New in LCGC The Column: Markes International article on cryogen-free trap focusing

Markes International, a company of Schauenburg Analytics, is pleased to highlight the publication of a new article in LCGC’s The Column (September 2025): “Overcoming limitations in food analysis with cryogen-free trap focusing.” The piece outlines how integrating a cryogen-free focusing trap into HS and SPME–GC–MS workflows sharpens early-eluting peaks, widens dynamic range and reduces manual intervention.

Using everyday food matrices – including flavour profiling of cola and garlic, and trace-level fumigants in spices – the authors demonstrate clearer separations, stronger identifications and lower detection limits within automated methods. While the examples focus on food, the approach is readily transferable to fragrance, consumer products and environmental monitoring.

“Cryogen-free trap focusing gives laboratories a practical way to improve peak shape and sensitivity in automated HS/SPME–GC–MS,” said Lucy Hearn, Application Specialist at Markes International and co-author of the article. “It helps teams meet tightening requirements efficiently, and the same principles apply beyond food.”

Read the article on the Markes website, or in The Column, to see method parameters and practical guidance for implementing cryogen-free focusing in routine GC–MS.