{"id":803,"date":"2026-05-18T12:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/?post_type=research&#038;p=803"},"modified":"2026-05-27T15:33:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T21:33:55","slug":"high-resolution-mass-spectrometry-and-non-targeted-analysis","status":"publish","type":"research","link":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/research\/high-resolution-mass-spectrometry-and-non-targeted-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"High Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Non-Targeted Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- block -->\n<div class=\"custom-block-wrappper text-block stylized lite top-spacing-default bottom-spacing-default\">\n\n    <p>Sensing and characterizing environmental contaminants in environmental samples is not a simple task. Across many projects in the Borch lab, high resolution (and ultrahigh resolution) mass spectrometry is frequently used to characterize contaminants and organic matter shifts in a variety of environmental sample types. Examples of usage include<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>characterizing small organics and surfactants pre and post treatment of oil and gas produced water<\/li>\n<li>understanding shifts in soil metabolites after a wildfire<\/li>\n<li>characterizing chemical changes to PFAS following treatment<\/li>\n<li>identifying leached plastic additives from consumer plastics<\/li>\n<li>characterizing phototransformed small molecule contaminants<\/li>\n<li>quantifying PFAS in soil and water<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Although traditional targeted mass spectral analysis is used in most of our projects, many members of the Borch group specialize in non-targeted analysis of small molecule contaminants (e.g. phtalate esters, PFAS, VOCs, PAHs&#8230;), surfactants, and non-targeted metabolomics. We utilize a variety of cutting-edge analytical techniques across these projects including UHPLC-QTOF-MS, GC-QQQ-MS, GCxGC-TOF-MS, UHPLC-orbitrap-MS, and FT-ICR-MS in frequent collaboration with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the National Lab of the Rockies.<\/p>\n<p>See some recent publications using non-targeted techniques below! (Many more to come soon!)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acs.analchem.5c04154\">Characterization of Burned Soil Organic Matter via Sequential Solvent Extractions and 21 T FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry with Electrospray and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acs.est.1c01135\">Soil Organic Matter Characterization by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FTICR MS): A Critical Review of Sample Preparation, Analysis, and Data Interpretation<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acsestwater.5c00351\">Biological and Soil Indicators of Environmental Stress in Cropping Systems Irrigated with Produced Water<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2949919425000214#sec2\">Role of permafrost thaw transitions in biogeochemical nitrogen cycling<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2949919424000578\">Effects of pyrolysis temperature on the photooxidation of water-soluble fraction of wheat straw biochar based on 21 \u200bT FT-ICR mass spectrometry<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acs.est.3c09797\">Fire Impacts on the Soil Metabolome and Organic Matter Biodegradability<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acsestengg.3c00138\">Efficacy of Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis for the Treatment of Oil-Field Produced Water Intended for Beneficial Reuse<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acs.est.1c08143\">PFAS Analysis with Ultrahigh Resolution 21T FT-ICR MS: Suspect and Nontargeted Screening with Unrivaled Mass Resolving Power and Accuracy<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-814\" src=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20250809-WA00011-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 300px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-815\" src=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/21T_ICR-1-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 225px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-834\" src=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/borch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/05\/IMG-20260526-WA0012-1-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<!-- END block 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