Fully Automated uSPE / QuEChERS Workflows

• Widespread use and persistence of PFAS has led to ubiquitous detection in water, soil, air, and living organisms.
• US EPA Method 1633 is intended for analysis of PFAS in aqueous, solid and tissue samples using LCMS/ MS at part-per-trillion concentrations.
• This method involves significant sample preparation and purification steps prior to instrumental analysis, leading to bottlenecks in sample processing.
• We have developed a fully automated, online μSPE-LC-MS/MS workflow based on a customized LC TriPlus RSH SMART Advanced system for high-throughput analysis of PFAS in environmental samples following EPA Method 1633 guidelines

Gas Chromatography coupled with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (GC/TQ) offers a robust and sensitive method for
detecting volatile PFAS. However, manual sample preparation could pose a bottleneck, impacting lab productivity. This study presents a robust and fully automated method using the PAL3 platform with GC/TQ for quantifying more than 30 volatile PFAS in FCMs, such as paper coffee cups. The automation approach minimizes human error, improving reliability
and reproducibility for routine analysis and safety assessments of PFAS in FCMs.

Automated, Green, and Efficient
A Compendium on Micromethods in Analytical Sample Preparation

Discover robust, precise, and reliable analytical methods while following the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry in various fields such as Food & Food Safety, Environmental, Clinical, Life Science, and Chemical.

This eBook explores the potential of uSPE to transform analytical workflows. It highlights the key benefits of uSPE, compares it with traditional techniques and examines its application across various industries. This resource provides a comprehensive guide for scientists and lab managers looking to optimize their sample preparation processes, achieve higher precision and embrace sustainable practices in analytical chemistry.

To support the scientific community and advance PFAS analysis we are proud to offer a webinar on this topic.

Key topics:

• PFAS Fundamentals: Learn about the chemistry and significance of PFAS compounds.
• Sample Preparation Challenges: Understand current hurdles, regulations and best practices in PFAS extraction and purification.
• Automated LC/MS Workflows: Get an overview on automated workflows and see how PAL System integrates with LC/MS to optimize sample preparation and injection.
• Deep Dive: Explore online SPE for PFAS analysis.

Recent developments in pesticides analysis extend the well-established methods to higher productivity and reliability while minimizing consumption and exposition to harmful chemicals. A workflow was developed that allows automatic preparation of calibration standards, automatic sample dilution, and automatic clean-up of sample extracts on one instrument, showing that miniaturized automated solutions are reducing errors, improving analytical consistency and protecting the environment in one convenient approach.

Presented by:

Thomi Preiswerk, Senior Account Manager, CTC Analytics AG

Gwen Lim , Specialist for automated sample preparation, CTC Analytics

Ederina Ninga, Postdoc, Research Group for Analytical Food Chemistry, Danish Technical University 

Micro-SPE (uSPE) emerged as an automated green micromethod for sample preparation and clean-up in food safety, proteomics, forensic, environmental and analysis since more than ten years. Applications are wideranging and cover drugs, environmental contaminants, and, in particular, the extract clean-up in multiresidue pesticide analysis. The automation of the uSPE sample preparation steps led to the desired standardization of the applied sorbent materials for extract clean-up for the large variety of food commodities, an increase in sample throughput, and the welcome potential for offline and online hyphenation with GC/MS, LC/MS or even IC analysis.

This report presents for the first time the application of uSPE for the clean-up of the raw extracts using ethyl acetate as extraction solvent for pesticides from different also more complex food commodities.

See this detailed video of the uSPE workflow for the clean-up of raw pesticides extract. The PAL uSPE Cartridge is operated in scavenger mode eluting the pesticides in a clean extract. The matrix is kept on the sorbent material. The cleaned extract can be injected without waiting time online for LC/MS or GC/MS analysis. All samples are treated on the same time axis for highest reliability.

Discover our Toolbox

Sample Prep and Injection

Chiew Mei Chong1, Hans-Joachim Hübschmann2

1 CTC Analytics Pte. Ltd., Singapore.
2 HANS Analytical Solutions, Osaka, Japan.