The use of illicit drugs in social environments, such as pubs and bars, has become an increasingly significant issue for public health and safety. These venues often provide a setting where individuals may engage in recreational drug use, and results in the residual presence of drugs on high-contact areas. This study aims to investigate the presence of illicit drugs in a pub within the UK, focusing on common touchpoints such as the tables, bar, and men’s/women’s bathrooms. Over 400 surface swabs were collected over 3 weeks, with the objective of identifying trace amounts of illicit substances commonly associated with recreational use. This study additionally explored the potential of Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe Mass Spectrometry (ASAP-MS) as a screening tool for the on-site detection of cocaine, ketamine, amphetamine, diazepam, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Previous research has demonstrated that ASAP-MS is an effective method for detecting illicit drugs with minimal sample preparation. An untargeted screening method was developed for direct swab analysis via glass capillary rod, while a combined untargeted and targeted approach was used for solvent-extracted samples. For confirmatory testing, Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) was used and to determine the effectiveness of ASAP-MS for comparing analysis for the screening of surfaces for drug contamination. Results indicated that the targeted method with minimal sample preparation was able to detect trace amounts of drugs that were previously undetected using the initial screening method. However, the untargeted method, with direct sample analysis, shows potential for detecting larger quantities, particularly cocaine. Overall, the findings revealed drug residues at all touchpoints swabbed within the pub, particularly in the bathrooms. Both bathrooms emerged as ‘hot spots’ for recreational drug use, especially cocaine, which was detected in all samples.

Coated blade spray mass spectrometry (CBS-MS) continues to ground itself as an efficient ambient ionisation technique, offering a combination of robustness, practicality, and analytical performance. Our group’s research has predominantly focussed on screening trace-level contaminants, such as nitrosamines, using CBS-MS. In this presentation, we discuss the considerations that must be taken when developing CBS-MS methodologies. We begin by examining the impact of a novel ionisation source design, specifically the spatial alignment of the coated blade relative to the mass spectrometer inlet. This subtle yet critical factor was found to influence both signal intensity and peak stability, both of which being key elements of method robustness that are often not a part of regular method development.

Compared to other ambient ionisation techniques, CBS-MS demonstrates superior relative standard deviation (RSD) performance, highlighting its potential for quantitative analysis as well as its reliability and reproducibility. This enhanced precision is attributed, in part, to the integration of analyte extraction and enrichment on the CBS surface, concentrating analytes directly at the point of ionisation. By coupling this dual-functionality with efficient ionisation, CBS-MS achieves heightened sensitivity and selectivity without additional sample preparation steps. Together, these findings emphasize the growing relevance of CBS-MS for high-throughput and regulatory-focused applications, where analytical fidelity and operational simplicity are paramount.

GC & LC method optimization, in general, is labor intensive. It requires unique skill sets to understand column chemistry, analyte chemistry, and method goals to optimize methods. With expert chromatographers at work, Restek scientists have mastered the skills of method development and have created a seamless platform that can transform your method development and optimization experience along with column recommendations. In this learning exercise, we will demonstrate the benefits of Restek’s Pro EZGC & Pro EZLC platforms.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS) have been a trending global issue for a number of years now. As more research is being carried out on these compounds, their breakdown paths, and their bioavailability, additional methods are required to quantify at lower concentrations, and to look for novel chemistries. As this search has expanded, shorter chain, and particularly ultrashort chain (USC) PFAS with carbon backbone lengths shorter than C4 have become areas of focus. In the most recent EU Commission Notice for Drinking Water (C/2024/4910) the fact TFA was not included in their definition of “PFAS Total” is highlighted as potential cause for concern, and both TFA and USC PFAS more generally are highlighted as areas for more specific monitoring.

In this poster we examine two separate approaches to examining USC PFAS compounds. The first is a comprehensive look at a panel of PFAS compounds (C1-C14) with a dilute and shoot method using an inert coated, polar embedded alkyl LC column. The second is a more targeted screen via direct injection, focussed upon USC PFAS utilising a novel HILIC/ion exchange LC column. These methods were then confirmed utilising a variety of fortified potable and non-potable water samples (industrial effluents, along with bottled, tap and spring waters). Both workflows demonstrate accuracy, sensitivity and linear calibration ranges of ppt levels, within industrially acceptable recovery values (70-130%).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been chemicals of growing concern for environmental contamination, due to their health effects and environmental persistence. Most PFAS analysis is focused on polar, non-volatile compounds using LC-MS/MS as an analytical technique, but many neutral, volatile PFAS compounds exist, and some studies show high concentrations of them may be present in ambient and indoor air. Few methods exist to analyze these compounds by GC, so this poster shows how the use of Restek’s EZGC chromatogram modeler to create and optimize GC-MS methods can quickly generate analytical methods without the need for time consuming in-lab development.