Trends shaping global environmental analytical testing by Craig Butt | 0 CommentsThe only certainty in a changing environmental landscape Despite a 38-fold increase in environmental laws put in place around the world since 1972, the future of our planet is under the spotlight like never before. Mitigating climate change has arrived as our world's...
Mass spectrometry as a forensic science tool in 2020 by Pierre Negri | 0 Comments There’s no doubt about it: forensics is at the front line of the criminal justice system. It’s where analytical chemistry has the power to fight crimes. It’s fascinating! But what excites me is how quickly things change and the speed of innovation. Just think about...
Microflow for metabolite ID: a win all around by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsOver the last several years there has been a slow and steady progression within the LC-MS community to move traditional high-flow applications to lower flow rates. In particular, moving into the microflow regime has proven to be a simple adjustment in methodology that...
A year of cannabis in Canada. Where are we and what’s next? by Paul Winkler | 0 CommentsIt’s been a momentous year for the cannabis industry in Canada. Not only did the country legalize cannabis with the Canadian cannabis law in October 2018, but it has also taken a giant leap in setting up a multi-billion dollar market from scratch. The progress made...
Pharma perspectives: The influence of LC-MS innovation on drug development outsourcing by Kean Woodmansey | Blogs, Pharma, ZenoTOF 7600 systemIt is no secret that (bio)pharmaceutical research and development is complex, both scientific and regulatory processes. Working for a contract research organization and more recently for SCIEX has provided an interesting perspective on trends the market experiences that affect many of us.
Overcoming uncertainty in your PFAS analysis by Karl Oetjen | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialJust like gum on the bottom of a shoe, the existence of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in our environment is a sticky one. If you’re in the field of environmental testing, then you’re all too familiar with the threat these substances have on public health. While we have learned a lot about them over the years, there is still much more to understand. With the right detection methods, we can gather the information we need to empower us to make informed decisions on reducing the risks they impose.
Maximize NPS analysis with accurate mass spectrometry by Pierre Negri | Blogs, Forensic, SCIEX OS software, Toxicology, ZenoTOF 7600 systemLC-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 by Pierre Negri | Blogs, Clinical, Forensic, QTRAP / Triple Quad, ToxicologyThe 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!) by Kirsten Craven | Blogs, Discovery, Echo® MS+ system, PharmaSCIEX 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 by Alex Liu | Biopharma, Blogs, Clinical, Environmental / Industrial, Food / Beverage, Forensic, Life Science Research, PharmaProducing 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? by Christie Hunter | Data acquisition, QTOF, SCIEX information, Technology, ZenoTOF 7600 systemWhen 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? by Christie Hunter | Data acquisition, Food / Beverage, Food and Beverage, Forensic, Fundamentals, Life Science Research, Metabolomics, OneOmics, Pharma, Proteomics, QTOF, SCIEX information, Toxicology, ZenoTOF 7600 systemIn 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 by Christie Hunter | Biopharma, Data acquisition, LC, Pharma, SCIEX informationContact 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 by Robert Di Lorenzo | Blogs, Food / BeverageIf 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.
Phthalates: The Everywhere Chemical That’s Hard to See, Not Anymore with LC-MS/MS by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageA few months back, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a technical report on the use of chemicals in food processing and the negative health effects on children. One of the main culprits is phthalates. The 411 of PhthalatesPhthalates are esters of phthalic...
The SCIEX Software Roadmap – The Journey Towards Windows 10 Compatibility is Complete by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Software, TechnologyAt SCIEX we are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date tools and technologies to meet the evolving needs of the laboratory. As part of that commitment, we were introducing our software product roadmap towards Windows 10 compatibility back in 2017. Many of...
10 Minutes in One Shot. That’s How Quickly You Can Screen 664 Forensics Compounds by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicDrug testing is a moving target. As novel psychoactive substances (NPS) rapidly emerge as a new class of designer stimulants (DS), global use has reached an all-time high over the last decade. Supposedly ‘legal’ alternatives to internationally controlled drugs, these...
Turbocharge THC-COOH Hair Analysis with Super Sensitive LC-MS/MS and Solid Phase Extraction by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicDo you want a more efficient workflow for the forensic analysis of THC-COOH in hair samples? Yes! Do we know a simple, highly sensitive technique? You bet! Read on to find out how you can detect THC-COOH in hair down to 0.2 pg/mg trace concentration levels with...
Fast Novel Psychoactive Substance Testing, At Your Fingertips by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicWhy Dried Blood Spot Analysis Is the Way to Go for Novel Psychoactive Substances(And Why You Need This SCIEX LC-MS/MS Method) Anyone with children will remember that moment in the hospital when the nurse pricks the heel of your tiny new baby to squeeze out a few drops...
Take 5 with Dan Blake – 5 Minutes, 5 Questions on the World of Clinical Mass Spec by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ClinicalWe would like to formally (or informally) introduce the new SCIEX Clinical Diagnostics blog series entitled, Take 5. Every couple of months we will ask a member of our team to answer five questions and share their responses in a format you can read in five minutes. We...
The Technology Behind Safe, Legal Cannabis by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageThe Third in a Three-Part Series Part 1: Cannabis is Legal in Canada - How Did We Get Here? Part 2: Canada's Focus on Cannabis Quality and Safety Intensifies Welcome to the third in a series of blogs from the cannabis team at SCIEX, designed to bring you up to speed...
What is Multi Attribute Methodology (MAM)? by SCIEX Community | Biopharma, BlogsQ&A with Sean McCarthy Global Market Manager, Biologics, SCIEX MAM is an acronym for Multiple Attribute Method. In short, MAM is a method which may be applied for characterization of a biotherapeutic to understand its sequence, identify liabilities, identify...
New Methods for N-Glycan Sequencing Provide Structural Information in as Little as 1 Hour by SCIEX Community | Biopharma, BlogsAs interest in N-glycan analysis grows within the biopharma industry, innovation continues allowing analyses to be done in less time with fewer and less tedious, sample preparation steps. One of these recent innovations was the release of the SCIEX Fast Glycan...
When Chiral Separation Turns Tricky: The Story Behind CESI-MS in Forensic Chiral Analysis by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicAgainst a backdrop of rapid growth, chirality plays a major role in the synthesis of drugs in both pharmaceutical and illicit drug development. In fact, more than half of the drugs currently in use are chiral compounds, available as either racemates or pure...
Cannabis is Legal in Canada – How Did We Get Here? by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageThe First in a Three-Part Series Welcome to the first in a series of blogs from the cannabis team at SCIEX, designed to bring you up to speed and put you in the lead of the recently legalized cannabis market in Canada. The Canadian cannabis market has taken the plunge...
Pathway to Success: Young Metabolomics Researchers Named in The Analytical Scientist’s Power List by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Life Science Research, Metabolomics The direct correlation of the metabolome to the phenotype means metabolomics is one of the most sought-after approaches for the study of disease and wellness, yet the separation, detection, quantification, and unambiguous identification of a chemically diverse...
3 Dicamba Analysis Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Today by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Environmental / Industrial, Food / BeverageWe blinked and the last two years went in a flash. It seems like just yesterday, the Dicamba herbicide controversy hit the headlines in 2016 and the EPA set the regulations to expire in two years. Fast forward to today. Dicamba is an acid herbicide used to kill...
Don’t Be a Food Scandal Scapegoat. Fight Back with LC-MS/MS for Your Meat Authenticity Testing by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageThe infamous horsemeat scandal of 2013 shined a spotlight on the questionable integrity of our meat supply. What followed was a lengthy investigation as the extent of the scandal unraveled before our eyes, reaching far beyond the European borders...
It’s Time to Turn Things Around―Faster and Accurate Mass Analysis of Organic Explosives by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicSadly, the world is a volatile place. The threat of organic explosive use by terrorists and criminals is very much with us, posing a significant danger to people worldwide. The rising concern for public safety is a top priority for national security organizations...
Push Your Research to the Cutting Edge: 2018 Global CESI-MS Symposium by Kelly May | Biopharma, Blogs, Life Science Research There are a lot of conferences vying for your attention every year. The Global CESI-MS Symposium on October 10-11 in the Netherlands is one you can’t afford to miss. It is the place to hear about the latest advancements made through the adoption of CESI-MS...
Break the routine: SCIEX OS-MQ improves your quantitation workflows by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Software, Technology Advances in today’s technology have resulted in a need for higher and faster sample throughput, with increasing number of measured analytes per sample. The new SCIEX OS-MQ software breaks the routine and takes quantitation workflows to a new level. Key features...
Stop Fumbling Around in the Dark: Try LC-MS/MS for Designer Drugs in Forensic Samples by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ForensicImagine being blindfolded, sent into a large (dark) room filled with obstacles and challenged to find an item, but you don’t know what that item is, and you have never seen it before. Then you must do the same again the next day, but you are looking for a different...
Something’s in the Water: Tackle Your PFAS Analysis by Craig Butt | Blogs, Environmental / IndustrialExposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) residues could be dangerous. These chemicals have been linked to a variety of adverse health effects including liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression,...
5 Reasons Why Mass Spec is Transforming Clinical Labs by SCIEX Community | Blogs, ClinicalAccording to the American Clinical Laboratory Association, more than 7 billion clinical lab tests are performed in the U.S. every year. While mass spectrometry represents only a fraction of the clinical applications, there are a growing number of tests where mass...