Non-Target Screening for Environmental Analysis
PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE at University of Copenhagen
This is a toolbox course where 80% of the seats are reserved to PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of SCIENCE at UCPH and 20% of the seats are reserved to PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS). Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university (except CBS), you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Requirements for signing up
PhD students must contact the course coordinator before registration to ensure prerequisites are met
Aim and Content
This course introduces students to suspect and non-target screening (SS/NTS) for identifying unknown chemicals in the environment. Students will learn analytical workflows for prioritization of unknowns and compound identification using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) with a focus on liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC).
Hands-on sessions will involve applying NTS to real environmental samples (e.g., water, soil, biological organisms). Students will work in small groups to design and execute research projects, covering sample preparation (e.g., solid-phase extraction, vacuum evaporation up-concentration), data analysis using software like MSDial and MZmine, and compound prioritization via R scripts and suspect screening libraries.
Learning outcomes
Intended learning outcome for the students who complete the course:
Knowledge
Students will learn
• the definitions and distinctions between suspect and non-target screening (SS/NTS)
• strengths and limitations of NTS workflow in environmental analysis
• core concepts such as sample preparation, data acquisition, quality control, data processing, filtering, prioritization, and interpretation.
• gain insights into quality control procedures.
Skills
• By the end of the course, students will be able to design NTS workflows, process and interpret HRMS data, apply quality control, use open-source tools for SS/NTS, and effectively communicate findings.
Competences
Students will develop the ability to:
• Critically evaluate analytical platforms and data processing methods used in NTS research.
• Reflect on the quality and reliability of NTS studies.
• Interpret NTS data to draw accurate and evidence-based conclusions.
Target Group
PhD students from various scientific disciplines working with analytical chemistry
Recommended Academic Qualifications
Basic university-level analytical chemistry knowledge required.
Research Area
Analytical Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Food Chemistry; Plant and Soil Chemistry
Teaching and Learning Methods
Lectures, theoretical and practical exercises, laboratory experiments
Type of Assessment
Completion of laboratory exercises (40%), and oral exam of curriculum (60%).
Literature
Laboratory compendium and electronic resources via Absalon
Course coordinator
Jan H Christensen, Professor, jch@plen.ku.dk
Dates
Start Date: 20. April 2026
End Date: 1. June 2026
The theoretical part can be followed online.
Expected frequency
The course takes place every year.
Course location
Frederiksberg Campus
Course fee
• Participant fee: 5000 DKK
• PhD student enrolled at SCIENCE: 0 DKK
• PhD student from Danish PhD school Open market: 0 DKK
• PhD student from Danish PhD school not Open market: 9000 DKK
• PhD student from foreign university: 9000 DKK
• Master's student from Danish university: 0 DKK
• Master's student from foreign university: 9000 DKK
• Non-PhD student employed at a university (e.g., postdocs): 9000 DKK
• Non-PhD student not employed at a university (e.g., from a private company): 25.200 DKK
Cancellation policy
• Cancellations made up to two weeks before the course starts are free of charge.
• Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course starts will be charged a fee of DKK 3.000
• Participants with less than 80% attendance cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
• No-show will result in a fee of DKK 5.000
• Participants who fail to hand in any mandatory exams or assignments cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
Course fee and participant fee
PhD courses offered at the Faculty of SCIENCE have course fees corresponding to different participant types.
In addition to the course fee, there might also be a participant fee.
If the course has a participant fee, this will apply to all participants regardless of participant
type - and in addition to the course fee.