New column for analysis of agricultural products and environmental samples

Thermo Fisher Scientific is providing laboratories performing analysis of cationic pesticides (diquat, paraquat, clormequat, mepiquat, and others) in food, beverages, agricultural products, soil and environmental samples with a new ion chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (IC-MS/MS) workflow solution. This will empower laboratory professionals to achieve regulatory compliant, cost-effective and reliable analysis of quaternary ammonium pesticides (Quats). 

The new Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ IonPac™ CS21-Fast-4µm ion exchange column enables scientists to easily and accurately determine and quantify the four cationic pesticides: diquat, paraquat, mepiquat and chlormequat. These highly polar, permanently charged chemicals are notoriously challenging to analyse, and have, until now, required complex workflows that are prone to quantitation errors. To meet regulatory requirements across Europe, Asia and the Americas, and promote consumer safety, it is paramount for food safety laboratories to reliably determine the residue levels of these pesticides in or on food products. 

When coupled with the Thermo Scientific™ TSQ Altis™ Plus triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, food safety testing laboratories will benefit from reliable and robust Quat analysis that confidently meets regulatory requirements, while improving laboratory productivity. IonPac CS21 and the TSQ Altis Plus triple quadrupole mass spectrometer complement the existing Anionic Pesticide Explorer (APX) solution from Thermo Fisher Scientific, providing total coverage for all polar, highly polar, ionic and ionisable food contaminants in one IC-MS/MS system. Together, the system and new column can determine and quantify not only Quats, but also glyphosate and its metabolites, and related compounds.