Although modern agriculture needs to be based on accurate real-time data on soil, plant, and environmental conditions, affordable, sufficiently sensitive, and robust monitoring devices for this purpose are currently missing. According to scientists, low-cost sensors based on new smart materials and printing technologies offer a suitable solution. The results of multidisciplinary research thus far and proposals for the development of these devices have been presented by researchers from Czechia, Great Britain, Spain, and the USA in a review article in the prestigious journal <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-68778-6#Abs1">Nature Communications</a>.“Sensor technologies for monitoring plant health are still in their infancy. Only simple sensors capable of monitoring basic parameters such as pH, soil moisture, or temperature are commonly available on the market. However, if farmers are to face current challenges, including climate change, and ensure sufficient food for humanity, they need much more effective tools that will enable them to monitor, for example, various pathogens, including bacteria and fungi. In our opinion, a suitable solution is a combination of new smart materials and printing for the production of inexpensive, durable, and scalable materials,” said the article’s first author, David Panáček from CATRIN, who worked on the study during his internship at Imperial College London.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CATRIN_Soucasne_senzory_nestaci_Vedci_navrhuji_novou_cestu_ke_sledovani_zdravi_rostlin_b4014952a3.jpg" alt="CATRIN: David Panáček" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CATRIN_Soucasne_senzory_nestaci_Vedci_navrhuji_novou_cestu_ke_sledovani_zdravi_rostlin_b4014952a3.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="1152">Sensors for monitoring plant health, for example, lag behind similar devices used in human medicine. According to the authors, advances in materials science, which will enable the development of scalable sensor technologies, play a key role in this potential shift. “Printing techniques, including inkjet printing, screen printing, aerosol printing, 3D printing, and direct laser writing, offer flexible ways to produce flexible sensors, large-area sensors, and sensors integrated directly into plants. The review article summarizes recent advances in printable low-dimensional materials for agricultural sensors, analyzes their physico-chemical properties in relation to sensor performance, and discusses key challenges and future opportunities requiring interdisciplinary integration,” said one of the corresponding authors, Michal Otyepka.The research brought together materials scientists, chemists, biologists, sensing experts, and printing technology specialists. Materials research and the use of graphene-based smart materials were led by scientists from CATRIN at Palacký University and VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava. Plant biologists from CATRIN contributed their knowledge of plant development, their responses to stress conditions, and the monitoring of their properties. Researchers from Imperial College London took care of the electronics, while representatives from<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/36"> CEITEC – VUT</a> focused on printing technologies. The team also included leading experts in sensing from the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Barcelona, and Joseph Wang of the University of California San Diego, the “father of sensing and electrochemistry,” also contributed his extensive knowledge.“This is a groundbreaking study on this topic, which has managed to attract some truly big names in their respective fields. Last but not least, the study demonstrates that interdisciplinarity at CATRIN gives rise to completely new and promising research topics, such as plant sensing and its use for studying plant-environment interactions and smart agriculture,” added another corresponding author, Nuria De Diego.

Current sensors are not good enough. Scientists propose a new way to monitor plant health

In the week from February 16, the following webinars await you in the field of atomic and molecular spectroscopy and spectrometry<blockquote><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinars">👉 DETAILS AND REGISTRATION IN THE WEBINARS SECTION</a></h4>👉 Search and filter in the largest global database with over 5 000 GC, LC, MS and spectroscopy webinars.</blockquote><h5>1. Thermo Fisher Scientific: The Perfect Pair for GMP Compliance – IonicX and TruScan for Raw Material Identification and Verification</h5><ul><li>Tu, 17.2.2026 20:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5835">Registration</a></li></ul>Learn how the IonicX™ Portable XRF Analyzer enables rapid, at-line identification of ionic salts in GMP manufacturing, delivering real-time PASS/FAIL results and streamlined raw material verification.<h5>2. Milestone: Reliable Mercury Analysis in Environmental Samples – Tools, Techniques, and Best Practices</h5><ul><li>Th, 19.2.2026 16:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/5804">Registration</a></li></ul>Episode 3 focuses on reliable mercury analysis in environmental samples, demonstrating how direct analysis simplifies workflows, reduces contamination risks, and delivers accurate results without digestion.<h5>3. Agilent Technologies: Learn How to Confirm Your Data on ICP-OES – Are You Getting the Right Result?</h5><ul><li>Th, 19.2.2026 20:00 CET</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/webinar/2785">Registration</a></li></ul>This webinar discusses accuracy and precision in ICP-OES analysis and practical strategies to ensure reliable and defensible results.

Webinars LabRulezICPMS Week 08/2026

Metalloproteins play essential roles in marine phytoplankton, yet their metalloproteomes remain poorly characterized. This study combines protein modeling, quantitative proteomics, and ICP-MS measurements to assess metal requirements across several phytoplankton species, including chlorophytes, a haptophyte, and a cyanobacterium.Results show strong agreement between proteome-inferred metal demands and measured cellular metal quotas, while providing deeper insight into biological functions. Mg-containing proteins were most abundant overall, with Zn, Fe, and Mn as dominant trace cofactors. Distinct differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic phytoplankton were observed, and strain-level analysis demonstrated how metalloproteomes reflect environmental adaptation and metal limitation strategies.<blockquote><h4>The original article</h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233">Unlocking Phytoplankton Metallomes with Comparative Analysis of Metal Quotas, Quantitative Proteomics, and Inferred Metalloproteomes</a></h4>Qiong Zhang*, Jiayou Ge, Fengjie Liu, Shabaz Mohammed, Kedong Yin, and Rosalind E. M. RickabyEnviron. Sci. Technol. 2025, 59, 50, 27367–27377<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233">https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233</a><h6>licensed under <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC-BY 4.0</a></h6></blockquote>Selected sections from the article follow. Formats and hyperlinks were adapted from the original.Many important biological processes of phytoplankton, including photosynthesis, carbon fixation, and nitrogen reduction, rely on enzymes that have metals as cofactors. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(1)</a> It has been estimated that half of all enzymes must be associated with a particular metal to function. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(2)</a> The availability of metals in the environment has changed over geological time and, given imperfections in the selectivity of metal transport systems, proteins have evolved to make the best use of metals that are more available. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(3−5)</a> Depending on their evolutionary histories, different groups of marine phytoplankton may have differences in their metalloprotein compositions and metal transport strategies. The evolving trace metal availability in the environment, thus, may provide a selective pressure to promote the proliferation of different phytoplankton groups in the oceanic environment, affecting the phytoplankton community structure with knock-on effects on the marine food web and carbon sequestration. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(5)</a> It is crucial to understand the utilization of trace metals by different groups of marine phytoplankton that inhabit contrasting niches in the modern ocean, not only by assessing the accumulation of trace metals in cells but also examining the functions of trace metals in different biological pathways.In previous studies, the utilization or requirements of trace metals by marine phytoplankton were mostly determined by measuring the elemental stoichiometry in cells (metallome or quota of trace metals). <a href="javascript:void(0);">(6−8)</a> In the field, attempts have also been made to investigate the elements in phytoplankton <a href="javascript:void(0);">(9,10)</a> which have then been compared with profiles in the abiotic environment to understand their relationships. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(11)</a> The discovery of various metal storage proteins and the plasticity in elemental quotas under different environmental conditions raise the question of whether intracellular trace metal quotas reflect true differences in trace metal usage by phytoplankton. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(12,13)</a> In the past few decades, more and more studies have focused on metal–protein partnerships, using approaches such as genome-wide analysis to identify homologues of known metalloproteins and other deduced metal-binding motifs encoded within sequenced genomes. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(5,14)</a> However, this approach has limitations in estimating metal abundance in cells because not all genes predicted in the genome would be translated and expressed as proteins under all environments, and a single gene for a metalloprotein could be highly expressed, such that a translation from genetic presence to a required concentration is not linear and could be environment-dependent. To obtain in situ metal abundance in metalloproteins in cells, native separation of proteins by HPLC or PAGE followed by the detection of metals using ICP-MS <a href="javascript:void(0);">(15,16)</a> has been used. This approach also has limitations in that, without bioinformatics, it cannot identify the function of proteins within which the metals are found, and it may also depend on the composition of the media to which the organism has been exposed and in which it has been growing. An ideal way to solve the problem would be to separate and purify each of the proteins and then identify both the associated metal (e.g., by ICP-MS) and the protein sequence (e.g., by mass spectrometry). However, this approach is constrained by the resolution of chromatographic or electrophoretic techniques, making it challenging to establish the metal–protein associations unambiguously; many proteins often co-occur in metal-containing fractions. Additionally, this method requires huge volumes of biomass and is both time-consuming and complex, complicating the reconstruction of the expressed metalloproteome in cells. The techniques and challenges for metalloproteomics have been discussed in detail in previously published review articles (and the references therein). <a href="javascript:void(0);">(17)</a>In this study, we determined the trace metal utilization (the metallome) of different phytoplankton from their expressed proteome via a protein modeling and homologue identification approach, and then compared the resulting metallome with the metal quota data measured by the traditional inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This approach allows the building of a link between the truly used trace elements and their biological functions in phytoplankton. We aim to fill the gap between an estimation of metals encoded in the genome and metal analysis by ICP-MS in phytoplankton, which may be more broadly applicable to infer cellular metallomes.<h3>Materials and Methods</h3><h4>ICP-MS Analysis</h4>All preparation of samples for ICP-MS measurement was undertaken using trace metal clean methods. All plasticware used in this study, including culture flasks, pipette tips, and centrifuge tubes, was precleaned in 10% quartz-distilled HCl and thoroughly rinsed with 18 MΩ cm water in a clean laboratory. Trace elements in the filtered lysates of G. huxleyi (OA1, OA4, OA8, OA15, OA16, OA23, and RCC 1242) and Synechocystis (FACHB898) strains were measured using an ICP-MS. The detailed ICP-MS method and instrumental settings are described in Zhang et al. (2018). <a href="javascript:void(0);">(31)</a><h4>Protein Mass Spectrometry</h4>The peptides were resuspended in 5% formic acid and 5% DMSO prior to mass spectrometry. They were separated on an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=3&amp;search=Ultimate+3000+UHPLC">Ultimate 3000 UHPLC </a>system (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and electrosprayed directly into a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/559">Q-Exactive Mass Spectrometer</a> (Thermo Fisher Scientific) through an EASY-Spray nanoelectrospray ion source (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The peptides were trapped on a C18 PepMap100 precolumn (300 μm i.d. × 5 mm, 100 Å, Thermo Fisher Scientific) using solvent A (0.1% formic acid in water) at a pressure of 500 bar. The peptides were separated on an in-house packed analytical column (75 μm i.d. × 50 cm packed with ReproSil-Pur 120 C18-AQ, 1.9 μm, 120 Å, Dr. Maisch GmbH) using a linear gradient (length: 65 min, 15% to 35% solvent B [0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile], flow rate: 200 nL/min). The raw data were acquired on the mass spectrometer in a data-dependent mode (DDA). Full scan MS spectra were acquired in the Orbitrap (scan range 350–1500 m/z, resolution 70000, AGC target 3e6, maximum injection time 50 ms). After the MS scans, the 10 most intense peaks were selected for HCD fragmentation at 30% of normalized collision energy. HCD spectra were also acquired in the Orbitrap (resolution 17500, AGC target 5e4, maximum injection time 120 ms, isolation window 1.5 m/z) with the first fixed mass at 180 m/z. Charge exclusion was selected for unassigned and 1+ ions. The dynamic exclusion was set to 20 s.<h3>Results and Discussion</h3><h4>Trace Elements Determined from the Expressed Proteomes of Different Phytoplankton</h4>Based on the expressed proteome sequences, we predicted metal-binding proteins and compared their distribution among various phytoplankton species (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig2">Figure 2</a>). The inference revealed 28 different metals in G. huxleyi, 31 different metals in C. reinhardtii, and 30 different metals in Synechocystis. Although only 6 different metals were identified in O. tauri proteins, it has to be noted that the analysis for O. tauri was only based on the 40 most abundant proteins reported in this organism <a href="javascript:void(0);">(21)</a> and, hence, the listed elements, including Mg, Fe, Mn, Ca, Zn, and Cu, may represent the most essential metals for the species.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Environ_Sci_Technol_2025_59_50_27367_27377_Figure_2_The_number_of_metal_binding_proteins_identified_in_the_expressed_proteome_of_the_haptophyte_G_9b8ac0f004.jpeg" alt="Environ. Sci. Technol. 2025, 59, 50, 27367–27377: Figure 2. The number of metal-binding proteins identified in the expressed proteome of the haptophyte G. huxleyi (a), the chlorophyte C. reinhardtii (b) and O. tauri(c), and the cyanobacteria Synechocystis (d). Pie charts show the percentages of metalloproteins containing specific metals. Original proteome data for G. huxleyi are from Mckew et al. (2013) (24) for C. reinhardtii are from Hsieh et al. (2013) (77) for O.tauriare from Martin et al. (2012) (21) for Synechocystisare from Chen et al. (2018). (22) *Noted that for O. tauri, only the 40 most abundant proteins were included in this analysis. ND: no metal binding was found in the proteins." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Environ_Sci_Technol_2025_59_50_27367_27377_Figure_2_The_number_of_metal_binding_proteins_identified_in_the_expressed_proteome_of_the_haptophyte_G_9b8ac0f004.jpeg 123w," sizes="100vw" width="934" height="1181">The number of proteins that bind with different metals varies dramatically in phytoplankton. For metalloproteins, there are variations in the binding affinities of different metals to organic molecules. For example, the affinities of divalent metals to proteins have a tendency to follow a universal order of preference, namely the Irving-Williams series (Mg2+ and Ca2+ [weakest binding] &lt; Mn2+ &lt; Fe2+ &lt; Co2+ &lt; Ni2+ &lt; Cu2+ &gt; Zn2+). <a href="javascript:void(0);">(43)</a> Cells can simultaneously contain proteins having high-affinity-binding metals, such as Cu and Zn, and others that require uncompetitive metals, such as Mg and Ca. One of the least competitive metals for binding with biological chelators, Mg, is even found to be the most widely distributed metal in the metalloproteomes of various phytoplankton species in this study, supporting the observations of high concentrations in the protein fraction of cells (at millimolar concentrations <a href="javascript:void(0);">(31)</a>).In all phytoplankton species in our analysis, the Mg-containing proteins are found to have the highest proportion in all metalloproteins identified. About 30% of the metalloproteins in different strains of phytoplankton are found to contain Mg or depend on it for function (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig2">Figure 2</a>), suggesting the important role of Mg in phytoplankton cells. It is generally coordinated in protein complexes by ATP or ADP and has also been found to be largely distributed in the chloroplasts or thylakoids in G. huxleyi and Synechocystis. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(22,24)</a> The essential roles of Mg in plants have been reported in various studies. Mg2+ is known to be the central atom of the chlorophyll molecule, and its levels in the chloroplast regulate the activity of key photosynthetic enzymes. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(44)</a> It was reported that approximately 15–35% of total Mg is in the chloroplasts of a plant, <a href="javascript:void(0);">(45)</a> and it also serves as an osmotically active ion in the regulation of cells <a href="javascript:void(0);">(46)</a><h4>Comparison Between Metallome Measured Directly and Reconstructed from Proteins</h4>A large proportion of metals, such as Fe, Mn, and Cu, are found in membrane proteins,and may contribute significantly to total cellular quotas. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(54,55)</a> However, for method development purpose, we endeavored to remove the cell membranes from our samples to focus mostly on the analysis of intracellular metal quotas and metalloproteins in the cytosol fraction in this study. We note that our analysis includes some membrane-bound proteins likely derived from organelles or surface membranes disrupted during sonication.The derivation of cellular metal composition, as determined by two different methods, is compared in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig3">Figure 3</a>. The abundance of metal in the proteins is determined as the relative abundance of the protein multiplied by the number of metal ions needed for the specific protein. The abundance of the proteins was normalized to ensure that the total intensities from each replicate measurement for the same species were similar. Since the proteomic data used here were generated from different studies using different instruments, we cannot quantify or compare the absolute biomass of proteins used for each species. Therefore, we cannot compare the absolute trace metal abundance between species solely from metal inferences of expressed proteomes. Nevertheless, we can estimate the relative abundance of different metals in the same species. For the elements that are both measured by the ICP-MS and identified in the proteome, there are generally good correlations (r2 = 0.81 in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig3">Figure 3</a>a and r2 = 0.74 in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig3">Figure 3</a>b) between the two approaches. This indicates that the metal compositions determined from the protein modeling may be reliable and, therefore, can reflect the metal usage in different phytoplankton. This would provide a level of assurance to further investigate the metal binding associated with various proteins, thereby deepening our understanding of the roles that different metals play in phytoplankton.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Environ_Sci_Technol_2025_59_50_27367_27377_Figure_3_Relationship_between_the_abundance_of_metals_determined_by_ICP_MS_analysis_e7b259e376.jpeg" alt="Environ. Sci. Technol. 2025, 59, 50, 27367–27377: Figure 3. Relationship between the abundance of metals determined by ICP-MS analysis (normalized to C, mmol/mol C) and metal abundance determined from the metalloproteome analysis (the unit is arbitrary). To account for strain variations, the ICP-MS data for the cellular metal content of G. huxleyi are average values from 7 G. huxleyi strains isolated from different areas of the ocean, and the proteome-derived metal composition data are average values calculated from 2 of those G. huxleyi strains (OA1 and OA16) isolated previously, and data from Mckew et al., 2013. (24) The ICP-MS data for Synechocystis are from Synechocystis sp. FACHB898 measured in this study, and the proteome data are calculated from Chen et al., 2018. (22) Noted that the abundance of metals from each proteome was calculated by using the metal stoichiometry multiplied by the relative abundance of proteins, which provides only a relative relationship of different trace metals, not absolute abundance. The symbols represent the mean values, and the error bars indicate standard deviations." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Environ_Sci_Technol_2025_59_50_27367_27377_Figure_3_Relationship_between_the_abundance_of_metals_determined_by_ICP_MS_analysis_e7b259e376.jpeg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1384" height="641">Compared to the other metals investigated in this study, Ca and Mg appear to have a much higher relative abundance in the ICP-MS analysis than in the proteomic analysis of G. huxleyi and Synechocystis (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig3">Figure 3</a>). These two elements are essential macronutrients for phytoplankton and plants. Ca is the most prominent secondary messenger that plays a crucial role in response to extracellular stimuli in all eukaryotes. Ca2+ fluxes are transported via Ca channels and transporters, such as Ca-ATPase, regulating a series of important biological functions, including mineral uptake and utilization, K+ homeostasis adjustment, and regulatory network activity in response to P or N deficiency. <a href="javascript:void(0);">(56)</a> Ca is not always incorporated into protein structures. The Ca abundance determined from the proteins in this study, therefore, is much lower than the actual Ca needed intracellularly. Similarly, the intracellular Mg2+ and K+ abundances should also be higher than those determined from the protein structures. Free Mg2+ and K+ are known to regulate cation–anion balance and serve as osmotically active ions in the regulation of cells <a href="javascript:void(0);">(46)</a> but free metal ion concentrations cannot be determined through the approach used in this study. Thus, it is not surprising to see much higher relative abundances of Ca and Mg in ICP-MS analysis than in proteomic analysis (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c11233#fig3">Figure 3</a>).

Unlocking Phytoplankton Metallomes with Comparative Analysis of Metal Quotas, Quantitative Proteomics, and Inferred Metalloproteomes

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The Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) at Palacký University is a cutting-edge scientific hub dedicated to advancing research in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and biomedicine. At its core, CATRIN boasts outstanding scientific teams, featuring international researchers. We emphasize interdisciplinarity, foster global collaborations, and work to translate our research findings into practical applications.

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Even if you have robust quality systems governing your analytical laboratory and a strong data integrity program in place, you may still be nervous about preparing for a regulatory inspection. What will the inspectors want to know? What will they ask? Is your team prepared?
You can ease those fears by attending this two-part webcast. First, we will explain what you should expect during an inspection. Then, we will simulate an inspection to show you, in a realistic scenario, what an inspector might ask, and how you and your team should handle the questions, including when they don’t know all the answers or don’t understand all the questions. We will explain the scope of a data integrity inspection in a regulated laboratory, and our simulation of an inspection of a chromatography data system (CDS) will explain the roles of different people in a multi-person team that includes a laboratory manager and the CDS laboratory administrator.
<h3>What we will cover:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Background on data integrity and a chromatography data system (CDS)</li>
<li>Management involvement in data integrity</li>
<li>Qualification of chromatographs</li>
<li>Validation of analytical procedures</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Learning Objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Understand how data integrity plays a role in your inspection</li>
<li>Understand and answer the questions being asked</li>
<li>Understand the impact of poor analytical decisions</li>
<li>Use systems that can help demonstrate data integrity and regulatory compliance</li>
<li>Use technical controls to enforce operating procedures</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who Should Attend:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Analysts working in a regulated analytical laboratory</li>
<li>Chromatography data system (CDS) administrators</li>
<li>Laboratory managers</li>
<li>Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) staff</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Bob McDowall (Director, RD McDowall Limited, Bromley, Kent, UK)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Bob McDowall, PhD, is an analytical chemist with over 45 years of experience including 15 years working in the pharmaceutical industry and over 25 years working for the industry as a consultant. He is the director of R D McDowall Ltd, a consulting company offering services on process improvement, implementation of laboratory informatics applications, training staff in regulatory compliance, and qualification of IT infrastructure. Bob is a trained auditor and has been involved with the validation of computerized systems for over 30 years. He edited the first book on LIMS in 1987 and is the author of books on the validation of chromatography data systems and data integrity and data governance in regulated laboratories due to be published in late 2018. He was presented with the 1997 LIMS Award. He is a core industry expert for the GAMP Data Integrity Special Interest Group and was a subject matter expert contributor and reviewer of the 2017 GAMP Guide for Records and Data Integrity. He co-drafted the update to USP &lt;1058&gt; on Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ) for public comment that became effective in August 2017.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Paul Smith (Global Compliance Specialist, Agilent Technologies, Cheadle, UK)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Paul is global compliance specialist with Agilent technologies. He has worked for Agilent for 9 years and has 35 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and analytical area.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Josh Miller (OpenLab Software Marketing – eLearning Expert, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Josh is a professional chemist with 15 years’ experience in validating, supporting, deploying, and developing the OpenLab software suite of products. He is a true expert with all things OpenLab and has extensive experience with chromatography data system, electronic content management, business process management, instrument control products, and more. He has developed many of the training courses for OpenLab products and has served as an instructor for dozens of formal courses around the globe. In 2009, he created “eFamiliarization” to help customers learn the basics of OpenLab products in an interactive simulation of Agilent software. More recently he has transformed Agilent’s embedded software help systems to better serve customers by putting consistent and searchable content at their fingertips. You may also find a significant collection of video content that he produces to help users learn to use OpenLab products.
</blockquote>

LCGC/Agilent Technologies: Five Essentials for Surviving Your Next Laboratory Inspection: A Quality Control Example, Part 1

Five Essentials for Surviving Your Next Laboratory Inspection: A Quality Control Example, Part 1

Even if you have robust quality systems governing your analytical laboratory and a strong data integrity program in place, you may still be nervous about preparing for a regulatory inspection. What will the inspectors want to know? What will they ask? Is your team prepared?
You can ease those fears by attending this two-part webcast. First, we will explain what you should expect during an inspection. Then, we will simulate an inspection to show you, in a realistic scenario, what an inspector might ask, and how you and your team should handle the questions, including when they don’t know all the answers or don’t understand all the questions. We will explain the scope of a data integrity inspection in a regulated laboratory, and our simulation of an inspection of a chromatography data system (CDS) will explain the roles of different people in a multi-person team that includes a laboratory manager and the CDS laboratory administrator.
<h3>What we will cover:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Set up of a chromatography data system (CDS) and sample analysis</li>
<li>Peak integration</li>
<li>Review and e-signatures</li>
<li>Investigations of out-of-specification (OOS) results and invalidation of OOS results</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Learning Objectives:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Understand how data integrity plays a role in your inspection</li>
<li>Understand and answer the questions being asked</li>
<li>Understand the impact of poor analytical decisions</li>
<li>Use systems that can help demonstrate data integrity and regulatory compliance</li>
<li>Use technical controls to enforce operating procedures</li>
</ul>
<h3>Who Should Attend:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Analysts working in a regulated analytical laboratory</li>
<li>Chromatography data system (CDS) administrators</li>
<li>Laboratory managers</li>
<li>Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) staff</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Bob McDowall (Director, RD McDowall Limited, Bromley, Kent, UK)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Bob McDowall, PhD, is an analytical chemist with over 45 years of experience including 15 years working in the pharmaceutical industry and over 25 years working for the industry as a consultant. He is the director of R D McDowall Ltd, a consulting company offering services on process improvement, implementation of laboratory informatics applications, training staff in regulatory compliance, and qualification of IT infrastructure. Bob is a trained auditor and has been involved with the validation of computerized systems for over 30 years. He edited the first book on LIMS in 1987 and is the author of books on the validation of chromatography data systems and data integrity and data governance in regulated laboratories due to be published in late 2018. He was presented with the 1997 LIMS Award. He is a core industry expert for the GAMP Data Integrity Special Interest Group and was a subject matter expert contributor and reviewer of the 2017 GAMP Guide for Records and Data Integrity. He co-drafted the update to USP &lt;1058&gt; on Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ) for public comment that became effective in August 2017.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Paul Smith (Global Compliance Specialist, Agilent Technologies, Cheadle, UK)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Paul is global compliance specialist with Agilent technologies. He has worked for Agilent for 9 years and has 35 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and analytical area.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Josh Miller (OpenLab Software Marketing – eLearning Expert, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Josh is a professional chemist with 15 years’ experience in validating, supporting, deploying, and developing the OpenLab software suite of products. He is a true expert with all things OpenLab and has extensive experience with chromatography data system, electronic content management, business process management, instrument control products, and more. He has developed many of the training courses for OpenLab products and has served as an instructor for dozens of formal courses around the globe. In 2009, he created “eFamiliarization” to help customers learn the basics of OpenLab products in an interactive simulation of Agilent software. More recently he has transformed Agilent’s embedded software help systems to better serve customers by putting consistent and searchable content at their fingertips. You may also find a significant collection of video content that he produces to help users learn to use OpenLab products.
</blockquote>

LCGC/Agilent Technologies: Five Essentials for Surviving Your Next Laboratory Inspection: A Quality Control Example, Part 2

Five Essentials for Surviving Your Next Laboratory Inspection: A Quality Control Example, Part 2

Attend our panel discussion and raise your questions with four of our Applications Specialists who are experts in their respective fields of instrumental analysis.
Whatever challenges you face with running environmental samples on your ion chromatography (IC), trace elemental analysis (TEA), GC-MS or LC-MS instruments, the panelists will be able to provide answers, advice and recommendations to help you advance your analytical capabilities.
This webinar-based discussion provides you with the opportunity to pose your questions to our experts. 
<h3>Attend this webinar to gain invaluable advice on:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Solving analytical issues such as contamination, poor calibration linearity, QC failures and irreproducible results</li>
<li>The variety of accessories available to help you improve your analysis workflows</li>
<li>Software queries and troubleshooting</li>
<li>How to optimize the performance of your instruments</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: James Hannan (European Applications Expert, Trace Elemental Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Detlef Jensen (Senior European Applications Expert, Ion Chromatography and Sample Preparation, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Aaron Lamb (Senior Marketing Application Specialist, GC-MS, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Neville Llewellyn (LC-MS Applications Scientist - Environmental, Food Safety and Industrial Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>

Pixabay/Waqutiar Rahaman: Environmental Analysis Application Experts Panel Discussion

Environmental Analysis Application Experts Panel Discussion

To meet the challenge of ensuring drinking water safety and responsible wastewater management, as well to protect the consumer, you must stay up to date on the industry’s best practices. Today, the demands for more productive analytical solutions is ever-increasing as many environmental labs are operating near capacity. Agilent offers a range of instruments, supplies, and services that are widely used in most environmental laboratories. Our range of solutions allow the user to achieve the strict environmental regulations for the detection of volatile and semivolatile compounds, PFAS, NDMA, microplastics, and heavy metals. Join us and listen in as our team of environmental experts and scientists share their work on these challenging environmental analyses and their approaches to achieve the most robust &amp; reliable results. This virtual environmental summit is important to analysts, technicians and managers of environmental analysis laboratories, those working on method development, and researchers and scientists.
<h3>Agenda</h3>
Attend any or all sessions
17:00 - 17:05 Welcome and Introduction Tarun Anumol (Agilent, Director of Global Food &amp; Environmental Markets)
17:05 - 17:30 Sensitive Detection of PFAS in Water Emily Parry (Agilent, LC/MS Field Application Engineer)
17:30 - 17:55 Easy Workflow for Identifying Microplastics in Water Lou Tisinger (Agilent, FTIR Application Scientist)
17:55 - 18:20 A Fast GC/MS/MS MRM Method for Semivolatiles that Meets EPA 8270E Requirements Bruce Quimby (Agilent, GC/MS Application Scientist)
18:20 - 18:45 US EPA Method 524.2: Measurement of Purgeable Organic Compounds in Drinking Water by Agilent 8860/5977B GC/MSD Anastasia Andrianovia (Agilent, GC/MS Application Scientist)
18:45 - 19:10 Elemental Analysis Made Easy in your Environmental Lab; ICP Go for 200.8 and spICP-MS for Microplastic Detection Yan Cheung PhD and Jenny Nelson PhD (Agilent, Field Application Engineer)
19:10 - 19:35 Routine Analysis of Nitrosamines and Dioxins in Water using Tandem Quadrupole GC/MS Dale Walker (Agilent, GC/MS Application Scientist)
19:35 - 20:00 A Smarter Way of Doing Environmental Analysis on the new Agilent 5800/5900 ICP-OES Sima Singha PhD (Agilent, Application Scientist)

Agilent Technologies: Agilent's Virtual Environmental Summit #1

Agilent's Virtual Environmental Summit #1

Reference standards are essential in chromatography to ensure the correct identification of the sample components and the accuracy of quantitation.
In this one-hour presentation, we will explore the definitions and certifications that can impact selection and use of reference standards. Additionally, we’ll review the techniques and documentation required to prepare reproducible and reliable reference standards.
<ul>
<li>Learn what certified reference materials (CRMs) are and why you need them.</li>
<li>Explore the quality controls needed to consistently ensure accurate reference standards.</li>
<li>Understand secondary source standards and how to obtain them.</li>
</ul>

Restek: Building a Rock-Solid Analytical Foundation with Certified Reference Materials (CRMs)

Building a Rock-Solid Analytical Foundation with Certified Reference Materials (CRMs)

How to avoid potential non-compliance with regulatory guidelines in challenging times.
The complexities of maintaining compliance and audit-readiness in regulated environments take significant time and resources. Learn in this part of the session how to mitigate the risk of potential non-compliances as you return to the lab or transition instrumentation to meet new demands with operational qualification and requalification services from Unity Lab Services. See how you can save time and improve your laboratory’s performance. 
<h3>Learn about:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Qualification Services for Analytical Instruments and Laboratory Equipment </li>
<li>Range of qualification capabilities that provide improved productivity, single-vendor convenience, a no-charge requalification guarantee</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Martin Wheeler (Regulatory Product Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Martin has worked since 1997 within the organization focusing on single quadrupole instrumentation using Gas &amp; Liquid Chromatography together with Mass Spectrometers, CDS and Layered Applications. His current role as Regulatory Product Manager includes compliance and qualification procedures working closely as part of the Regulatory Product Support Group assisting Field based Engineers, as well as creating/updating qualification protocols.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Presenter: Julian Renpenning - Moderator (Regional Marketing Manager EMEA, Thermo Fisher Scientific)
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Julian studied at the Technical University of Berlin Biotechnology and specialized in analytical chemistry and bioprocess engineering. In 2011 he started his PhD at the Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany and continued in 2015 to work as Postdoc career on analytical method development for hyphenated MS, IRMS and ICP-MS with gas chromatography. Since 2019 I took a role at TFS as EMEA Regional Marketing Manager for GC, GC-MS and IOMS.
</blockquote>

Thermo Fisher Scientific - Webinars Live and on-demand

Moving forward webinar part 3 - compliance

This series is ideal for anyone currently working on medicinal cannabis or other cannabis products, looking to expand further as well as those new to this area of research who are eager to learn more.
<h3>Other sessions cover topics such as:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Pesticides analysis</li>
<li>Heavy Metals Analysis</li>
<li>Cannabis Potency Testing</li>
<li>Terpenes and Residual Solvents</li>
</ul>

Pixabay/TinaKru :Shimadzu Cannabis Analysis Series - Sample Prep/Purification Strategies