Secrets of science magazine 01/2024

Importance of topic

Major innovations in analytical chemistry support the detection, quantification and quality control of biomarkers, renewable materials transformation and process monitoring.
These advances address critical needs in early disease screening, sustainable waste valorization, point-of-care biofluid analysis, drug metabolism phenotyping and water purity assurance for green hydrogen production.

Objectives and study overview

This summary covers five analytical applications:

• Immunoprecipitation-MS detection of plasma amyloid β peptides for Alzheimer’s screening
• Thermochemical valorization of biowaste by pyrolysis with GC-MS speciation
• Dried plasma spot cards and LC-MS/MS for decentralized blood analysis
• Turnkey LC-MS/MS kit for DPD deficiency screening via uracil/dihydrouracil measurement
• Online TOC and conductivity monitoring for PEM electrolyzer water quality in green hydrogen production

Methodology and instrumentation

The studies employed state-of-the-art platforms and workflows:

• Immunoprecipitation coupled with MALDI-TOF and LC-MS/MS for selective enrichment and quantification of Aβ variants
• Laboratory-scale and micropyrolysis reactors integrated with GC-MS/FID for detailed analysis of pyrolysis gases, liquids and biochar
• Flat-bed dried plasma spot cards (DPS) combined with UHPLC-MS/MS for micro-volume biomarker and drug analysis
• Solid phase extraction and stable isotope standards in a DOSIURA™ LC-MS/MS kit for uracil and dihydrouracil quantification
• Multi-stage water pretreatment and real-time TOC/conductivity measurement with a TOC-1000e analyzer

Main results and discussion

• Composite plasma Aβ ratios (Aβ1-40/42 and APP669-711/42) achieved >94 % concordance with amyloid PET
• Optimized pyrolysis conditions yielded biochar with low toxic contaminants and bioliquids suitable for catalytic upgrading
• DPS cards enabled robust plasma sampling (25–60 µL) and consistent analyte recovery for decentralized testing
• DOSIURA™ LC-MS/MS method showed linearity (R²>0.9999), low LODs (µg/L) and recoveries of 93–117 %
• Continuous TOC and conductivity monitoring prevented membrane fouling in PEM stacks and stabilized hydrogen output

Benefits and practical applications

• Non-invasive Alzheimer’s screening broadens early diagnosis access
• Sustainable recycling of biowaste into carbon-rich soil amendments and biofuels
• Point-of-care blood sampling improves patient comfort and logistics
• Reliable DPD deficiency screening enhances chemotherapy safety
• Water quality PAT ensures efficient green hydrogen production in renewable energy systems

Future trends and potential applications

Emerging directions include AI-driven spectral deconvolution, scale-up of continuous pyrolysis reactors, smartphone-based DPS card diagnostics, expanded metabolite phenotyping kits and digital twins for predictive maintenance in electrolysis plants.

Conclusion

Tailored analytical methodologies and high-performance instrumentation are driving breakthroughs in healthcare diagnostics and sustainable technologies. Continued innovation in immunoprecipitation-MS, pyrolysis-GC/MS, dried fluid spot sampling, turnkey LC-MS/MS solutions and in-line water monitoring will shape future solutions for precision medicine and the green economy.

Reference

• Key publications on plasma Aβ IP-MS, pyrolysis analytics, DPS card methods and LC-MS/MS DPD assays
• Guidelines for ultrapure water standards and green hydrogen production from EMEA, ANSM and MHRA