PAL Method Composer

Compared to traditional blood collection methods, dried blood spots (DBS) offer a minimally invasive and efficient alternative for metabolic profiling. GC/MS is a widely utilized analytical platform in metabolomics; however, many metabolites are not stable enough for direct analysis.

In this application note, CTA Analytics details a fully automated, in-vial derivatization method for GC/MS analysis of DBS, serum, and plasma samples, focusing on its application to untargeted metabolomic analysis.

Dive into the realm of sample preparation, a crucial part of the pre-analytical phase, exploring how automation – particularly using x,y,z robots and innovative tools for streamlining extraction procedures – transforms workflows for laboratories relying on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Beyond this, these workflows may also serve as an inspiration for other analytical platforms.

Metabolites, the dynamic molecules reflecting cellular processes, hold the potential for understanding health, disease, and biological systems. To unlock this potential, metabolomic analyses require precise and reliable analytical methods.

This application note explores the workflow of the Metabolomics Core Technology Platform (MCTP), a core facility of Heidelberg University (Germany), discussing their semi-automated analysis for untargeted metabolomics and ¹³C tracing studies via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Discover how the MCTP‘s automated derivatization process enhances the reliability of results, while their flexible workflow accommodates diverse biological sample types, including plasma, serum, urine, feces, tissue samples, cell culture and supernatant. Learn about the crucial role of sample preparation, the advantages of a two-step derivatization protocol, and how automation streamlines workflows for optimal instrument efficiency and high-quality metabolomics data.

Rice is the seed of Oryza sativa L. and aromatic rice varieties have recently gained wider acceptance across the globe. Because of their characteristic aroma and flavor, they are highly favored and command higher prices in rice markets. Thus the ability to analyze flavor profiles is relevant to food quality laboratories. The rice seed itself usually does not release flavor or aroma compounds. By cooking in continuous boiling water for about 10 minutes, the fragrance components are released. The fragrance products might be formed through the Maillard reaction. In this application note, CTC Analytics introduces a simple, reliable, and full automated method for boiling and analyzing rice samples.

The methodology of generic extraction with ethyl acetate is well established, but clean-up procedures are a major obstacle for the steadily increasing sample throughput due to the additional manual workload addressing separately the different kind of food commodities of a governmental laboratory. In this application note from CTC Analytics, explore the application of micro solid phase extraction (µSPE) for the clean-up of the raw extracts using ethyl acetate as extraction solvent for pesticides from different also more complex food commodities.

In this application note, CTC Analytics presents an efficient method for the generation and GC-analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) using the PAL Method Composer ver. 1.4. The PAL Method Composer allows users to rapidly generate methods by simple drag & drop operations.

In this video, CTC Analytics presents the PAL System. It utilizes walk-away quenchers to extract and clean up samples. The system offers a single workflow that can be applied to multiple matrices for both gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC). It effectively removes lipids, pigments, and other undesirable compounds from the matrix. The process boasts a fast cycle time of under 10 minutes, resulting in a clean extract. Moreover, it enables longer instrument uptime.

In this video, CTC Analytics demonstrates how to use the PAL Method Composer, a tool used to develop and test methods directly with the PAL3 System.

Discover how prioritizing reproducibility and method validation can empower researchers to unlock the full potential of metabolomics in advancing biomarker discovery and drug development