Markes International

One conference that we always look forward to sponsoring is ExTech - a world-leading symposium for analytical chemistry experts in sampling and sample preparation. This year it’s being organised by German Chemical Society (GDCh) and will be held in Mülheim an der Ruhr, from 08 to 11 September. Markes’ Lucy Hearn, Michael Gröger and Steffen Samlert will be displaying a Markes’ Centri® 90 on our booth. This high-throughput, automated sample prep platform uses high-capacity sorptive extraction (HiSorb™) and SPME alongside our patented preconcentration technology to produce enhanced chromatographic resolution and greater compound detection. Lucy, Michael and Steffen will be presenting four posters during the conference; Lucy will also be giving a talk about a novel methodology for analysis of PAHs in water using HiSorb and TD–GC–MS at 09:40 on Thursday 11 September, in the Green Analytical Chemistry session. Posters (available throughout the symposium): 📜 Investigating the migration of volatiles from food packaging into rolled oats 📜 Evaluating TD–GC–MS/MS for use measuring PFAS in air 📜 Automated, solvent free nitrosamine screening in paracetamol via TD-GC-MS 📜 Assessing mass-based fates of microplastics throughout the waste-water treatment process using a novel TD–GC–MS methodology Message us or leave a comment below if you‘d like copies of the posters or Lucy‘s slide deck after ExTech.

New customer facing staff at Markes International are fortunate enough to have #ThermalDesorption training from Elizabeth Woolfenden as part of their induction - the same process I went through 15 years ago! Liz's has decades of experience helping customers with #VolatileOrganicCompound (VOC) analysis, which we're putting to good use by answering your questions in our Ted Lasso style #BiscuitsWithTheBoss sessions. We've answered the first question regarding "What is the lifetime of the focusing trap?": https://lnkd.in/eJQfZ9pd What's your TD question? Technical or otherwise. Please comment below or DM me with your TD question and stay tuned for the answers...

We’re very pleased to be sponsoring the Advances in Chemical Forensics session of this year’s ACS Fall meeting in Washington DC, alongside our sister company SepSolve Analytical Ltd. If you’re there, look out for the talks being given by SepSolve's Applications Specialist, Khaled Murtada 👨🔬 📅 Tue 19 🕒 15:10 to 15:40📍Anacostia Salon F 🔉 From TV to your Lab: Advancing volatile chemical analysis for modern forensic investigations 📅 Wed 20 🕘 08:45 to 09:05 📍Potomac Salon 1 🔉 Enhancing TD–GC×GC–TOF MS workflows for the reliable identification of malodours in recycled plastics Khaled will also be presenting a poster on Tue between 19:00 and 20:00 in Ballroom C: "Automated pairwise comparison of GC–MS data for identifying key differences in aroma profiles" #ACS #ChemistryForLife #AnalyticalChemistry

I had the pleasure to sit down with Markes International co-founder and TD pioneer Elizabeth Woolfenden in Ted Lasso style #BiscuitsWithTheBoss! Liz has a wealth of knowledge and wrote the book on thermal desorption (literally). Here she gives the #TLDR version of focusing trap lifetimes - from years of experience. As Liz mentions, the trap is easy to change: https://lnkd.in/egnJrT9i What's your TD question? Please DM me or comment with your TD question. #ThermalDesorptionWithoutCompromise

Composting isn’t just something gardeners do in their back yards. Many US states require food waste to be diverted from landfills to composting facilities. As organic matter breaks down, it release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that produce odors or can be considered harmful pollutants. A journal article discusses the development of a dual sampling and instrumental method to measure speciated VOCs in compost and the comparison of VOC concentrations in yard waste and mixed food/yard waste. A Markes International Unity 2 thermal desorber interfaced to an Agilent GC/MSD was used to analyze the hydrophobic VOCs in air. A 7697A headspace sampler connected to 7890 GC with FID was used to analyze hydrophilic VOCs captured in water. It was found that both types of compost emitted a variety of VOCs, including terpenes and alcohols, with higher emissions seen at higher temperatures and greater concentrations of VOCS towards the middle of the compost pile. More alcohols were observed in the mixed waste while terpenes were more prevalent in the yard waste. https://lnkd.in/eN-QFg2Y #GasChromatography #GCMS #VOCs

This is a new one on me, but awesome to see the #Versatility of the UNITY-xr thermal desorber (TD) being used for HS analysis of drinking water with the Agilent Technologies #GCMS. Most analysts will know the Markes International UNITY-xr TD for air analysis, but a recent paper shows the simple use of HiSorb probes to allow sustainable, efficient disinfection by-products (DBP) monitoring in water samples! Thanks for your work by Photini Papaioakeim, Elia Efstathios and Agapios Agapiou at the University of Cyprus, and thanks for sharing Bill Berry, Ivo Novotný and LabRulezGCMS (EN). Another string to the bow for Markes’ UNITY-xr thermal desorbers; being able to process samples from sorbent tubes, canisters, bags, directly on-line and even water to deliver #ThermalDesorptionWithoutCompromise.

As the global energy transition gathers pace, hydrogen is emerging as a key clean fuel – but only if its purity can be guaranteed. Purity is especially critical for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), backup power systems, and hydrogen-powered aerospace, where even trace contamination can compromise safety, reliability, or efficiency. To address this issue, on 7 July 2025, ASTM released the updated D7892-2025 standard for determining trace-level impurities in hydrogen fuel using GC–MS. The revision introduces support for cryogen-free workflows, enabling cleaner, more accessible testing for total organic halides (TOX), total non-methane hydrocarbons (TNMHC), and formaldehyde. Read Dr. Kiran Piduru's technical blog about the amended method by clicking the link in the comment section ⤵️ #HydrogenFuel #FuelPurity #FuelTesting

It’s day two of the Environmental Measurement Symposium in St Louis, Missouri – if you’re there, be sure to come and say hello to us on table #58 👋 👋 We’re exhibiting a range of thermal desorption sampling technology as well as UNITY–CIA Advantage-xr, a cryogen-free, automated canister and whole air preconcentration system. Also, Caroline Widdowson is giving two talks in tomorrow’s (Thursday) Air Monitoring, Methods, and Technology session: 13:30 🔉 Comparative Analysis Of Air Sampling Strategies For VOC Monitoring 15:30 🔉 Assessing TD-GC-MS/MS for the Measurement of PFAS in Air and From Consumer Products Our poster is on display throughout the conference, too 📜 Novel methodology for analysis of PAHs in water by high capacity sorptive extraction and TD-GC-MS #EMS2025 #EnvironmentalMonitoring #AnalyticalChemistry

On any given day you can find our analysts working on real-life studies in order to find the best workflow solutions for our customers. This week, Applications Specialist, Khaled Murtada, based in our Waterloo (Canada) lab is undertaking odour analysis of food samples using an olfactory detection port (ODP), GC×GC–TOF MS system, with sample concentration provided by a Markes International TD100-xr automated thermal desorber. #AromaProfiling #GCGC #ThermalDesorption

Thanks to a collaboration between Agilent Technologies and Bureau Veritas Fuels, there are now robust methods for detecting and measuring trace impurities in fuel cell-grade hydrogen using Agilent GC systems coupled with Markes’ thermal desorption systems. Watch the video blog posted by Bill Berry to hear how the methods were developed; specific contaminants that must be identified to meet hydrogen product specifications; the levels at which they must be quantified, and the different GC configurations used to perform comprehensive impurity analysis.