Can Spectroscopy assist Separations Scientists ? Yes it can!

It is the scientific argument equivalent of ?Which came first, the chicken or the egg?? only in this case it is ?Liquid Chromatography or Spectroscopy, primarily Mass Spectroscopy?? One could debate the criteria as to which form of each we are voting on but the premise remains the same as is the inescapable fact that the two do actually have a symbiosis and exist to each others mutual benefits on an increasing level especially at the life sciences end in the pharmaceutical industry. The spring symposium of the Chromatographic Society debated this inter dependency in a fascinating manner with well practised speakers in the tandem field of LC- (almost any spectroscopic technique but primarily Mass) in a two day meeting entitled ?Advances in LC/MS and Related Hyphenated Techniques? held in Sunderland, UK during May 13/14th. Alongside vendors, some of whom made interesting presentations, almost 80 interested participants attended from the UK and Europe.