GEN-MKT-18-7897-A
Jun 3, 2016 | Blogs, Forensic | 0 comments
The importance of protecting a country’s border is a very topical issue. The war on drugs and terror is a 24/7 task 366 days a year (2016 is a leap year). The government agencies in charge must be vigilant and maintain instrumentation to prevent terrorism, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. Mass Spectrometry is rapidly becoming the instrument of choice for border agencies throughout the world when it comes to explosive trace detection and forensic drug compounds.
In a recent paper in the Journal of Forensic Science1, a comprehensive evaluation using Mass Spectrometry for the trace detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, C-4, Semtex-H, Datasheet, and HMTD was conducted.
The technology employed in this study was a SCIEX API 3200™ System Mass Spectrometer coupled with the Scentinel system, a thermal desorption and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source, engineered by the trace forensic analysis experts at Mass Spec Analytical based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The unique feature of this technique is that it is a chromatography-free analytical solution. There is no need for intensive sample prep or LC gradient. The sample is introduced to the source and produces a response in a very short period. The findings of this evaluation concluded that,“The direct analysis by mass spectrometry using the Scentinel transformed the traditional day-long quantification analysis of solvent extraction chromatography to minutes, eliminated sample loss, and allowed the transfer efficiency to be quantified for every test surface used.”
The Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) requirement for testing explosives detectors is just one such application that could be carried out using this configuration. For more information on the forensic drug screening visit SCIEX.com and discover more about the forensic drug screening services from Mass Spec Analytical.
The latest solution for forensic analyte testing from SCIEX is the X500R QTOF System, an instrument that has been specifically engineered based on the requirements of forensic scientists throughout the world. To accompany the SCIEX OS software we have produced a comprehensive acquired High-Resolution Mass Spec Library, click here for more information about a free trial and XIC list.
1.Tam, M.; Pilon, P. and Zaknoun, H. of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) entitled “Quantified explosives transfer on surfaces for the evaluation of trace detection equipment”
For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
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As an analytical strategy, middle-down mass spectrometry (MS) workflows characterize biotherapeutic proteins by analyzing large, digested protein fragments or defined subunits, rather than fully intact proteins (top-down) or digested peptides (bottom-up). A middle-down strategy combines the strengths of top-down and bottom-up approaches by delivering high sequence coverage and structural specificity while maintaining relatively simple sample preparation. In practice, middle-down analysis enables accurate mass measurement, rapid sequence confirmation, and localization of key post-translational modifications (PTMs) on protein subunits that are directly relevant to product quality.
In biopharmaceutical development, sequence variants (SV) are considered an inherent risk of producing complex proteins in living systems. Sequence variants are unintended changes to the amino acid sequence of a biotherapeutic and can be caused by errors in transcription or translation in the host cell, or cell culture and process conditions. Detailed analysis of SVs is important in process and product development to ensure the drug’s safety and efficacy. Even low‑level sequence variants can have significant implications for product quality, safety, and efficacy, making their accurate detection and characterization a critical requirement across development, process optimization, and regulatory submission.
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