Agriculture and Environment Video

Joining us from Imperial College London, Dr. Joseph Levermore present his research on 'What is in Our Air? High-Resolution and Comprehensive Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Ambient Particulate Matter in Occupational Environments Across the United Kingdom.' Dr. Levermore explores the composition of ambient particulate matter and its implications for occupational health, utilizing advanced mass spectrometry techniques to uncover the sources and characteristics of airborne particles in various work environments. He also highlights the critical importance of understanding air quality for worker safety and public health, providing valuable insights into the air we breathe.

Part of the 2024 Non-Target Screen Webinar Series

Professor Susan Richardson from the University of South Carolina will delve into her groundbreaking research on a newly discovered class of disinfection byproducts in drinking water. Using advanced techniques such as gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, Professor Richardson sheds light on the implications for water safety and public health. Discover the benefits of mass spectrometry for environmental analysis and gain insight into the future of drinking water quality assessment.

Part of the 2024 Non-Target Screen Webinar Series

When you don't know what you're looking for, as is often the case with environmental contaminants and pollutants, the task can seem daunting, but high-resolution TOFMS and GCxGC is a powerful combination for non-target searches. With the tools included with the Pegasus® HRT4D and the Multi-Mode Source™ (MMS™), identification of unknowns can be vastly improved and assigned higher confidence.

Helium is becoming an increasingly limited natural resource; using Hydrogen to achieve increased chromatographic throughput in GC applications is attractive. Both have advantages and disadvantages. LECO experts investigated the use of Hydrogen as a carrier gas for GC-TOF-MS analysis. Nick Jones, LECOs Global Application and Development Director (Separation Sciences) presents the method transfer approaches used, the technological benefits, and application examples in the presentation below.

How do we find what we don't specifically look for? This presentation will look at non-target GCxGC for environmental forensics, or exposomic analysis, of wastewater, specifically the semivolatile organic fraction, and what can be done when discovered non-targets may present health impacts. Frank L. Dorman, Penn State University Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & Dartmouth College Dept of Chemistry

Carbon and nitrogen are two of the primary nutrients of vital importance to the physiology of plants. Carbon content in soil plays in important role in the growth and development of plants. Plant foods or fertilizers with blends of multiple plant nutrients often including nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer is optimized for the plant type that is being grown. The LECO 828 and 928 series of determinators can quantify the amount of carbon and nitrogen in soils, fertilizers, and plants. This webinar will focus on quantifying both carbon and nitrogen in these matrices.

The presentation will outline TOC determination in soil using two different approaches. First, we will explore the use of acid treatment of the soil to remove carbonates followed by analysis using conventional combustion techniques. Next, we will explore using a ramped furnace temperature approach to differentiate organic and inorganic carbon species. TOC results from both approaches will be presented. Jeffrey Gast

Sulfur is one of the essential macronutrients required for plant growth, aiding the formation of amino acids and proteins, as well as chlorophyll formation. Initiatives to reduce sulfur emissions have led to less sulfur being deposited in soil, causing an increased use of sulfur-containing fertilizers; resulting in an increased demand for sulfur determination in fertilizers, soils and plant tissue. This webinar will outline several combustion based approaches for sulfur determination in these materials. Lloyd Allen

Utilizing LECO 832 and 928 Instrument Series for Sulfur Determination

Water content in soil and plant tissue is an important parameter that can influence crop growth, yield, and quality. In addition, moisture plays an important role in commerce and storage of food products. Determination of ash in soil can be used to approximate the organic content of the soil.

Water content in soil and plant tissue is an important parameter that can influence crop growth, yield, and quality. In addition, moisture plays an important role in commerce and storage of food products. Determination of ash in soil can be used to approximate the organic content of the soil. This webinar will review the Thermogravimetric determination of moisture and ash in soil and plant tissue. Jeffrey Gast

Thomas Groger [University of Rostock] discusses the benefits that GCxGC provided their laboratory with the study of crude oils, bitumen, and various high boilers (solvents added to slow evaporation rates).

Jonathan Byer [LECO] discusses targeted and non-targeted analysis processes, comparing findings against Environmental Protection Agency standardized methods.

Peter Haglund [Umeå University] explores two-dimensional gas chromatography techniques in various environmental samples, including house dust, garbage dump leachate, biota (flora and fauna of a given region), and municipal sewage treatment plants.

Peter Gorst-Allman [LECO] discusses the usage of GCxGC TOF-MS (with the Pegasus BT 4D) to analyze dioxins in samples, in accordance to EPA 1613.

Erin Reiner [Ontario Advances] discusses how GCxGC-TOF MS has advanced the capability of labs to separate and study dioxin compounds.

Jack Cochran [Restek] discusses the increased peak capacity in two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography, examining samples from oil spills and other large pollution events.

Frank Dorman [Penn State University] discusses how time-of-flight mass spectrometry can be used to study fluids involved with hydraulic fracturing, to identify environmental contamination concerns.