{"id":4840,"date":"2019-03-27T14:56:10","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T14:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/analyteguru\/see-better-with-more-than-one-eye-uhplc-with-multi-detector\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T23:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T23:33:35","slug":"see-better-with-more-than-one-eye-uhplc-with-multi-detector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/analyteguru\/see-better-with-more-than-one-eye-uhplc-with-multi-detector\/","title":{"rendered":"See Better with More Than One Eye: UHPLC with Multi-Detector Approach for Comprehensive Sample Characterization"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Recently my youngest daughter asked me, “Why do we have two eyes?”
\nThat was easy to answer, “To figure out the distance and size of objects more easily.”<\/p>\n

\"\"The next question was a bit more challenging: “Are there creatures with more than two eyes?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Vaguely remembering my zoology classes at university a couple of decades ago, I answered, “Yes, insects have more than two eyes, although they have a different type of eye.”<\/p>\n

I do not want to stretch your patience by completely reproducing my elaboration on human eyes and insect eyes (more information to be found here<\/a>), because this is an analytical chemistry blog and not a hobby biologist forum.<\/p>\n

Because kids never stop asking questions, the next was, “Why do they have more eyes than we do?”<\/p>\n

The simple answer is that they need to see the complete picture, almost a 360-degree panorama, in order to survive either as a predator or prey. How is this interesting for an analytical chemist?<\/p>\n

Why? The complete picture!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes! The complete picture is something the analytical chemist wants to see, too.<\/p>\n

Have you ever developed an analytical method and wondered, “Does the method fulfill all my requirements: no co-eluting peaks and no undetectable unknowns with the detector I’m using?” Have you ever been concerned that your compounds may not be correctly quantified?<\/p>\n

Detailed knowledge of all impurities that might occur during production or storage is required for a proper risk assessment and compliance in a regulatory environment. Not having the confidence in your method gives the nagging feeling of uncertainty, right?<\/p>\n

Therefore, in order to stay calm and “survive” the analytical challenges with more confidence in your results, follow nature’s lead: add another eye. In other words, add additional detection capability to your analytical method for comprehensive sample characterization.<\/p>\n

How? 1-2-3! The multi-detector approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n