Mass Spec in Europe

[The_Crafty_Fox]

Hi is there anyone doing mass spec test in europe?

Also i have a question @MythotiK or anyone else in the know... is running a mass spec an easy thing to do?? ie if i collar a student that will run the tests is that ok or is it open to user error?? I know nothing about testing, but in my line of business I deal with the public all day long and one of my clients is a student that has access to MS... I was very tempted to ask him but I dunno if i should take the chance?? cheers in advance guys

Regards
TCF

 

[The_Crafty_Fox]

Bump

 

[Dr JIM]

It not like a Coke machine where ya just drop in quarters and out comes a Coke or results.

There is a HUGE learning curve for consistently reliable results.

How long it that curve?

That will depend upon your educational background, commitment, and a reasonable understanding of chemical reactions and interactions.

It would also be a huge plus if one was competent in computer science although most Univs use CS major students for that aspect.

So for someone with a PHd in biology a few months, for those with a degree in Psych several years.

The latter being able to operate the ISMS independently.

For a MALDI it's even more complicated.

However Grad students in the field of CHEMISTRY are prob GTG for an ISMS but not MALDI unless the latter is what they "trained on".

Oh achieving HPLC competency I s even more challenging bc of the different chemical dilutions required to separate varied compounds.

It may take a PHD several hours to discover which stationary or mobile phase buffer mixture is best to achieve optimal elutiom intervals.

And the lower the concentration of compounds in the submitted sample the more challenging that task becomes!

 

[The_Crafty_Fox]

It not like a Coke machine where ya just drop in quarters and out comes a Coke or results.

There is a HUGE learning curve for consistently reliable results.

How long it that curve?

That will depend upon your educational background, commitment, and a reasonable understanding of chemical reactions and interactions.

It would also be a huge plus if one was competent in computer science although most Univs use CS major students for that aspect.

So for someone with a PHd in biology a few months, for those with a degree in Psych several years.

The latter being able to operate the ISMS independently.

For a MALDI it's even more complicated.

However Grad students in the field of CHEMISTRY are prob GTG for an ISMS but not MALDI unless the latter is what they "trained on".

Oh achieving HPLC competency I s even more challenging bc of the different chemical dilutions required to separate varied compounds.

It may take a PHD several hours to discover which stationary or mobile phase buffer mixture is best to achieve optimal elutiom intervals.

And the lower the concentration of compounds in the submitted sample the more challenging that task becomes!

Thank you for taking the time for such a detailed response Dr jim.

Will hold off trying to collar a student into running tests for me and hold out till i find a reliable lab(which is by far the most difficult thing AAS related to source).

If anyone knows of European lab avail for testing I would be delighted to hear from you

 

[mercury]

Mass spec is not something that you drop sample and get results. It has to be calibrated and you really have to know what to do, it is rather complicated process.

We had some students here who tried to run something the results were not reliable.

 

[xupc]

Democritus in Greece offers MS/Chromatography etc services. A very good friend of mine tested some teste for ?? euros (edited the price out as I am not sure). I can enquiry further into their services if there is interest from this foru (and by that I mean give them a call and ask them). However, I am not sure whether they will provide MS/Chromatography for illegal substances.

http://www.rrp.demokritos.gr/index.php?Itemid=50&id=33&option=com_content&task=view

http://www.rrp.demokritos.gr/ms-dioxin/index_en.html

 

[The_Crafty_Fox]

Democritus in Greece offers MS/Chromatography etc services. A very good friend of mine tested some teste for ?? euros (edited the price out as I am not sure). I can enquiry further into their services if there is interest from this foru (and by that I mean give them a call and ask them). However, I am not sure whether they will provide MS/Chromatography for illegal substances.

http://www.rrp.demokritos.gr/index.php?Itemid=50&id=33&option=com_content&task=view

http://www.rrp.demokritos.gr/ms-dioxin/index_en.html

Would be very interested to find out if this would be a runner!!

 

[mercury]

I am not sure whether they will provide MS/Chromatography for illegal substances.

this is exactly the same problem, they cannot import or accept samples of controlled substances from the street without permits, licences etc.

people email labs and think that each place is an open crack house, you simply cannot do it.

a lot of labs got in trouble for doing it, this is why cannot find lab to do this, unless you have all papers.

 

[Dr JIM]

What is his major. Just ask questions like his exp with MS if any. If he says why do you ask?

"well we all these pro guys getting busted for using PEDs I was curious how accurate it was.

 

[Dr JIM]

Oh wait if this is YOUR STUDENT and your asking him to perform an illegal activity, even a "gray area" illegal activity, HELL NO!

He must first offer to help YOU, but be very cautious if could mean your job mate!

 

[The_Crafty_Fox]

Oh wait if this is YOUR STUDENT and your asking him to perform an illegal activity, even a "gray area" illegal activity, HELL NO!

He must first offer to help YOU, but be very cautious if could mean your job mate!

My lineoof business I meet and spend time with clients of all walks of life and as such I get talking to (and build up a repatoire) with all kinds of people. One of my clients is a student and the conversation of Ms came up, I didn't make any thing of it at the time, but was thinking of maybe seeing if he could run tests, where I'm at juice isn't a big deal, I've had the police find amps in my car in the past and say nothing about it. It's not quite legal but defo not majorly illegal if that makes sense?

I think I will hold off and wait till I find a lab that can take care of my needs, rather than compromise my business.