Mark your calendars (September 1-3) - DFS Virtual User Meeting
The year 2020, alongside 1983, will be only the second time so far where the Dioxin Conference hasn’t taken place.
As a matter of fact, since 1980, the analytical community working with dioxin and POPs analysis has been meeting at the International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), also known as the Dioxin Conference.
The meeting started with the initiative of Professor Otto Hutzinger (1932-2012), a well-known scientist in the field of Environmental Chemistry and Pollution Research, who organized the first meeting in Rome, Italy to stimulate the exchange of scientific research, also with the aim of supporting policymakers in the field of environmental pollution and human health. The first edition took place during the aftermath of the infamous industrial accident which happened in Seveso, Italy, which resulted in the highest known exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in residential populations.
Differently from 1983, in 2020 the analytical community has a wealth of digital channels where they can share ideas and the latest industry news.
This year, Thermo Fisher Scientific is organizing a Virtual DFS User Meeting (September 1-3) featuring a series of webinars on the topic of Magnetic Sector technology for Dioxin and Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) analysis with experts directly from commercial labs and governmental institutions. Register here!
Don’t miss the chance to learn about the Thermo Scientific DFS Software Package: have a look at the schedule below and register today!
Webinar 1 - September 1, 2020: DFS Virtual User Meeting – See the latest software features for the Thermo Scientific DFS Magnetic Sector GC-HRMS: DFS Software Package on Windows 10
What’s new on the Thermo Scientific DFS Magnetic Sector GC-HRMS? Dirk Krumwiede and Heinz Mehlmann (Thermo Fisher Scientific) will be presenting the latest developments for instrument and data evaluation software on Windows 10 for the DFS Magnetic Sector GC-HRMS:
- Thermo Scientific™ DFS SmartTune™ Operating Software featuring the new SmartMID Mode for increased robustness with challenging samples.
- Thermo Scientific™ DFS TargetQuan™ 4.0 Data Evaluation Software featuring the new Signal/Noise Feature which allows full transparency of LOQ and LOD calculations.
During the webinar send us your feedback about the importance of Windows 10 in your lab?
Webinar 2 - September 2, 2020: Running a Commercial ISO 17025 POPs lab during a Pandemic by David Hope (Pacific Rim Laboratories, Vancouver, Canada)
At the start of 2020, few people, if any, had the foresight to have procedures in place to handle what was to come with the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of labs’ planning and projections had to be completely revised in mid-March. This unprecedented situation caused fear of the unknown which led some staff to quit, while others went into quarantine or self-isolation. Though the industry of dioxin and POPs analysis was considered essential – after all, they verify that the water we drink and the food we eat is safe, or that the other industries are not cheating on their permit requirements -- quarantine restrictions often mean you cannot go onsite to collect samples.
David Hope (Pacific Rim Laboratories, Vancouver, Canada) will share his experience as lab owner of a Commercial ISO 17025 POPs lab on how he dealt and is dealing with unprecedented conditions and how he and his team are implementing safety measures for the lab.
Check also this on-demand webcast from David Hope on Increased Throughput Using Magnetic Sector GC-HRMS
Webinar 3 - September 3, 2020: Estimation of LOD and LOQ for measurements in the field of contaminants with special focus on PCDD/Fs and PCBs
A guidance document on the estimation of LOD and LOQ for measurements in the field of contaminants in feed and food was published in 2016 by the four European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) working in the field of contaminants. The focus of this document was on the currently-EU regulated parameters of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in the field of halogenated POPs. With the extension of the scope of the EURL for halogenated POPs in 2018 to other halogenated POPs, the scope of the document will also be extended.
For the analysis of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in feed and food according to respective EU regulations, the estimation of the limit of quantification (LOQ) is a key parameter. The LOQ is included in the upper bound TEQ calculation which is then compared with established legal limits.
For PCDD/Fs and PCBs, different approaches for estimation of LOQ are defined in EU regulations and further specified in the guidance document. This includes the estimation of LOQs by signal-to-noise ratios or calibration experiments. In the analysis of halogenated POPs which might be ubiquitously present, the regular monitoring of the procedural blank levels and the consideration in the LOQ estimation is important.
In this webinar, the different approaches described in the guidance document on the estimation of LOD/LOQ will be explained and an outlook to possible approaches for other halogenated POPs will be given.
We are looking forward to virtually meeting you at the upcoming DFS Virtual User Meeting!
While waiting for the Virtual DFS User Meeting, here are some additional resources:
- To learn more about the DFS Software Package and its features, you can visit thermofisher.com/MagneticSector and have a look at the literature available.
- View the how-to videos where the new features are explained in more detail.
- To access the resources of previous years' Dioxin Conference click here.
- For more videos and resources about magnetic sector technology visit com/GoldStandardor read the smart note about the advantages of magnetic sector instruments.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
United States
