Safer and Clearer Water – Shimadzu Gives a Talk about PFAS Analysis at the University of Zagreb, Croatia
On 24 and 25 February 2022, Shimadzu’s Croatian branch, Shimadzu d.o.o., joined the 14th Meeting of Young Chemical Engineers (SMLKI 2022) at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology (FKIT), University of Zagreb, as a bronze sponsor.
SMLKI has been organized every two years since its inception in 1996, with the aim of promoting and emphasizing the importance of chemical engineering in the Republic of Croatia. It has provided opportunities for young chemical engineers to present the fruit of their research and to encounter advanced technology.
This year, 264 young engineers and students attended the meeting, and 193 research papers were submitted from several different universities in Croatia and the surrounding countries. The meeting also offered a place for the students and faculty to connect with other institutions and companies involved in this type of research.
Shimadzu’s Lecture on PFAS Analysis
During the meeting, Shimadzu d.o.o. application specialist, Lucija Ivanjko, gave a lecture on the mass spectrometry technique to analyze perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) in water samples.
PFAS compounds have been commonly used in many industrial products, such as food packaging and fire-fight foams, due to their water repellency, and heat and chemical resistance. However, PFAS compounds are currently of great concern in public health and environmental fields because of their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity to biological organisms.
In her talk, she explained the importance of accurate, sensitive analysis by showing an example of PFAS analysis using Shimadzu’s LCMS-8060NX triple quadrupole liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer and introduced the latest technologies to young engineers.
Shimadzu’s Instruments Help Environmental Research at the University of Zagreb
The current focus of FKIT’s laboratory at the University of Zagreb is research of the aquatic environment. In their laboratory, Shimadzu analytical instruments, including Liquid Chromatography, Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry, and a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer, are utilized to analyze aqueous samples.
The researchers have been working to develop a method to monitor biotic and abiotic processes for removing pesticides and antiparasitic organisms from wastewater, and also research advanced processes for removing pharmaceuticals from water.
Comment from the Person in Charge
The main objective of the congress at the University of Zagreb is to connect young chemical engineers and scientists with industry to share ideas and create new projects. By presenting our latest technologies, we were able to show younger generations the importance of precise and sensitive analytical measurements.
(Lucija Ivanjko, Shimadzu d.o.o. Croatia)
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