Environmental and Food Mass Spectrometry User Meeting – Environmental Spotlight

Martin Perkins

24th January 2017

Agilent, Automation, Environmental, Food, Jeff Stubbs, User Meeting, Water, Workshop,


Coming up between the 7th and 9th February is the Agilent Environmental and Food Mass Spectrometry User Meeting, which is being held in Manchester.

If you have read my previous posts about this seminar, you’ll know its my favourite of the year.  I’ve had a good look into the environmental content and in this blog, I want to share with you my thoughts on some of the program.

From what I have heard from our friends in Agilent, registrations are coming in thick and fast, but if you are still undecided, maybe reading on may help.

First up is Rob Carter’s talk from the Environment Agency – Automated Microextraction and Analysis of Priority Pollutants by HES 5977 GC/MSD.

Element and Agilent have both been involved in this fantastic collaborative project.  It’s been amazing to see how the sensitivity of the latest technology from Agilent can make big differences in how we approach a well-adopted technique such as Liquid-Liquid Extraction.  I am sure this will be well received as automated microextraction is going to be a hot topic of discussion during the seminar.

Next is ALS Wakefield’s Dave Evans with his presentation – Routine and Accredited Metaldehyde Quantitation with Screening by LC/QToF.

Using a tool such as a High Resolution Accurate Mass LC/QToF Mass Spectrometer to not only be able to screen water samples, but also as a targeted analyser is definitely an approach I can see being adopted industry-wide.  Dave and his team now have the all-important UKAS accreditation and the capability to use this as a routine tool and also when samples need checking for a wider range of compounds.  Confidence in these results can be further enhanced with the accurate mass capability, and I am interested to hear all about this one.

Continuing the screening theme is the presentation from Josie Wilott, South East Water Scientific Services – Implementation of a Water Screening Solution utilizing Unknowns Analysis and SureTarget  Software Tools.

I am really excited to find out about this as having this in the Agilent toolbox when I was working in the lab would have been an absolute time-saver and made things much simpler.  These will be aspects that we will be incorporating into our new applications to further enhance the productivity gains we already offer.

Debbie Loftus-Holden from Affinity Water presents – Treatment Plant Online Pollutant Monitoring by GC/MS – Operational Control.

Another collaborative Agilent/Element project, this time with Affinity Water.  Installing a GC/MS onto a water treatment works to operate unattended to provide pesticide results quickly and reliably is proving to be a potential game changer in the industry.  Debbie will be showcasing what the project has been all about, and I am sure this will draw great attention to the issues that exist beyond the laboratory.

Finally, a mention has to be made on the excellent workshops that accompany the plenary sessions.

This year there are over 20 workshops which must be a record!

You can find a copy of the agenda here.

From demonstrating the newest addition to Agilent’s GC portfolio, the Intuvo, to new advances in MassHunter, delegates are spoilt for choice when deciding which ones to attend!

Learning about deconvolution, or aspects of maintenance to keep your system working for longer are both, along with many other topics on offer.

I can’t wait!!!

Hope to see you there.