Analysis

The Encounter: Ethylene Oxide Analysis

End-to-end workflow solution to meet your Ethylene Oxide testing requirements so that the samples pass the export regulatory mandate.

This webinar will introduce the innovative use of Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) for Raw Material Verification.
SORS provides an optimal solution for see-through verification, effectively penetrating challenging containers like amber glass and paper bags. The session will spotlight two instruments - Vaya, a handheld system, and Rapid, a portable system - both of which excel in assessing challenging materials. These devices offer a high-throughput, reliable, and convenient solution for RMV, aligning with the strict compliance requirements of the biopharmaceutical industry.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Yanqia Wang, PhD (Application Engineer, Molecular Spectroscopy, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Yanqia Wang started working for Agilent Technologies Inc. as a FTIR application Engineer in 2013, providing pre-&amp;post-sale application support. The products he covers from Bench-top FTIR microscopes to various Mobile FTIR spectrometers. Dr. Wang received his PhD of analytical chemistry from Duke University in 2004, doing dynamic IR spectroscopy research. Then he joined Fitzpatrick Center for Photonics at Duke University, doing Tissue Raman spectrometer instrumentation. Since 2007, Dr. Wang worked for Avery Dennison Corp. as a spectroscopist, providing molecular analytical support to the research &amp; development.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Scott Melis, PhD (Application Scientist, Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Scott Melis has a PHD in Physics from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and started with Agilent in 2021 as a Molecular Spectroscopy Application Scientist. In his graduate work, Scott studied nanoparticle formation and growth for a variety of applications. Projects that he worked with include developing processes to deposit and characterize semiconducting molecular nano-cocrystals for use in optoelectronic devices as well as controlling polymer nanoparticle size through rapid mixing conditions.
</blockquote>

Agilent Technologies: Identification of Raw Materials by a Handheld Instrument in Amber Glass, Paper Bags, and Other Challenging Containers

Identification of Raw Materials by a Handheld Instrument in Amber Glass, Paper Bags, and Other Challenging Containers

Innovative use of Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) for Raw Material Verification.

Identification of Raw Materials by a Handheld Instrument

Dear Orbitrap users,
We are pleased to invite you to our Autumn 2023 version of virtual activities to support our Compound Discoverer (CD) software users.
The workshops are designed to bring beginners up-to-speed with best practices as well as allow advanced users to interact with software experts and enquire how to get the most out of their data. Additionally, two dedicated sessions specialized in Metabolite/drug metabolite Identification (Met ID) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) data analysis will follow.
The content is delivered through online workshops, 2-3 hours each, via MS-Teams. The workshops feature live exercises on pre-distributed data, discussion of CD features, parameters, and optimized settings. The sessions are hands-on and highly interactive, so get the best experience by having CD 3.3 SP2 up and running. <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/cz/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/liquid-chromatography-mass-spectrometry-lc-ms/lc-ms-software/multi-omics-data-analysis/compound-discoverer-software.html">Click HERE</a> to download a free 60-day trial version of the latest Compound Discoverer software release.
The sessions allow ample time for the participants to get their CD-related questions answered in real time. The workshops will be taught in English, but participants can use MS Team`s instant subtitles in their preferred language.
<h5>Specialized data processing:</h5>
<ul>
<li>Met ID: Wednesday 4th October: 10.00 - 13.30 CEST (Berlin time)</li>
<li>GCMS: Thursday 18th October: 10.00 - 13.30 CEST (Berlin time)</li>
</ul>

Thermo Scientific: Compound Discoverer software workshops (Specialized data processing: GCMS)

Compound Discoverer software workshops (Specialized data processing: GCMS)

The workshops are designed to bring beginners up-to-speed with best practices as well as allow advanced users to interact with software experts.

Compound Discoverer software (data processing: GCMS)

In the first half of this webinar Hannah Calder will share how Markes’ thermal desorption (TD) equipment coupled to Agilent’s GC-MS systems can be used for PFAS analysis from air and materials.
The presentation will examine how labs can take existing methodologies for air monitoring and materials testing to expand them to enable the analysis of new environmental contaminants – in this case PFAS. Analysis of PFAS in air and from materials is rapidly gaining momentum with multiple standard methods for monitoring of gas phase species using GC-MS in development globally to complement LC methods already in place.
In the second half of this webinar Markes’ Aaron Davies will discuss how labs can benefit from changing their pool of instruments across to hydrogen carrier gas. The example of US EPA method TO-15 will be used to highlight how the change to hydrogen and using HydroInert — an optimized source for hydrogen carrier gas — enables equivalent performance, a quicker turnaround time for sample analysis, and a significant cost saving. Both Markes Multi-Gas enabled TD instruments and Agilent GC/MS systems are certified safe for use with hydrogen carrier gas. When coupled with the new HydroInert source, mass spectral fidelity is retained and users can continue using existing helium based mass spectral libraries and quantitative methods.
By attending this presentation you will learn about:
<ul>
<li>Methods for monitoring volatile PFAS in air and from materials using thermal desorption-GC-MS
</li>
<li>How incorporating an optimized hydrogen source can help spectral quality and chromatographic performance, and how to save money by switching to hydrogen carrier gas
</li>
</ul>
Who should attend:
<ul>
<li>Researchers interested in monitoring of organic compounds
</li>
<li>Laboratory and project managers specialising in air samples
</li>
<li>GC/MS scientists, analysts, and lab technicians
</li>
<li>Environmental consultants
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Hannah Calder (Environmental Air Market Development Manager, Markes International)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Hannah Calder is Markes International’s Environmental Air Market Development Manager, specializing in the application of thermal desorption in environmental air monitoring. Hannah joined Markes International’s global team of technical experts in 2013 following her Masters degree in Chemistry obtained from Cardiff University. Hannah is active in the development of analytical standards for air monitoring internationally through ASTM and CEN. She has a comprehensive knowledge on the use of thermal desorption as an analytical tool for air analysis and has recently worked on projects for monitoring ozone depleting substances, ozone precursors, air toxics, and PFAS.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Aaron Davies (Commercial Marketing Manager for Thermal Desorption, Markes International)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Aaron Davies is the Commercial Marketing Manager for thermal desorption at Markes International. After graduating from Cardiff and Monash Universities with a PhD in Chemistry, Aaron has worked in industry as a Process and Product Development Chemist, GC GC/MS Product Specialist before finally focusing on his passion for thermal desorption. In his role, Aaron assists customers and partners on the effective use of thermal desorption for simplifying sample preparation and the benefits of using alternative carrier gases (such as hydrogen and nitrogen) to helium.
</blockquote>

LabRulez/AI: Latest advances in GC/MS air analysis workflows: from PFAS to utilizing hydrogen carrier gas

Latest advances in GC/MS air analysis workflows: from PFAS to utilizing hydrogen carrier gas

How Markes’ thermal desorption (TD) equipment coupled to Agilent’s GC-MS systems can be used for PFAS analysis from air and materials.

Latest advances in GC/MS air analysis workflows

Following up from our very successful previous sessions, we are delighted to offer another panel discussion in the ever popular “Ask the Agilent Experts” series.
Have you ever had a question about your GC/GCMS analysis and thought, “I have no idea what to do,” or that since the question seemed so simple, everyone must already know the answer and &quot;Am I the only one who doesn’t know what to do?” We can assure you that you are not alone. 
If you have a question, we can guarantee that you are not the first nor the last person to ask the question. Sometimes the simplest of questions can have the most complex answers. A question about the leaks on your mass spectrometer can lead to a discussion about selecting the proper filaments. A question about troubleshooting a bad injection can lead to a conversation about syringes, plungers, and even vial septa. There’s no such thing as an easy answer because the answer always &#39;depends&#39; on many different factors. 
We will discuss some of the most frequently asked questions about GC and GCMS that we have received, which may seem like simple questions, but they have anything but simple answers as well as new questions that we hope you will submit to us in advance with experts from Agilent as well as from the field.
By attending this presentation you will learn about:
<ul>
<li>Best practices with GC and GC/MS systems – from troubleshooting injections to how leaks can affect your mass spectrometer and why there is not always an easy answer to most GC(MS) questions
</li>
<li>Why different consumables are used for different applications - listen to Agilent scientists discuss the complexities of the most frequently asked questions they receive
</li>
<li>What backflush is and how to set it up
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Vanessa Abercrombie (MFS, GC Applications Chemist, Agilent Technologies)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Vanessa has a broad background in GC and GC/MS, including experience as an instrument chemist at Bode Technology in Virginia working under contract to the FBI’s Laboratory Division. Prior to that, Vanessa worked for ETS Labs in St. Helena, California as an Analytical Chemist where she researched and developed quantitative separations by GC/MS and UHPLC for beer, wine, and spirits. She holds a Masters of Forensic Science from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Sonoma State University.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Samuel Haddad (Ph.D., Application Development Chemist, Agilent Technologies)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Samuel Haddad is a GC Application Development Chemist at Agilent Technologies in Wilmington, Delaware. Samuel specializes in GC and GCMS applications of trace analysis in environmental and heavy matrix samples. His specialty includes sample preparation techniques to separate analytes from matrix components and extraction from a wide variety of matrix including water, fish, aquatic life, soil, and complex fluids. Samuel holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Baylor University and a B.S in Biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Diane Turner (Director &amp; Senior Consultant, Anthias Consulting Ltd)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
A Warwick University graduate, Diane completed her masters in Analytical Chemistry and started her career in environmental chemistry, later gaining significant experience as an Applications Chemist. Diane’s area of research through her PhD studies at The Open University was disease diagnosis. She has developed methods and given support and training for companies in most industries around the world for more than 20 years. Diane holds voluntary roles with The Royal Society of Chemistry and other scientific organizations.
</blockquote>

LabRulez/AI: Ask the Agilent Experts - Part 5: GC and GC/MS Scientists Discuss & Answer Your Most Frequently Questions

Ask the Agilent Experts - Part 5: GC and GC/MS Scientists Discuss & Answer Your Most Frequently Questions

Best practices with GC and GC/MS systems. Why different consumables are used for different applications. What backflush is and how to set it up...

GC and GC/MS Scientists Discuss & Answer Your Questions

Non-alcoholic (NA) and low alcoholic beers (LABs) are growing in demand worldwide. However, dealcoholization or arrested fermentation leads to changes in the overall aroma and flavor profiles compared to full strength (FS) beer analogues.
This webinar Dr. Tiffany Crawford, Kalsec Inc., Megan Harper, GERSTEL, Inc., and Matt Curtis, Agilent will discuss a semi-targeted method developed using DHS-GC-MS technology that allows for the improvement of NA beer flavor through the addition of specialized hops products. They will also examine the use of GC-MS-O technology to determine the source of off-odors in a plant extract matrix. A brief overview of the GERSTEL dynamic headspace (DHS), Thermal Desorption Unit (TDU), and olfactory detection port (ODP) systems will be highlighted in order to understand their contributions to this work. The Agilent 7250 GC/QToF functionality will also be reviewed, along with the software tools e.g. SureMass feature-finding and MassProfiler Professional.
Key learning objectives
<ul>
<li>Understand the analytical challenges in the determination of off-flavors and off-odors in complex matrices
</li>
<li>Discover how a combination of GERSTEL and Agilent instrumentation and software can improve analysis for food and beverage applications
</li>
<li>Explore how analytical techniques can be used to identify and solve sensory issues in food products
</li>
</ul>
Who should attend?
<ul>
<li>Chemists and lab managers from contract testing labs and the food and beverage industry</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Dr. Tiffany Crawford (Lead Scientist 1: Hops, Kalsec Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dr. Tiffany Crawford works for Kalsec Inc. as a lead scientist in the hops business unit. In her role, she develops methods using GC-MS and LC-MS technology for the detection of small molecules of interest in different food matrices. She holds a Ph.D in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Megan Harper (Applications Scientist I, GERSTEL, Inc.)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Megan Harper works for GERSTEL, Inc. as an Applications Scientist. In her role, she applies her knowledge of GC-MS and sample extraction and introduction techniques to help solve complex problems for customers across the USA.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Matt Curtis (GCMS Application Scientist, Agilent)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Matt Curtis joined Agilent in 2013 as a GC/MS applications scientist in the Santa Clara, CA Center of Excellence. His primary responsibility is providing instrument demonstrations 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 samples submitted to the demo lab provides a unique knowledge of optimizing parameters for different applications to provide the best quality data from the instrument.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Ellen Simms (Editorial Team, SelectScience)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Ellen studied biological sciences at the University of the West of England, UK, before completing a master&#39;s in epidemiology from the University of Bristol. As a member of the Editorial team, she now plays an integral role in shaping the content on SelectScience.
</blockquote>

SelectScience: GC-MS solutions for sensory analysis in non-alcoholic beers

GC-MS solutions for sensory analysis in non-alcoholic beers

Semi-targeted method developed using DHS-GC-MS technology that allows for the improvement of NA beer flavor through the addition of specialized hops products.

Choosing the right LIMS is a challenge, but it can be accomplished with sufficient research and strong compatibility between your organization’s needs and the functionality of the software.
Once companies have selected the right LIMS, they will need to embark on the next stage of their journey – implementation. It is imperative that your implementation project is successful and efficient, driven by the strategic partnership and common goals that you and your vendor have established.
In this webinar, we will discuss how to achieve a successful laboratory software installation:
<ul>
<li>Consider resources - a successful project needs key stakeholder involvement. What&#39;s usually expected from a customer? Who should be involved, and how much time will they need to commit?
</li>
<li>What are you looking to solve? You will have thought about this while selecting your solution, but you must revisit this to ensure you stay on track and understand the true scope of your project.
</li>
<li>Key LIMS project management considerations - Keep things simple, know your scope, work in phases. We&#39;ll cover all the common pitfalls of lab software projects and how to avoid them.
</li>
<li>Looking ahead. Your LIMS project doesn&#39;t stop when you go live. How can you ensure ongoing success through the life of your LIMS?
</li>
</ul>
By attending this presentation, you will:
<ul>
<li>learn how to elevate your laboratory with a successful LIMS implementation
</li>
<li>understand the important aspects of the implementation journey
</li>
<li>see how a successful implementation can ensure ongoing success for your organization
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Anand Radhakrishnan (Services Manager – Digital Science Solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Anand Radhakrishnan is the Services Manager for the Digital Solutions division at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Anand has an extensive background in customer relations and implementation strategies among life sciences and R&amp;D organizations. He joined Thermo Fisher in 2018 as a Senior Global Customer Success Manager, ensuring implementations of LIMS across customers, and transitioned to a Services Manager leading the Digital Solutions technical implementation team in September 2020. In his current role, he leads a team of specialists as they support technical implementation of LIMS in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and quality control laboratories to execute the customer’s R&amp;D digital transformation strategy. Anand has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, an M.Sc in Molecular Biology from the International Max Planck Research School, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Malaya.
</blockquote>

Separation Science: Elevate your lab: How to manage a successful LIMS implementation

Elevate your lab: How to manage a successful LIMS implementation

How to achieve a successful laboratory software installation.

How to manage a successful LIMS implementation

In the world of GC, helium is the long standing “go to” carrier gas for most GC applications, but the variable price and uncertain supply over recent years is driving laboratories to consider alternatives such as hydrogen.
But when transitioning to hydrogen carrier gas what is the impact on method performance and what about the safety concerns? In this webinar, our GC&amp;GC-MS experts Daniela Cavagnino and Adam Ladak will answer these questions, including how your helium consumption can be significantly reduced if moving to hydrogen is just not an option. This webinar is your opportunity to get real world solutions to this challenge and to learn more.
We want to hear from you - Please send us your questions in advance during registration or anytime via email to analyze.eu@thermofisher.com. This will allow the team to group incoming questions under common topics. 
You will also be able to submit questions during the live session, through the Q&amp;A chat function. If we don’t get to your question during the webinar, we will reach out to you afterwards. We look forward to some great engagement and to enable you to be fully up to speed with regards carrier gas alternatives.
<blockquote>
Presenter: Daniela Cavagnino (Product Marketing Manager GC&amp;GC-MS, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Adam Ladak (Global Product Marketing Manager GC Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>

Thermo Scientific: Is it time to consider an alternative GC carrier gas?

Is it time to consider an alternative GC carrier gas?

How your helium consumption can be significantly reduced if moving to hydrogen is just not an option.

The air space between soil particles can be filled with a variety of gasses. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated soil or groundwater can diffuse into the soil gas.
Unlike in the atmosphere, soil gas cannot quickly diffuse out, resulting in potentially higher VOC concentrations than in ambient air. Further, groundwater flow can spread soil gas contamination over a large area, and soil gas migration can lead to vapor intrusion into buildings, exposing occupants to VOCs and related health hazards. 
This webinar will provide an overview of soil gas collection and analysis, including sampling techniques (e.g., canisters and thermal desorption tubes) and vapor intrusion testing basic strategies.
These topics will be presented on: 
<ul>
<li>Learn about soil gas and vapor intrusion monitoring.
</li>
<li>Understand the different techniques used for analysis.
</li>
<li>Learn how to collect and analyze these types of samples.
</li>
</ul>

Restek: Soil Gas and Vapor Intrusion Sampling

Soil Gas and Vapor Intrusion Sampling

Overview of soil gas collection and analysis, including sampling techniques and vapor intrusion testing basic strategies.