At the Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory housed within the Black Sea Advanced Technology Research and Application Center (KİTAM) of Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), aromatic compound and microplastic analyses have officially commenced.
OMU Faculty of Engineering academic and KİTAM Deputy Director Dr. Mehmet Kuru announced that qualitative analysis services for aromatic compounds have begun using the Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) system in the laboratory. “Thanks to the GC-MS system, it is now possible to directly detect especially volatile and semi-volatile components. The compound profiles in the samples are identified by matching them with internationally recognized databases,” he stated.
Dr. Kuru emphasized that analyses are conducted using either liquid injection or headspace methods, depending on the physical properties of the samples. “With the headspace method, we can directly analyze volatile compounds in solid and semi-solid samples without an extraction process. This technique offers a major advantage particularly for examining plant extracts, essential oils, and aromatic compounds,” he explained.
In addition, Dr. Kuru noted that microplastic analyses have started using the LC-MS/MS (Shimadzu LCMS-8040) device at the center. “With this newly launched analysis service, we are conducting studies to identify microplastics in biological tissue samples through mass spectrometry. In doing so, we aim to provide scientific contributions to research in the fields of environment and health,” he added.
He further stated that the analysis results are reported in compliance with scientific standards to support academic studies and research projects. “As KİTAM, we aim to support both internal university researchers and industry stakeholders through the advanced analytical capabilities we offer,” he said.
Dr. Kuru concluded by noting that the center’s strong technical infrastructure will enhance the quality of scientific research and contribute significantly to university–industry collaboration.
LISTEN