Say goodbye to complex sample prep!

Today’s laboratory is becoming increasingly automated and streamlined. Indeed, one of the most time-consuming tasks in your lab is likely to be sample prep which often requires several manual steps. Ideally, we would all like to use a simple “dilute-and-shoot” approach for every analysis but because of interferences from the sample matrix, this is not always possible. 

                I investigated three simple strategies which you can use to avoid sample cleanup steps like SPE. The first uses the Cogent Diamond Hydride™ column to retain the analyte by a different mechanism. When I tried to analyze folic acid in cereal by reversed phase, I found interfering peaks co-eluting with the analyte peak. In aqueous normal phase (ANP) with the Diamond Hydride™, most of the matrix peaks eluted at the solvent front while folic acid was retained.

                The next approach can be used where matrix contaminants build up on the column. You can elute these in a wash step incorporated into the injection sequence. How often you need to do the wash will depend on the complexity of the samples but I found every six injections for orange juice samples was enough.

                The third approach uses LCMS. More sophisticated detection methods can provide you with additional specificity. When analyzing histamine in red wine, I found vast differences between the complex total ion chromatogram (TIC) and the clean extracted ion chromatogram (EIC). Hence, peaks that can co-elute with histamine may be resolved using MS specificity.

                You may be able to avoid sample cleanup steps using one or all of these strategies. Read more in our Extended Application Note.