Thoughts on the new methods presented by Dr. Krogh

1. This is by far one of my favorite talks presented in this years NRESi colloquium. I’ve spent some time in an analytical lab and first hand recognize some of the impressive challenges that Dr. Krogh and his team would need to overcome for the successful incorporation of a mass spectrometer into a mobile van unit. Among the many revelations from dr. Krogh’s presentation, the hazard to road workers and to brewery workers was surprising. The levels of toxins registered for volatile organic molecules around the breweries and bean roasting sites were the most surprising. The mobile mass spectrometer will probably allow for mush better definition of hazardous work space than previous sampling methods would. It could be very valuable for the qualitative identification of unsafe work, and living areas around many industrious operations.
2. I’m intrigued by the research groups ability to mount a MS into a van. Even in a controlled lab space, instrument temperature can be a challenge to maintain, let alone when the instrument is separated from the elements by thin metal walls. I’m consistently wondering about the shock system and the gas line set up in their equipment. I imagine that most of the line work must be flexible tube, rather than more rigid sturdy pipe and that the shocks on that van must be flexible as well to allow for minimal displacement of the gear. I had noticed that the road ways they typically analysed were pretty standard city streets and not the textured roads of construction and logging sites.
3. I think I’m going to need to look up Krogh’s volatile organic compound analysis methods, and algae detection with MS techniques. This isn’t directly tied to my project but the NALS team has been working on both analysis for almost a year and it would be cool if his work could offer insight, or even a collaboration.
4. I though that Dr. Krogh responded well to questions. He had a very charismatic personality, and it seemed that he was well rehearsed on his research topic. I’m not sure how I feel about offering questions to the audience. If they we’re important enough to ask, shouldn’t those be answered in your presentation? If they’re not worth presenting on then it seems more like he’s loading the audience with questions, which makes him seem self inflated. I will avoid that technique in the future.