Pittcon

Find us at Pittcon 2026! Pittcon has been the premier forum to connect and showcase analytical science for over 75 years. It serves as a global, collaborative venue for presenting the latest advances in analytical research, instrumentation, and technology for professionals in industry, academia, and government. 

Event Details

DATES: March 7-11, 2026

LOCATION: San Antonio, TX

BOOTH: 2825

Our Presentations

Be sure to attend our presentations throughout the conference to hear the latest data and insights from our experts and collaborators.

Monoclonal Antibody Critical Quality Attribute Verification Using Capillary Scale LC

PRESENTATION | March 8, 2026 | 10:40 - 11:00 AM | Room 301A | Samuel Foster, Application Scientist, Axcend

Monoclonal Antibodies (mAb) have become a major class of medications that are now used around the world. Due to the complex nature of mAbs, a single method for determining structure and function proves challenging. Liquid chromatography (LC) has been used to determine various properties of the antibody required to produce the desired effect(s), known as critical quality attributes (CQAs). Capillary scale LC offers the same ability to determine CQAs as more conventional analytical LC, while considerably reducing the amount of sample and solvent consumed, leading to greener and less expensive separations. Additionally, when coupling to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), the lower flow rates of capillary scale separations can enhance ionization efficiency and overall sensitivity of the technique. In this work, the Axcend Focus LC was used to determine various CQAs including intact and fragmented masses, charge variance, glycosylation, and antibody aggregation. These separations showcase the functionality of various capillary scale separation modes including RPLC, IEX, HILIC, and SEC. This marks a considerable step forward in implementing capillary scale separations in the biopharmaceutical industry. Add this session to your Pittcon schedule here. 

Portable Analysis of MDA in Jet Fuel using Capillary Scale Liquid Chromatography

POSTER | March 11, 2026 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Board PS-T003 | Samuel Foster, Application Scientist, Axcend

Metal Deactivator Additive (MDA) is a chelating agent (typically N,N’-disalicylidene-1,2-propanediamine) that is often added to jet fuels to prevent metal ions, primarily trace copper, from catalyzing reactions (i.e., oxidation and thermal breakdown of the fuel) that reduce fuel efficiency and foul engine components. Fuel supplies are tested regularly to ensure MDA is present at appropriate concentration (i.e., not too much or too little) to prevent fouling; however, timely testing at critical locations outside the laboratory can prove difficult. Often, fuel samples are collected and shipped to an offsite laboratory causing lead times of several days between sampling and analysis, putting fuel use on hold. The Axcend Focus LC is a compact and portable capillary scale liquid chromatograph (LC) that is capable of onsite analysis of MDA in jet fuel down to the recommended cutoff threshold of 5.7 mg/L as established by ASTM D1655. This allows for portable, on-site MDA analysis in approximately 10 minutes, consuming only 63 µL of solvent and fuel per sample. ASTM has approved this method in D8545 as the only portable LC method for MDA analysis. In this poster, the separation conditions, accuracy, and linearity of MDA analysis by capillary LC are presented. Add this session to your Pittcon schedule here.

From Our Collaborators: Capillary LC in Action

Explore how researchers and industry experts are using capillary LC in real-world applications. These partner-led presentations highlight innovative approaches made possible by low-flow chromatography. 

CapLC Conversations: Expert Insights on Small-Scale, yet Big-Impact Chromatography

NETWORKING ROUNDTABLE | March 10, 2026 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Room 006B

Capillary liquid chromatography (capLC) is emerging as one of the more compelling separation technologies of the future. CapLC offers significant reductions in operating costs, minimal laboratory space requirements, enhanced portability, and strong alignment with green analytical chemistry principles, yet widespread adoption remains limited. The lack of adoption is often due to knowledge gaps in operation, method transfer to and from analytical-scale LC, and uncertainties in instrumentation options.

This networking session, facilitated by David Bell (ASKkPrime, LLC), brings together leading experts and forward-thinking practitioners from the Capillary Innovation Forum to share informed perspectives on why capLC is poised to play a significant role in modern analytical laboratories. Attendees will engage in open, yet well-structured discussions covering practical strategies for method design and optimization, the latest instrumentation developments, and proven approaches for successful bidirectional method transfer between analytical and capillary scales.

Participants will gain cutting-edge insights into emerging applications, performance benefits, and implementation pathways—knowledge that can help overcome common adoption hurdles. Whether you’re exploring capLC for its cost efficiency, its green credentials, or its adaptability for compact and mobile setups, this session promises a high-value exchange of ideas, grounded in real-world experience and future-focused vision. Add this session to your Pittcon schedule here.

New Approaches to Capillary LC Column Development

PRESENTATION | March 11, 2025 | 8:50 - 9:10 AM | Room 225C | James Grinias, Rowan University

As greener approaches to chemical analysis continue to grow in popularity, the significant decrease in mobile phase flow rates makes capillary LC an appealing choice for liquid chromatographic separations. In this presentation, recent advances in capillary LC column design will be described. The use of a “tube-in-manifold” design to enable circular cross-section columns within microfluidic column formats improves column loading and performance for integrated column chips. Integrated column cartridges where a column, heater, and detector are combined within a single unit promote ease-of-use for capillary LC, especially within miniaturized systems. Descriptions of various stationary phases used in these column formats will also be presented. Add this session to your Pittcon schedule here.