The Week 83 Forensic Science Geek of the Week is Announced

The Forensic Science Geek of the Week

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The week 83 “www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week” honors goes to: Robert Lantz, Ph.D.

According to his website (Rocky Mountain Instrumentation Laboratories):

We provide contract chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis (HPLC/MS) of pharmaceuticals (both traditional drugs and biotechnology products, such as proteins and peptides and oligonucleotides), veterinary and human endocrinology, and forensic toxicology, including fentanyl, T HC, tryptamines, and other forensic testing and testimony. We now offer assays for certain antibiotics (cephalosporins and aminoglycosides) and the insecticide Fipronil. We develop stability-indicating assays, including degradant identification, for the pharmaceutical industry. We also provide therapeutic drug monitoring for several less-common drugs, such as Taxol, Doxorubicin, Tacrolimus, rapamycin ( Sirolimus.) and Everolimus. Everything that we do is centered about and united by chemical testing. We offer HPLC/MS/MS, HPLC/PDA, GC/MS/MS, FT/IR, Dissolution, and Stability Testing. We are FDA registered and inspected, follow cGLP protocols, and are CLIA certified. We also are certified by the Colorado Department of Health to perform clinical and forensic toxicology testing. We also have a number of LCMSMS analyses for antibiotics, such as cephapirin, amoxicillin, and vancomycin. We provide both clinical and pre-clinical method development and performance. Robert K. Lantz, Ph.D. and Patricia L. Sulik, Ph.D. are the directors of RML.

Congratulations to our Forensic Science Geek of the Week winner

OFFICIAL QUESTION:

1. What is pictured above?

2. What is it useful for?

Our Geek of the Week answered:

It is an ABI -SciEx LCMSMS. It is at least an API-3200 (I cannot tell more than that). It is a triple quadrupole system of intermediate sensitivity between the API-3000 and the API-4000.

Like all LCMSMS systems, it can be used properly to give important, accurate results or used badly to give very sensitive erroneous results.

By using the MSMS capability, the mass spectrometer can isolate analyte species for the background. However, many substances are known to be had in isobaric (same mass) pairs, such as morpine-hydromorphone and codeine- hydrocodone. Similarly, it is possible to confuse some of the tricyclic antidepressants with each other and some of the benzodiazepines with other members of the class.

[BLOGGER’S NOTE: Great answer. Thanks for participating.]

The Hall of Fame for the www.TheTruthAboutForensicScience.com Forensic Science Geek of the Week:

Week 1: Chuck Ramsay, Esquire

Week 2: Rick McIndoe, PhD

Week 3: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 4: Stephen Daniels

Week 5: Stephen Daniels

Week 6: Richard Middlebrook, Esquire

Week 7: Christine Funk, Esquire

Week 8: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 9: Ron Moore, B.S., J.D.

Week 10: Kelly Case, Esquire and Michael Dye, Esquire