Acrylates and methacrylates are two important classes of polymers used in a wide variety of products.

In this study, volatiles were collected from the headspace around plants for subsequent determination by GC/MS. Passive air sampling was performed using Thin Film Solid Phase Microextraction (TF-SPME) devices coated with divinylbenzene/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/PDMS) as well as with the GERSTEL Twister® coated with PDMS. Active air sampling was performed onto thermal desorption tubes filled with PDMS foam and Tenax® TA, respectively. Violet star petunias, oakleaf hydrangeas, citronella, and lemon thyme plants were used for this study.

Fatty acid esters of 3- and 2-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD-e, 2-MCPD-e) and glycidol (Gly-e) are process contaminants that are formed, for example, when edible oils and fats are refined. After ester cleavage during digestion in the human body they pose a relevant health risk and therefore need to be determined in edible oils and fats and in fat containing food.

Acrylamide is a thermal process contaminant formed in foodstuff during heating at temperatures exceeding 120 °C. It is detected especially in French fries, potato chips, bread, and crispbread, as well as in coffee and coffee surrogates. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as probable human carcinogen and the EU has established indicative values for different foodstuffs.

In the work presented here, the perfluorinated carbonic and sulfonic acids listed in the EU Drinking Water Directive (EU 2020/2184) were determined by an automated method based on solid phase extraction with weak anion exchange sorbent combined with LCMS/MS.

Determination of psychoactive drugs in the context of clinical and forensic toxicology, down to the low ng/mL range from only 250 μL of blood plasma or serum, is described in this work.

Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) and Solvent Assisted Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SA-SBSE) are firmly established techniques for extraction of compounds from various matrices, with the latter technique offering significant increased capacity for concentration of hydrophilic/polar compounds. In this application note this difference is explored by applying both SBSE and SA-SBSE to a berry-flavored yogurt followed by GC-MS after liquid desorption of the stir bars.

The global golf ball market was estimated to be over one billion dollars in 2017. It is estimated that each year, over 300 million golf balls are lost in the United States, alone. Golf balls are not recyclable or biodegradable, so if not recovered, the balls are left in waterways and woodlands.

Plastics have become a major source of pollution due to their ubiquitous use in a wide array of products. Most plastics are not readily biodegradable and can wind up as litter or are simply disposed of in landfi lls. It is estimated that only 9% of the plastic in the US is recycled [1]. Plastics discarded into the environment can be ingested by animals, break down into smaller particles which can also be ingested, or leach other compounds into the environment which can potentially cause damage. Leachates can include plasticizers, fl ame retardants, blowing agents, UV stabilizers, dyes and a host of other compounds added to the polymers.

Micro- and nanoplastics pollution in oceans, lakes and other water sources is an on-going and well-documented issue. Sources and entry ways of these plastics include grey water, surface runoff, and litter. Grey water is defi ned as the relatively clean wastewater from sources such as baths, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers. The very small plastic particle size precludes effi cient removal during the wastewater treatment process. As a result, fi sh and other aquatic life ingest the plastics, which introduces them into the food chain and causes possible adverse effects.