The Chicago Chromatography Discussion Group invites you to an in-person Dinner Meeting

Speaker: Dr. Jay Gandhi, Ph.D., Vertical Market Manager, Metrohm USA, Inc.

Title: Combustion Ion Chromatography

Location: Westwood Tavern Schaumburg, IL

Date: Thursday, April 18th, 2024

Time: 6pm – 9pm

REGISTER HERE

Join us for a dinner and networking event Thursday April 18, 2024, at the Westwood Tavern in Schaumburg, IL. The topics discussed will cover sample prep techniques for non-targeted analysis of PFAS using combustion ion chromatography. Due to their environmental persistence and potential implications on human health, the analysis of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in the environment remains critical. Targeted analysis using LC-MS/MS has long been the analytical method of choice, due to its high sensitivity and specificity. With more than 3000 potential PFAS-type compounds, targeted analysis does not always allow for the assessment of the total impact of these compounds. Because of this, there has been increasing interest by regulatory committees in non-targeted analysis techniques, such as quantifying total organic fluorine (TOF), as a PFAS impact assessment. Combustion Ion Chromatography, or CIC, allows for the sensitive quantitation of TOF, ranging from single ppb to percent levels. In this technique, samples are combusted in a high temperature oven, where organofluorine bonds are broken to produce HF, which is subsequently absorbed into solution and analyzed by IC for fluorine. Prior to analysis by IC, inorganic, or free fluoride must be separated from the sample to prevent interference. A variety of techniques exist to accomplish removal of inorganic fluoride, such as the AOF (adsorbable organic fluorine) method, which captures organofluorine compounds on an activated charcoal bed and allows for removal of free fluoride through a rinsing step. The charcoal can then be analyzed by CIC. Other methods have also been investigated to further improve recovery of TOF, allowing for the non-targeted identification of PFAS compounds ranging from C1-C16+. A comparison of these methods will be presented.

Dr. Gandhi brings 38+ years of proficiency with virtually all analytical instrumentation and the techniques of Environmental, Petrochemical and Pharmaceutical testing and research. In his distinguished career, here are few highlights of his achievements.

1. 1992-1993 – He received a recognition from DuPont Company as non-DuPont employee for completing Recycled Vinyl Acetate project from conception to completion in record 10 months. This saved DuPont $12 million per year.

2. 1994-1998 – At Varian Inc., He received several awards as exemplary employee for outstanding customer service.

3. 2001 – At NASA being a principal investigator for Mars Exploration project, received several awards for Recycling of Water in Space project and several safety awards.

4. Since 2002 – He has shepherded several ASTM and USEPA methods, for example USEPA method 332.0 for “Perchlorate Analysis in water by ICMS”, USEPA Method 218.7 for “Analysis of Hexavalent Chromium in Drinking Water”

5. Currently he is globally involved with development of “Total Fluorine” analysis using Combustion Ion Chromatography (C-IC)

6. Since 2003, Dr. Gandhi is a non-paid adjunct faculty at University of Houston- Clearlake where he enjoys guiding graduate and post graduate students for their independent study program.

7. Loves listening to music of Kenny G, Mozart and Bach.

Dinner Lecture: Emerging Hybrid Separation Techniques for the Analysis of New Psychoactive Substances

The Chicago Chromatography Discussion Group invites you to an in-person Dinner Meeting
Speaker: Professor Ira Lurie Ph.D. Adjunct Professor, Research Professor Department of Forensic Sciences George Washington University


Location: Westwood Tavern Schaumburg, IL
Date: Tuesday December 5th, 2023 Time: 6pm – 9pm

REGISTER HERE

Join us for a dinner and networking event on December 5th, 2023, at the Westwood Tavern in Schaumburg, IL. For screening and confirmation purposes hybrid techniques employing a separation and detection step are routinely employed. In this vein the specificity of analysis depends on the performance of both techniques working in tandem. Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) provide for uncorrelated separations compared to gas chromatography (GC) and thus a complementary technique to gas phase separations which is very useful for the analysis of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), particularly for positional isomers and diastereomers. Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography has been found to outperform UHPLC and GC for the separation of these analytes. The use of flip flop chromatography allows for uncorrelated UHPLC multi-modal separations on the same column without changing the contents of the solvent reservoir. Electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry for several classes of emerging drugs is lacking in the production of molecular ions. Techniques such as cold EI MS coupled to GC, and electrospray ionization (ESI) MS coupled to UHPLC and UHPSFC can overcome this limitation. Electron ionization mass spectrometry can be problematic for distinguishing positional isomers and diastereomers, for which vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detection coupled with GC, and ultraviolet detection coupled to UHPLC, and UHPSFC can offer solutions. The use of a portable LC employing two capillary columns in series with dual wavelength UV detection will be discussed.
Professor Ira Lurie received his BA in chemistry from Queens College in Queens, New York, and his MS in chemistry from Rutgers University, New Brunswick New Jersey. Dr. Lurie received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, under the direction of Professor Peter Schoenmakers, where his thesis described the use of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) for the analysis of seized drugs. He is retired from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration where he served for almost 40 years as both a forensic chemist and a research chemist developing methods liquid phase techniques for drug profiling. During his tenure with the DEA, he served as the agency’s expert in liquid phase separations. Along with Dr. Bob Weinberger Dr. Lurie pioneered the use of capillary electrophoresis for seized drug analysis. Professor Lurie has co-edited a book, authored, or co-authored 7 book chapters and over 80 peer reviewed articles. In this vein, he was recently listed as one of the top 25 most cited authors in forensic science in the United States. Dr. Lurie is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) from whom he was the winner of the 2015 Paul L. Kirk Award, the highest form of recognition from the Criminalistics Section of the AAFS. His research interests include the investigation of novel separation and detection techniques for drug analysis i.e., ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC), multi-modal separations, the use of a portable liquid chromatograph, and gas chromatography (GC) coupled to cold electron ionization mass spectrometry and/or vacuum ultraviolet detection.

Election Results

On May 22, 2023, CCDG held its open board meeting and the following are the results of the election.

President
Stephanie Collins

President Elect
Opens in May 2025

Secretary
Olivia Cavazos

Secretary Elect
Opens in May 2025

Treasurer
Robin Sutka, Ph.D.

Sponsorship Chair
Joe Jones, Ph.D.

Past President
James DeFrancesco, Ph.D.

Awards Chair
Sara Plowman

Communications Chairs
Mary Jones, Vanessa Szul, & Patrick Barth

GC School Chairs
Cole Gardner, Vanessa Szul, & Sara Plowman

LC School Chairs
Rich DeMuro, Adam Dill, & Lori Sandford

Membership Chair
Natasha Banke, Ph.D.

Programs Chair
Madeline Angles

Congratulations to all!

The Changing PFAS Landscape and Upcoming EPA Method 1621

The Chicago Chromatography Discussion Group invites you to an in-person dinner meeting.

Speaker: Dr Shibu Paul, Metrohm USA

Title: The Changing PFAS Landscape and Upcoming

EPA Method 1621

Location: Westwood Tavern Schaumburg, IL

Date: Tuesday March 14, 2023

Time: 6pm – 9pm

REGISTER HERE

Join us for a dinner and networking event Tuesday March 14, 2023, at the Westwood Tavern in Schaumburg, IL. What we know about PFAS compounds is changing every day, as the list of compounds continues to grow and be detected in more products and the environment. Historically, targeted LC-MS/MS methods have been used to detect and quantify a limited list of these compounds, though there is increasing interest in non-targeted methods, which look at total fluorine and give a better picture of the overall impact. The US EPA has acknowledged this shift in thinking with the proposal of method 1621, which screens for adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF) using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). In this talk, details of upcoming method 1621 will be discussed along with an optimized sample prep and CIC solution.

Dr. Shibu Paul, is a Product Specialist, Ion Chromatography at Metrohm USA, and has been with Metrohm for 12 years. Dr Paul has more than 30 years of experience in the food, environmental and instrumentation industries, working in positions from bench chemist to laboratory director. Dr. Paul has a Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry from Cochin University of Science & Technology, India and a master’s degree in business administration (M.B.A.) from the University of South Florida.

CCDG’s Virtual Liquid Chromatography School

CCDG is excited to launch its virtual LC School May 9-13th

Instructor: Merlin K. L. Bicking, PhD

Description: This multi-day course offers sufficient theoretical and practical background to perform independent work in liquid chromatography. Lectures encompass all major areas of liquid chromatography likely to be encountered by workers practicing in the field.

AACC ACCENT® Credit Hours will be awarded to the learner after completion of a short survey at the end of the course. 16 credit hours for the lecture and 2 credit hours for the optional lab. The course will be delivered in half-day sessions, lasting approximately four hours each. Each session involves a live instructor and opportunities for questions and discussion. Course notes will be delivered in PDF format to all students prior to the course.

Virtual Open Board Meeting: Thursday, March 3rd at 6 PM

The Chicago Chromatography Group invites you to its Annual Open Board Meeting.

If you are interested in serving on the board, or just want to learn more about how CCDG works, we would love for you to join us on Thursday, March 3rd at 6 PM.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

*Special Treat: All attendees will receive a Starbucks gift card and a chance for additional prizes.

Posters to Precede Presentation: April 22, 2021 6:00 PM CST

Posters by: Edward G. Franklin, PhD, Technical Director of Chromatography Applications at Regis Technologies, Inc.

HPLC-UV Method Development for Baseline Resolution of 17 Cannabinoids

With ongoing discussions regarding the legalization of marijuana along with great interest in the potential medical benefits of hemp-derived products, there is increasing demand upon the cannabis testing industry for analytical determination of cannabinoid content. Current regulations concerning potency vary by jurisdiction, but usually require testing for the active forms of THC and CBD. In addition to those, California requires testing for the acid forms, THCA and CBDA, along with CBG and CBN. As regulations evolve, and as research interests in minor cannabinoids expand, it is important to have robust analytical methods in place that are capable of meeting needs. Herein, the baseline resolution of 17 cannabinoids by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection is described. Chromatographic method development was performed with particular attention to speed of analysis and means of affecting selectivity for the improved resolution of critical pairs.

Click here to view poster.

Sample Loadability on Coated and Immobilized Polysaccharide-Based CSPs

Chiral stationary phases (CSPs) prepared by coating phenylcarbamate derivatives of amylose and cellulose on supporting silica gels have proven invaluable for the separation and purification of enantiomers in both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). One notable limitation of coated polysaccharide phases is the restricted use of certain organic mobile phases, such as acetone, chloroform, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and toluene. These solvents must be avoided as they can swell or dissolve the polysaccharide and destroy columns packed with coated CSPs. Immobilized versions of the same chiral selectors have expanded the capabilities of these phases to allow for the use of such solvents in analysis and sample purification. For some applications, however, practitioners have observed important differences in selectivity and sample loading capacities between the coated and immobilized versions. Herein, three examples of chiral separations performed using HPLC and SFC are discussed with respect to how these differences may be manifested and overcome or exploited to advantage.

Click here to view poster.

Edward G. Franklin, PhD, Technical Director of Chromatography Applications at Regis Technologies, Inc. Dr. Edward G. Franklin earned a B.S. in Biochemistry in 2006 and M.S. in Forensic Science in 2007 from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2012, he received a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the direction of Dr. James Jorgenson. In over 10 years of HPLC-related experience, he has conducted research ranging from fundamental investigations of the kinetic performance of packed-bed HPLC columns, instrument and column development for ultra-high pressure separations of complex samples, and column stationary phase development for application-specific methods. In his current position as the Technical Director of Chromatography Applications at Regis Technologies, Inc., he develops new products and methods for chromatography solutions related to chiral and achiral separations using reversed-phase, normal phase, and supercritical fluid approaches.

Virtual Meeting: April 22, 2021 6:00 PM CST

CCDG proudly presents Merlin Bicking from ACCTA, Inc. as our speaker for our spring meeting that will take place on WebEx. Please click here for registration.

Your Autosampler Can Make Mixtures and Calibration Standards

Merlin K. L. Bicking, PhD, President and Senior Analytical Scientist, ACCTA, Inc.

We have automated or improved nearly every step in most chromatography methods, except for the preparation of calibration standards. High precision and accuracy methods still require Class A pipets and volumetric flasks, and large volumes of high purity solvents. This presentation will describe a simple procedure that uses a typical HPLC autosampler to prepare single or as multi-component mixtures of calibration standards at multiple levels. The method is most efficient when you have the ability to program the autosampler directly, but there are simple variations that can be developed without such programming. Multiple applications will be shown that demonstrate the ability to prepare standards that match manual preparations. This on-demand procedure has been successfully validated for GMP use and is an excellent alternative for high-cost standards.

Click here to view a poster preview of the presentation.

About the presenter:

Dr. Bicking has extensive analytical chemistry experience in academia, contract research, independent testing laboratories, consulting, and technical training. His professional history includes development of two EPA methods, as well as numerous methods in other regulated and non-regulated industries. His publications and presentations cover a wide range of topics, including liquid chromatography theory, derivatization, method optimization, and the use of experimental design strategies in analytical chemistry. He also develops and presents technical training seminars for analytical laboratory staff. He has been teaching the CCDG LC School for the last four years.

Virtual Meeting: January 20, 2021 6:00 PM CST

CCDG is proud to present Fred Foster from GERSTEL, Inc. as our next speaker. This meeting will take place on WebEx. Please click here for registration.

Automation: The next critical tool for scientists’ survival during the pandemic and during recovery.

Fred Foster, GERSTEL, Inc. Baltimore, MD

The pandemic forced everyone to learn how to continue to be productive while existing in a remote environment. As scientists, we were able to quickly adapt to virtual meetings, web conferences, and online connections, however, our workloads and the samples needing analyzed did not stop. There is still laboratory work to perform that is harder to complete remotely. When the vaccines are available to all, everyone has been vaccinated, and the ever-present “curve” has finally been flattened, the brick-and-mortar work environment will open again. Once that occurs, all the work that was delayed because of shutdowns, partial work weeks, and working from home will be waiting for all of us. We will need a way to do a lot more with less resources. That is why automating as much as possible will be critical.

This seminar, given in the first month of what will hopefully be the year in which we see the light at the end of the tunnel, will discuss how GERSTEL helps its customers automate their sample preparation and sample introduction methods in order increase throughput, get through the backlog of samples, and ultimately free up resources when they are needed most. The MPS roboticPRO is a highly efficient LC or GC autosampler with extended robotic functionality. It provides reliable processing of complex tasks including automation of liquid-liquid and solid phase extraction procedures and as well as other liquid handling methods.  Syringe holders and syringes are integrated in special syringe modules, which can be exchanged automatically within a running sequence when using the MPS roboticPRO for maximum flexibility. The entire system is controlled using the proven GERSTEL MAESTRO software in a simple and efficient manner.  Examples of some of the automated sample preparation options and how they are used to provide increased productivity will be highlighted.

Fredrick D. Foster, GERSTEL, Inc., 701 Digital Dr., Suite J, Linthicum, MD 21090, USA

Contact details: fdfoster@gerstelus.com 

About the presenter:

Fredrick D. Foster received his B.S in Chemistry from Juniata College and his M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Foster has more than 25 years experience in analytical and bio-analytical method development and analysis, working closely with industry and various U.S. Federal and State agencies. Application fields include clinical, food safety and environmental analysis, mainly based on HPLC and LC-MS/MS. Mr. Foster currently works as an Applications Scientist for GERSTEL, Inc. located in Baltimore, MD, helping to develop, demonstrate and train customers on automated sample preparation methods coupled to either HPLC or LC/MS/MS.