Exposure to real-life applications of quantitative analysis techniques based on two gas chromatography (GC) experiments was provided to a large cohort of sophomore-level students. In one experiment, students assessed blood alcohol content by internal standardization using a homemade headspace system similar to methods implemented in forensic laboratories. In a second GC experiment, students found the amount of an odorous terpene present in store-bought essential oils through the technique of standard additions. Students learned the importance of standardization techniques, sample handling, and the use of chromatography in modern analytical applications.
Due
to the widespread abuse of opioids in recent years, the development
of quick and reliable methods for analyzing compounds such as fentanyl
and its derivatives is increasingly important. Ahead of online mass
spectrometric analysis, field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry
(FAIMS) has previously been used for rapid ion prefiltering and demonstrated
significantly improved peak capacity with the addition of vapor modifiers
to the carrier gas. The application of FAIMS-mass spectrometry (MS)
in the analysis of fentanyl and related compounds is presented herein
with the use of a water vapor modifier. The inclusion of the water
vapor modifier to the FAIMS methodology is made more robust with the
incorporation of a humidity sensor. A dramatic improvement in the
separation of fentanyl, alfentanil, 4-aminophenyl-1-phenethylpiperidine
(4-ANPP), norfentanyl, and heroin has been achieved, and the ability
to distinguish the isobars in a mixture, alfentanil and ortho-isopropyl
furanyl fentanyl, is demonstrated without lengthy chromatography.
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