Good sample preparation can make all the difference when it comes to the robustness and performance of an analytical method.  Sample preparation is typically employed to concentrate the species of interest prior to analysis or to remove unwanted matrix components.  A good sample preparation guide has been published by Agilent – seehttp://www.chem.agilent.com/Library/primers/Public/5991-3326EN_SPHB.pdf The importance of removing matrix interferences is illustrated by a paper in the journal ‘Analytical Methods’.  N-methylpyrrolidine (NMP) is a hydrolysis product of the antibiotic drug cefepime.  The official method for the assay of NMP in cefepime fails to separate the two prior to analysis, with the result…

Click here to read the full article