The combination of Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology with separation by Gas Chromatography (GC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), or Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) provides a powerful new platform for sulfur and phosphorus speciation analysis, which is of interest for some key industrial applications including the characterisation of bio-pharmaceuticals.  However, before the benefits of these advances can be fully realised, validated methods supported by suitable CRMs are needed.

This project will develop improved reference methods for the quantitation and identification of sulfur (S) and phosphorus (P) containing compounds, which will allow the characterisation of pharmaceutical products, standard materials and clinical samples.

Specific aims are:

• To develop and validate a HPLC/CE - collision cell ICP MS method for the quantification of trace levels of DNA nucleotides or phosphorylated peptides/proteins via their constant phosphorus content;
• To develop and validate a high accuracy sulfur IDMS method in combination with HPLC/CE and collision cell ICP MS suitable for the quantification of amino acids (e.g. methionine and cysteine) and peptides.