How are you feeling about PFAS regulation right now? If you’re like us, you probably find it hard to pinpoint one specific feeling. But if we took a look at the current state of affairs, we’d all probably agree that it’s a minefield of uncertainty. Under the Safe...
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Maximize NPS analysis with accurate mass spectrometry
LC-MS/MS is a powerful analytical tool in forensic toxicology testing that can support a variety of testing regimes such as screening, confirmation and quantitative workflows. More specifically, analysis of NPS using LC-MS/MS provides many advantages, including the ability to reliably detect new drugs and their metabolites from a variety of biological matrices.
Unlock the benefits of nominal mass spectrometry for NPS analysis
The development of analytical methods for the detection and quantitation of drugs and metabolites in a range of biological matrices is a challenging process. Forensic toxicology labs need a reproducible and reliable methodology to ensure the robustness of the data and the quality of the results. They also need robust and sensitive instrumentation that can detect drugs at trace levels with high specificity, especially when it comes to novel psychoactive substances (NPS), which can be difficult to monitor and control.
What has the Echo® MS system done for the pharma industry? (And don’t just take our word for it!)
SCIEX was very proud to have an illustration of the Acoustic Ejection Mass Spectrometry (AEMS) technology that powers the Echo® MS system on the front cover of the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry in January 2023. The associated article—Ultrahigh-Throughput Intact Protein Analysis with Acoustic Ejection Mass Spectrometry—was co-authored by scientists from SCIEX and Merck.
Back to the new basics: Part 1 | Making the leap from GC-MS to LC-MS
Producing accurate results quickly in a demanding environment is no easy feat for analytical scientists. What’s more, many of us are constantly questioning ourselves—I certainly am—about whether we are employing the best technique for the analysis at hand.
It’s an overwhelming thought, considering the wide range of tools that are available to choose from, each of which offers varying levels of capacity, sensitivity, selectivity, specificity and cost. How do you meet the unique needs of your organization without breaking the bank? I get it, and I’m not here to convince you it’s easy. My aim is to guide you through the process to help you make the right decision for you.
How does automatic calibration work on the QTOF, TripleTOF and ZenoTOF systems?
When you think about calibration of a mass spectrometer, there are actually two aspects to consider. There is the accuracy of the calibration (that it is correct when calibration is performed) and the stability or precision of the mass calibration (that it remains...
What is SWATH acquisition and what are the critical acquisition attributes?
In data-independent acquisition strategies like SWATH acquisition, an expanded mass isolation window is stepped across a mass range covering the mass-to-charge (m/z) distribution of peptides and a full scan MS/MS spectrum is collected at each step. Post-acquisition,...
Controlling the M5 MicroLC system with SCIEX OS software using contact closure
Contact closure can be used to control external devices that are not directly controlled by SCIEX OS software. A sample batch is first created in the SCIEX OS software for MS acquisition, and then a similar batch is created on an external LC device with the required...
The risky business of aflatoxins in milk
If you’re in the dairy or food testing business, you know the threat aflatoxins pose. Aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus parasiticus, aspergillus flavus , and rarely aspergillus nomius.1 These are likely the most extensively researched group of mycotoxins because of their adverse health effects.2 What’s more, they are widely found in a variety of crops, namely maize, tree nuts, and spices. Believed to be primarily caused by rising temperatures and humidity, these naturally occurring fungi grow on crops in the field, or during storage of feed and raw materials, where they can potentially produce toxins that enter the food chain.
Intabio acquisition expands SCIEX portfolio of impactful solutions to accelerate biotherapeutic development
Due to the nature of their production, biotherapeutics are difficult to manufacture. Growth conditions, purification protocols and formulation requirements can introduce unintended modifications into the protein structure that may affect its efficacy and safety.
Breaking down the SCIEX Triple Quad™ 7500 LC-MS/MS System – QTRAP® Ready
Sensitivity and robustness carry different meanings in the world of mass spectrometry. Generally, sensitivity refers to an instrument’s ability to achieve lower limits of detection (LOD). Robustness, on the other hand, refers to an instrument’s ability to consistently...
The Key to Measuring Chemical Dyes in Food is LC-MS/MS
Adding colorful dyes to food is nothing new. In the early 19th century, for example, it wasn’t uncommon for manufacturers to add chalk to white bread, thicken milk with a lead compound, and inject red dye into meat in the quest for a fresher appearance1. Fast forward to the 21st century, however, and along with mass spectrometry, food standards have come a long way. Foods now must pass muster according to standards set by government regulators or else risk fines and punishment which can be costly for the manufacturer. To support these measures, are agencies such as the US-FDA, EFSA, and others which have banned some colors due to their toxic and carcinogenic nature which brings me to mass spectrometry analysis. Discover more when you read the following application note, “LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Food Contaminants,” in which researchers used the ExionLC AD with a Phenomenex Column for sample separation followed by MS/MS detection with the SCIEX X500R QTOF system.
What is your Method for Separating Challenging Polar Molecules?
From small ions like phosphate, herbicide degradation to metabolites, oligosaccharides, peptides, and proteins. How is your lab analyzing polar molecules? The reason I ask is there is a saying, if you have a charged or polar molecule, look to capillary electrophoresis (CE) first. While liquid chromatography (LC) is an ideal front-end separation tool for many types of molecules, as the following poster points out, “From Small to Very Large, Orthogonal, Sensitive Polar Molecule Analysis by CESI-MS,” there are some situations that call for CE over LC analysis. For those of you that are not familiar with CESI-MS, it is the combining of CE separation with electrospray ionization, into one dynamic process, within the same device.
The Trouble with PFAS in Drinking Water
There has been a string of news articles concerning polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water these days, and I must say, they have my attention. Here is the thing, when you think of drinking water in the United States, for example, crystal clear lakes, rivers, and groundwater along with effective water treatment come to mind. On the flip side, as safe, some supplies may be there are communities such as that of Flint, Michigan, which have been dealing with lead filled pipes for far too long. Contamination was so bad there that residents were provided bottled water for drinking purposes as the state decided who was responsible for replacing the affected water lines.
SWATH Acquisition – Master of All Trades
SWATH® Acquisition is an innovative strategy for acquiring data on a TripleTOF® mass spectrometer. In a previous blog, we learned how SWATH works. Now let’s learn what it can do for different applications:
The Power Behind LC-MS for Quantifying mAb Therapeutics
Quantitation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in biological fluids is important during all stages of antibody drug development. First developed in the 1970s, therapeutic mAbs have both research and medicinal impact as they can be used for diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of diseases, and have a high level of specificity.
Data Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry with the Power of SWATH
There are many different methods in use today to acquire data on a mass spectrometer, but few have generated as much buzz in recent years as SWATH technology. First reported 5 years ago by Ruedi Aebersold and his group1, SWATH® Acquisition on a TripleTOF® instrument has rapidly become one of the premier acquisition strategies for identification and quantitation of complex samples. But what exactly is SWATH and why is it so powerful? In order to answer these questions, let’s first take a step back and look at the larger picture.
Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling and the SCIEX 6500+: A Pre-Clinical Case Study for the Biotherapeutic Exenatide
In an effort to Replace, Refine, and Reduce the number of animals used for pre-clinical research, several microsampling strategies have been implemented which allow for the consolidation of satellite TK and main study groups. In addition to the ethical gains driven by these 3Rs, microsampling has the potential of increasing scientific value since it becomes feasible to directly correlate exposure, toxicological effects and pharmacological response in the same individual
Say Goodbye to MetID Headaches, Say Hello to Automated Large Molecule Catabolism Processing
Is your mind swimming with large molecule catabolism data? Do you spend hours manually processing through complex spreadsheets to match your data with theoretical biologic catabolites? Are you wasting precious time by drawing out and processing your therapeutic peptide as a small molecule? Are you worried that you could be missing something?
Using the X500R QTOF System and SCIEX OS to Identify and Quantify Food Residues
Farmers use pesticides to protect crops from insects and disease as pesticides are necessary to create the volume of food that our population requires. Without them, we would not be able to grow enough crops to feed the world—they are a necessary evil. Government agencies such the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and pesticide manufacturers, however, work hard to educate farmers on how to minimize their use. However, sometimes farmers add too much which leaves a residue. Upon harvest, farmers wash the fruit and vegetables. Once complete the crop then makes its way to the wholesaler and eventually, the supermarket. Even so, there may still be pesticide residue on the produce, which is why government agencies randomly pull produce from store shelves for testing of maximum residual limits (MRLs) and we are encouraged to wash our food before consuming it
The World Has its Eyes on Precision Medicine
What if we could understand and then treat diseases on an individualized level, in a way that was tuned to a person’s individual biology? Not in a futuristic, ‘wave a high-tech scanner across a person’s body’ way, but in a legitimate ’I can run a lab test and know the best action to take’ way. This is the promise of Precision Medicine, to deliver the right treatment to the right patient, at the right time, predicting more accurately which treatments will work for certain groups of patients, in contrast to the pervasive one-size-fits-all approach. More specifically, if we could provide a comprehensive report at the molecular level of an individual (based on genome, proteome, or metabolome profiles), a physician could be much better informed to make optimal treatment decisions. And if we could track these profiles over time, a person could adjust their lifestyle to focus on long-term wellness.
Setting Records with Fast Glycan Technology
There is a lot of talk going around in the lab, and it has to do with the newly released Fast Glycan Labeling and Analysis technology. Where once research analysts needed to set aside days to perform glycan analysis, now takes an hour or so. Glycans are immediately identified by the software – so no need for data interpretation. That’s up to 5x faster than HILIC.
Confidently Screen For Your Usual Suspects—Plus Those That May Be Lurking Within Your Food Sample
The demand on labs throughout the world to run their triple quadrupole mass spectrometers to maximum capacity is ever increasing. Instruments are often operated continuously to ensure regulatory screening requirements are satisfied for targeted pesticides, mycotoxins, and veterinary drugs. Whether you are a commercial lab or a food manufacturer, the quality of the data you acquire is vital to your business. You must be certain that the last batch of strawberries you tested conform to pesticides regulations—your targeted list of usual suspects.
Turning up the Speed on Forensic Toxicology Screening and Quantitation
Working in a forensic lab means technicians want super high-quality data in ultra-fast time. Yet, how do you go about detecting an unlimited number of analytes without re-injecting the sample all while new targeted compounds are being added to the screened panel? In the following application note, “Ultra-Fast Forensic Toxicological Screening and Quantitation in Under 3 Minutes Using SCIEX X500R QTOF System and SCIEX OS 1.0 Software,” researchers set out to achieve a fast method that could detect an unlimited number of analytes with all information afforded mass accuracy, LC retention time, and MS/MS spectral library matching.
What Food Safety Trends are Coming This Year?
As we settle into 2017, I can’t help but reflect on the previous year’s food safety. Take for example the legislative changes meant to contain contamination outbreaks like those happening in places like China, Singapore, and New Zealand. Over the past year, we have developed new methods that detect antibiotics in poultry feed, LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Contaminants, and help set food standards in China. All the while developing more sophisticated technology to keep up with testing demands.
Never Stop Learning with SCIEX University
Did you know that when you log into SCIEXUniversity, you have 24/7 access to educational tools? Simply click on the Support from SCIEX.com and select SCIEXUniversity. Here you will find more than 100 newly revamped courses developed by in-house experts, scientists, and researchers who, just like you, are interested in the next scientific breakthrough. Whether you are a beginner mass spec user or have years of experience, these online and on-site courses are designed with you, the user, in mind. What is more is that the course catalog offers self-paced training and certification programs to help you get better acquainted with software, instrumentation, and workflows
Fast and Simultaneous Analysis of Ethanol Metabolites and Barbiturates
While most analytes in forensic applications analyze well with positive ionization, there are analytes that show better ionization efficiency with negative ionization, for example, acidic compounds. These analytes include ethanol metabolites such as ethyl glucuronide (ETG), ethyl sulfate (ETS), and the barbiturates such as amobarbital, butabarbital, butalbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, and secobarbital.
It’s a Point and Click World with the X500B QTOF System for Biologics Characterization
Did you know the X500B QTOF system makes point and click workflows for Biologics Characterization possible on your mass spectrometer? The newly-designed SCIEX OS software interface brings to life fluid navigation and ease of use so you can keep moving forward on your scientific discoveries. In fact, it’s so simple to learn and operate that you and your team can be up and running faster than you might expect.
PPCP Detection in Drinkwater is no Match for the QTRAP® 5500
SCIEX is no stranger to drinking water analysis, and the Environmental Compendium once again addresses the topic in an application note which covers LC-MS/MS with Fast Polarity Switching. Using the QTRAP® 5500, researchers were able to detect a large panel of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCP’s) while performing fast positive/negative switching all from a single injection. Method details go the distance in this application note, as five experiments were called into action for comparison.
From Extraction to Cleanup—Measuring Mycotoxins from Cornmeal Products
When we look at emerging food trends for this coming year, you may be surprised to find that the US cornmeal market is making headlines as it is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of two percent by 20201. This is the type of news that excites us, scientists, as it reminds us why we test for things like mycotoxins in cornmeal and the impact such analysis has on farmers and food manufacturers.
See How Easy It Can Be to Get Expert Results for Biologics Characterization
Learning a new mass spec system can be a daunting task. Aside from the opportunity costs of training new users, you might face the hassle of downtime, and the wait to get expert help when needed. The X500B QTOF system puts a new spin on biologics characterization workflows because it is so easy to learn and operate that you can be up and running much faster than you expect. Powerful new software tools dramatically streamline method development and data processing, to enable everyone in your lab to get expert results. It’s fast because it’s easy, even for new users.