This Week’s Mass Spec News
Henry Thomas | | 2 min read | News
Credit: Adobe Stock
Worth Your Time
Biomarker detection for Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) diagnosis made possible by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Link
A method using headspace solid-phase microextraction fiber derivatization (HS-SPME-FD) coupled with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-TQ/MS) determines 18 flavor-related carbonyl compounds in roasted lamb. Link
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) reveals 34 chemical attribution signatures (CASs) of nordiazepam – a diazepam precursor. Link
Valentine Ananikov and colleagues introduce a machine learning (ML)-powered search engine for terra-scale high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data analysis. Link
Using a mutant zebrafish model, researchers explore the metabolomic and lipidomic profile of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Link
The Analytical Scientist Presents:
Enjoying yourself? There's plenty more where that came from! Our weekly Mass Spec Newsletter brings you the most popular stories as they unfold, chosen by our fantastic Editorial team!
Essential Reading
Trends and Challenges in Nitrosamine Testing: Part Three – Building a Method
Following part two’s exploration of the analytical challenges involved in nitrosamine testing, our experts reveal whether they believe current technologies are adequate for nitrosamine analysis, as well as offering their top tips for building a method for analysis from scratch.
“While top-end mass spectrometers are often capable of reaching the low levels of detection required, methods also exist in which preconcentration of the analyte is possible. There have been quite a few publications showing the utility of solid phase extraction (SPE) in concentrating n-nitrosamines to enable detection of very dilute samples. This is particularly useful in cases when liquid formulations are used and the concentration of analytes is already low in the drug product before being diluted into an HPLC/MS friendly diluent…” - Kevin Parker
(Mass) Spectacular and Strange
From Tusk ‘til Dawn
Strontium isotope analysis is a geochemical tool that helps scientists trace the prior movements of animals. As they roam, animals absorb local strontium signatures from the plants and water in their environment – the chemical clues being locked into their growing teeth.
Enter Misha – a female African savannah elephant and star of a recent study from the University of Utah. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on samples of one of Misha’s tusks and teeth, a research team successfully mapped shifts in strontium isotope ratios that aligned perfectly with Misha’s known relocation from California’s Six Flags Discovery Kingdom to Utah’s Hogle Zoo in 2005.
The findings validate the team’s microsampling and modeling workflow, which they hope can be used to reconstruct seasonal migrations of both modern and extinct herbivores. In a recent press release, co-author Katya Podkovyroff commented that the “most rewarding aspect of this project was its broader implications beyond a single case study: it has applications in modern conservation efforts, with the ability to trace the origins of illegal ivory trade."
Deputy Editor of The Analytical Scientist
