About this Research Topic
Hyphenation of liquid and gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) is widely used for the quantitative analysis of analytes (non-volatile and volatile) for which reference standards are available. Recently, however, multidimensional liquid and gas chromatography coupled to HR-MS has gained much interest in the development of analytical methods that detect with better sensitivity and resolution the vast, diverse pool of known and unknown organic compounds in complex matrices. Non-targeted sophisticated spectroscopic methods, including ultrahigh-resolution MS and multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), have granted novel insights into the molecular composition of complex organic matrices from air, water, and soils. The use of multidimensional analytical techniques combined with data processing tools has the potential to significantly widen the current analytical window, thus providing a better mechanistic understanding of organic species cycling in the environment.
This Research Topic welcomes original research works and critical reviews related to the challenges and opportunities for the application of multidimensional analytical approaches in the targeted and non-targeted analysis of complex environmental matrices, with topics including, but not limited to, the following:
• Multidimensional chromatography: development of novel multidimensional separation systems based on online and/or offline 2D liquid and/or gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution detectors for the quantitative and qualitative screening of environmental samples (outdoor and indoor air, water, and soils)
• Advanced spectroscopic methods: investigation of non-target, high-resolution methods ability to study the structure and molecular features of complex organic matrices (air, water, soils, plants metabolites)
• Multivariate data analysis, big data, and machine learning in the characterization of complex environmental matrices
• Monitoring and sample preparation: recent developments in (micro)extraction methods and new instruments applied in environmental samples for making these amenable for the analysis using multidimensional techniques
Keywords: multidimensional techniques, spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid/gas chromatography; selected ion flow tube (SIFT)
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