These are examples of the many important questions concerning the quantities of potentially harmful or beneficial substances in our environment, in the foods we eat, and even in our own bodies.
Analytical chemistry is involved with identifying and measuring the quantities of such substances.
The Organic Analytical Methods Group at NIST is focussed on developing tools to help laboratories make these types of measurements more accurate. Our group conducts research into new techniques in organic analytical chemistry, such as new approaches to chemical separations and new techniques in mass spectrometry. We develop new methods that permit us to make accurate measurements of substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, at trace levels in environmental samples such as fish tissure or marine sediments. Other method development focuses on better measurement methods for beneficial substances such as vitamins and less beneficial ones such as fat components in foods. We also develop new methods to accurately measure important health markers in human blood, such as cholesterol and cardiac troponin.