In a competition sponsored by Restek, LECO Corporation, Axel Semrau, and GL Sciences, The Analytical Scientist invited analysts using GC-MS to submit their most impressive application notes. A team of independent judges awarded PhD student Anika Lokker with The Analytical Scientists’ Excellence in Chromatography award for her work on nondestructive identification of prehistoric adhesives.
Lokker’s analysis focuses on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by adhesives found on artifacts from the Middle to the Late Stone Age (150,000–20,000 years ago). VOCs are trapped with dynamic headspace (DHS) before being separated and detected with comprehensive two-dimensional GC-TOFMS (GC×GC-TOFMS).
The technique is fully automated with a multipurpose sampler (MPS).
The analysis featured two Restek GC columns, a semipolar Rxi-624Sil MS column (cat.#13868) and a polar Stabilwax column.
The time-tested performance and dependability of these columns make them a natural choice for analysts exploring the frontiers of archaeology.
Restek congratulates Lokker on the award, and thanks all participants for presenting their latest work in the GC-MS space.
