The Column - February 2009 - (Page 9)

February 2009 www.thecolumn.eu.com The Column News News a 250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm column to an Acclaim 100 × 2.1 mm, 2.2 µm column saves 92% of eluent and provides 95% of the resolution of the original method.1 As well as methods and products to reduce acetonitrile use, experts suggest recycling the leftovers or replacing it when possible with other solvents such as methanol. However, in the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are reminding analytical scientists working to GLP/GMP that changing solvents should not be undertaken lightly, as it can incur a great deal of paperwork and delays.2 According to Thermo Fisher Scientific, the remaining supply is only going to continue to deteriorate as a major acrylonitrile manufacturer shut down its plant in January and February for upgrades. As a result extreme shortages are expected in the first quarter of 20093 and the earliest that they expect supply to return to near normal levels is the second half of 2009. It may not all be doom and gloom though; Steve Westcott, managing director of Melbourn Scientific has been encouraging clients to consider “green chemistry” for some years and sees the shortage of acetonitrile as the spur the industry needs to reconsider its selection of solvents. Using newer techniques such as ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) or new HALO column technology apparently uses smaller volumes of solvent and generates data more quickly. Running on empty The world of analytical science finds itself in the middle of an acetonitrile shortage, which has been going on since last year and looks likely to continue for much of 2009. Acetonitrile is a common solvent, central to many analytical and prep-sized chromatography systems but after an unfortunate turn of events, suppliers are rationing remaining stocks as they begin to run out. When the Chinese government shut down factories for the Olympics the country’s acetonitrile production dropped significantly. A month later, Hurricane Ike hit the US Gulf Coast and a facility there was shut down. On top of that, the economic downturn has meant less demand for new cars. As acrylonitrile is a chemical component of car bumpers and acetonitrile is a by-product of its production, far less of the solvent is being produced. Dionex is among the companies suggesting solutions to the shortage; the company says that by switching from Reference 1. http://www.dionex.com/en-us/ webdocs/69741_Dionex-SeparationSolutions-Acetonitrile-Dec08.pdf http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ Howweregulate/Medicines/Medicinesregulatorynews/CON036276 http://www.separatedbyexperience. com/pages/pages.php?page=acetonitrile 2. 3. Looking for lactose Milk is an intricate mixture of fat globules and protein in an aqueous solution of lactose minerals and other components. Its physical characteristics are affected by several factors including its composition and processing. The measurement of these characteristics is used to evaluate the quality of milk products. As a major carbohydrate in milk, lactose is especially important. It contributes to the sensory and functional properties as well as making up part of the solids content on which the milk’s economic value is based. The AOAC official method for determining lactose in milk (984.15) is complex and time consuming, as it requires several different reagents, two of which must be prepared weekly. ESA Biosciences claims that by using standard HPLC with Corona charged aerosol detection (CAD), it has developed a simple rapid and accurate method for the determination of lactose in milk. The greater sensitivity of CAD allowed lactose determination at a 1:100 (v/v) dilution of the milk sample in eight minutes. For more information visit the company’s website at http://www.esainc.com/ Link: www.esainc.com 9 http://www.thecolumn.eu.com http://www.dionex.com/en-us/webdocs/69741_Dionex-Separation-Solutions-Acetonitrile-Dec08.pdf http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate/Medicines/Medicinesregulatorynews/CON036276 http://www.separatedbyexperience.com/pages/pages.php?page=acetonitrile http://www.esainc.com/ http://www.esainc.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Column - February 2009

The Column - February 2009
Contents
Rapid Sample Preparation Technique for the Extraction of Dioxins and Furans from Animal Tissue and Animal Feed Using Pressurized Fluid Extraction
News
Incognito
Market Trends and Analysis
Tips and Tricks: GPC/SEC
Multi-residue Pesticide Analysis in Foods Using Modified QuEChERS Extraction and Ion Trap GC–MSn Analysis
Quantification of Protein Phosphorylation Using Chip-based LC–MS
A New Perspective on the Challenges of Mass Spectrometry
Q&A

The Column - February 2009