Beyond SPME: Understanding SPME Arrow, Thin-Film SPME, and Twister

SPME is a powerful technique to measure volatiles and semi-volatiles in aqueous matrices, particularly beverages, surface water, and drinking water.

SPME greatly simplified GC-MS work in these matrices, but over time issues with competitive effects at the fiber surface and limited mass-on-column became a limiting factor, particularly as mass spectrometers became ever more sensitive.

The good news is that microextraction continues to advance with improved variations on classic SPME. We'll discuss these alternate approaches - SPME Arrow, Thin Film SPME (TF-SPME) and Twister - and show how they can help you see ever lower concentrations and yet limit contributions from the aqueous matrix.

Presnter: Kurt Thaxton (International Product Manager, Gerstel)

Kurt Thaxton is an International Product Manager for GERSTEL, a German manufacturer of thermal desorption, pyrolysis, and other means of sample preparation and sample introduction for GC- and LC-MS.

For over twenty years, Kurt has been a user of thermal desorption and pyrolysis as a research scientist at International Paper and later as a Product Specialist for Varian Inc. Later Kurt became involved in both the commercial and technical aspects of these techniques at Markes International and now GERSTEL.

Kurt also serves actively in different capacities at SAE, ASTM, AIHA, and ISO. Kurt has an M.S. in Analytical Chemistry from The Ohio State University where he focused on using mass spectrometry to solve analytical problems; MS remains a central interest and focus of Kurt's work today.