By: Kevin McKeown

Summer is in the rear-view, Autumn is in the air and now what you’ve all been waiting for: the Fall 2026 edition of the Pickering Laboratories newsletter, Retention Times!

In this issue, we’ll share fun staff news and celebrations while also mixing in our usual blend of product updates from both the Post-Column and PTS/Artificial Body Fluids product lines.

First, unfortunately, we have to send out a warning about some spammers/phishers who are disparaging our President’s good name in Spoofing Emails.

Next, we’ll get the Fall Exhibition party started in PSP-HABS Conference.  This will be our second time exhibiting at this show, with the last one in 2024.  Our first attendance was VERY educational for us, so we’re looking forward to learning more about this testing community.

David Mazawa gives us an introduction to the newest Pickering Labs team member in New Employee Spotlight – Anthony Rodriguez.  Anthony joined us over the Summer in the QC Lab and is getting up to speed SUPER quickly.  Learn a little bit more about him here.

And what would a newsletter be without an article about Rebecca’s dogs (usually our highest-viewed article!)?  In Rebecca and Luna do Dog Drafting you’ll see how Rebecca and her brood turned a soggy weekend in Napa into a win-win.  Shoutout to Pickering employee Yuliana Lopez for making all the signs!

If you’ve read any of our newsletters, you know by now that Pickering has A LOT of long-tenured employees, and we enjoy nothing more than throwing parties for the “big” anniversaries.  In Gloria 35^th Anniversary and Ed 25^th Anniversary you can read some thoughtful notes from their managers and see some pictures of the parties!  Finally, at least for the articles, we have a new product spotlight for SVF.  Our Artificial Body Fluids have already been a popular product line and we are always looking to expand the range whenever we can to support the needs of our growing customer base (check back here for updates).

But wait, there’s more! We couldn’t publish a newsletter without our very popular Chromatography Quiz, so put on your thinking caps and see if you can solve the Carbamate Analysis problem in Better Late Than Never? this time. Send in your answers for a chance to win a fabulous prize!

Pickering Laboratories – Chromatography Quiz

Announcing the winners of our previous quiz, Chromatography Quiz #47 – Piston Washed Out

Pickering Laboratories would like to congratulate the winners of our previous newsletter’s Chromatography Quiz #47: Marissol Mallon from Suffolk County Water Authority, Lakeisha Packer from Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Tom Schneider from Suffolk County Water Authority, Josiah Hakala from Minnesota Department of Health, and Narjes Ghafoori from Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratory.

Our winners will shortly be receiving a Reclaimed Wood Herb Garden, just in time for Spring! An herb garden with three fragrant pre-planted herbs: rosemary, thyme, and sage. Planted in a rustic reclaimed wood crate, to nestle perfectly on a sunny windowsill or kitchen counter. Happy growing!

Congratulations to our quiz winners!  Thank you all for your submissions!

Chromatography Quiz #47 Solution:Discoloration in the piston wash is usually an indication that reagent has leaked into the piston wash bottle. The backend of the piston of the pump is directly connected to the piston wash. If the main piston seal is bad, you can have a small amount of reagent leak into the piston wash bottle.

It is recommended to change the pump seals and then perform a pressure test to make sure the seal integrity is good.

Quiz #48 – Valve Lost Error

Here is a question for our Pinnacle and Onyx PCX users. A possible error for your system is a “Vale Lost” error. The valve assembly uses optical sensors to determine which position the valve is in. If the valve is unable to arrive at a programmed position, you will receive a Valve Lost Error.

What can lead to a Valve Lost Error? 

Submit your answers to rsmith@pickeringlabs.com by April 17, 2026!

Fluorescamine – High-Purity Derivatization Reagent for Sensitive Post-Column Analysis

Fluorescamine is a widely used derivatization reagent that reacts rapidly with primary amino groups to form highly fluorescent derivatives. It has been extensively utilized for post-column analysis of a broad range of analytes, including amino acids, peptides, proteins, and other amino-containing compounds such as cephalosporin antibiotics.

This reagent is particularly valuable for high-sensitivity analysis of large molecules such as proteins and peptides. The fluorescent derivatives formed do not undergo self-quenching, preserving the intensity of the fluorescent signal. This property enables reliable trace-level analysis of hormones and pharmaceuticals in blood and other biological matrices, as well as use in purity confirmation assays.

In post-column trace analysis, reagent quality is critical to minimizing background signal and preventing analytical interferences. Pickering Laboratories specializes in high-purity derivatization reagents and is proud to announce the addition of highly purified crystalline fluorescamine to our product catalog.

By Christopher Nguyen 

This year, we are proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone for one of our own. Dr. Maria Ofitserova, Senior Research Chemist at Pickering Laboratories, marked her 25-year anniversary in February!

Over the past quarter century, Maria has played an essential role in advancing the science behind our products. Her deep expertise, natural curiosity, and unwavering commitment to quality have helped ensure that Pickering Laboratories continues to deliver the reliable, high-performance solutions our customers depend on. Maria’s contributions extend beyond the lab—her collaborative spirit and dedication have made her a valued colleague and mentor to many across our organization.

Milestones like this reflect not only individual achievement, but also the strength and continuity of our scientific community. Maria’s work has helped shape our standards, strengthen our innovation, and support our mission of excellence.

We are sincerely grateful for Maria’s 25 years of dedication, innovation, and teamwork, and we look forward to her continued contributions in the years ahead.

Please join us in congratulating Maria on this extraordinary milestone!

Analytica Announcement

By: Kevin McKeown

Time to dust off those passports and pack your bags, as Pickering Labs will be exhibiting at Analytica 2026 in Munich!

Analytica 2026 is Europe’s premier international trade fair for laboratory technology, analytical science, and biotechnology, taking place from March 24–27, 2026 at the Trade Fair Center Messe München in Munich, Germany. It brings together thousands of scientists, industry leaders, researchers, and decision-makers from around the world to showcase cutting-edge innovations in areas such as analysis, diagnostics, lab automation, sustainability, and digital transformation, with more than 1,000 exhibitors spread across five halls.

In something new for us, we will be sharing the booth with our UK/EU distributor: EssLab. Our booth will be in the UK Pavilion, in Hall B1. In attendance from Pickering Labs will be Rebecca Smith and Kevin McKeown, with a strong contingent from our EssLab partners, including Richard Day, Chris Hoskyn, Karolina Perek, and others. Our main focus at this show will be our PTS (Artificial Body Fluids) line, and we’ll have real-life samples of your favorite Blood, Sweat, and Saliva solutions! If you, or anyone from your company, plan on attending, we encourage you to stop by and say hello. In a bit of foreshadowing, I can promise that you will not miss us in our neon color-schemed attire! As an added bonus, we’ll have some “fresh off the press” giveaways.

We look forward to seeing all of our customers, international dealers, and old friends. We wish everyone who’s attending safe travels and cannot wait to see you there!