Application of capillary gas chromatography in the analysis of hydrocarbons in the environment

Summary Hydrocarbons are emitted into the environment in quantity and diversity. Some of these can be detrimental in low concentration, many can be active in photochemical smog production. For combatment there is also interest in the sources of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. For source recognition fine-structured chromatographic fingerprints are essential. This also holds for oil pollution. A complicating factor in the determination of hydrocarbon pollutants may arise from the occurrence of recently biosynthesized hydrocarbons. For distinguishing between these two types the application of capillary gas chromatography is preferred to packed column gc. It will be clear that the application of capillary gc in the analysis of hydrocarbons in the environment is of great practical value. The modified Grob method used by us for the analysis of hydrocarbons in air is discussed. For the characterization and source recognition of oil pollution in water and soil application of capillary gc fingerprinting is essential; in this way valuable information can be gathered about weathering of oil pollution. Sources of oil pollution in water areas and harbour regions can be traced in certain cases. Also the possibility of measurement of residence time is present. Typical examples are given.Publication No. 601 of the TNO Research Institute for Environmental Hygiene.     

Practical capillary gas chromatography—a systematic approach

Capillary gc is now rapidly expanding. Naturally, initiation is most often attempted on the basis of the experience acquired with packed columns. However, such an extrapolation is successful only if a number of essential peculiarities of capillary gc are considered. Based on practical examples this paper discusses six essential details: 1) design and maintenance of the gas flow paths, 2) the greatly increased importance of sampling technique, which should not be confined just to stream splitting, 3) the problems in quantitative analysis arising from small sample size, 4) specific sources of trouble related to small amounts of liquid phase, 5) specific arguments for the choice of the carrier gas, clearly pointing to hydrogen as the ideal carrier and, 6) the different way to approach column production. Figures for all selected examples are given.     

The effect of temperature and initiator levels on the dispersion polymerization of polystyrene

Considerable interest has been generated recently by the preparation of large monodisperse polymer latices by a multistage swelling process. Dispersion polymerization in organic media has been shown to be an alternative route to the preparation of large monodisperse polymer colloids. The size of the resulting particles is known to be dependent on the polarity of the reaction medium. Several other factors are also extremely important in determining both the size and size distribution of the resulting particles. These include the temperature of the reaction and the level of initiator. The temperature affects both the rate of free radical formation and the thermodynamic properties of the polymerization system. It is shown that monodispersity can be achieved over a considerable range of temperatures provided that a particular level of initiator is used at a given temperature. It is also shown that higher levels of initiator at a particular temperature actually produced larger particles. Interestingly, the level of initiator was not found to significantly change the overall rate of polymerization.     

Serially coupled capillary columns supercritical fluid chromatography with a coupling restrictor.

A serially coupled column system for capillary supercritical fluid chromatography was constructed by connecting two capillary columns of different polarities using or without using a coupling restrictor. The influence of the column sequence, the size of the coupling restrictor and the column temperature on the polarity of the system were studied. The system without a coupling restrictor (the directly coupled system) provided an intermediate polarity between two columns, depending on the column geometry, such as the film thickness and column length, although it slightly shifted to that of the first column. In the system with a coupling restrictor, the contribution of the second column to the overall retention increased with its resistance. The use of a coupling restrictor allowed to control the polarity of the coupled system virtually over the whole range between two columns. The temperature was an additional effective parameter for tuning the polarity of the system.     

The selectivity and polarity of carbon layer open tubular capillary columns modified with a polar liquid phase

The polarity of carbon layer open tubular (CLOT) columns coated with a layer of non-porous graphitized carbon black (Carbopack B) modified with an appropriate amount of polar polyglycol liquid phase has been evaluated and compared with that of standard polar (Supelcowax-10) and non-polar (SPB-1) bonded phase open tubular columns. The efficiency and selectivity were measured at various temperatures and the polarity of the columns was evaluated by use of McReynolds' constants and the difference in apparent carbon number, ΔC of linear alkanes and alcohols. The polarity of the CLOT column was found to depend on temperature, and changing the analytical conditions therefore enabled the separation of compounds of different polarity whose reciprocal position and resolution were affected by temperature. The application of calculation methods which enable programmed temperature retention times to be predicted from isothermal data was also found to be possible when the polarity of the CLOT column changes with temperature.     

色谱柱极性和柱温对氯苯类物质保留时间及灵敏度的影响

考察了使用强极性的色谱柱DB-WAXTRE和弱极性的色谱柱DB-5分离3种氯代苯类物质时,其色谱峰保留时间与柱温的关系,建立了3种氯苯在不同的色谱柱间柱温变化相同幅度时保留时间的函数方程式.对二氯苯的柱温-灵敏度曲线峰值中线两侧几乎对称,但每种组分的灵敏度峰值出现所需的柱温不同,在不同的色谱柱上也不同.采用弱极性的DB-5色谱柱,程序升温时氯苯、二氯苯、三氯苯检出限可分别达到0.05、0.08、0.04 ng(进样量为1μL).     

The limits of the separation power of unidimensional column liquid chromatography

The practical limit of the separation power of HPLC depends on time, money, and skill. That is it depends on the time available for the analysis, on the quality and performance of the pump and hardware and particularly on the maximum pressure at which the pump can deliver the mobile phase to the column, and on the temperature at which the column can be operated. It also depends on the properties of the packing material selected (e.g., its particle size, its pore geometry, and its connectivity) and on the packing method used since it affects the coefficients of the HETP equation. Finally, it depends on the thermal stability of the sample and the packing material. The complexity of the sample also plays an important role in that it determines whether the analysis should be made under isocratic, isothermal conditions, in gradient elution, in temperature programming, or with a combination of both types of programming. The various phenomena that affect column properties and separation performance are discussed. Past achievements suggest that columns providing efficiencies in excess of a million plates in less than 1 day are within the grasp of current technology. The possibility of further advances are considered.     

丙烯腈与二乙烯苯原位聚合制备强极性高聚物涂层毛细管柱

以丙烯腈为单体，二乙烯苯为交联剂，采用原位聚合法制备出了强极性的有机高聚物多孔层开管柱－ＯＰＰＬＯＴ－Ａ型柱。对影响制备的因素如致孔剂的选择，反应温度与反应时间，引发剂的选择及浓度等进行了讨论。应用扫描电镜和红外光谱对形成的高聚物固定相的结构进行了表征。实验表明该柱对腈、醛类等化合物有好的分离性能。     

Sensitivity of viscosity Arrhenius parameters to polarity of liquids

Several empirical and semi-empirical equations have been proposed in the literature to estimate the liquid viscosity upon temperature. In this context, this paper aims to study the effect of polarity of liquids on the modeling of the viscosity–temperature dependence, considering particularly the Arrhenius type equations. To achieve this purpose, the solvents are classified into three groups: nonpolar, borderline polar and polar solvents. Based on adequate statistical tests, we found that there is strong evidence that the polarity of solvents affects significantly the distribution of the Arrhenius-type equation parameters and consequently the modeling of the viscosity–temperature dependence. Thus, specific estimated values of parameters for each group of liquids are proposed in this paper. In addition, the comparison of the accuracy of approximation with and without classification of liquids, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, shows a significant discrepancy of the borderline polar solvents. For that, we suggested in this paper new specific coefficient values of the simplified Arrhenius-type equation for better estimation accuracy. This result is important given that the accuracy in the estimation of the viscosity–temperature dependence may affect considerably the design and the optimization of several industrial processes.     

Ligand-exchange chromatography of amino acid enantiomers and its application to the biotransformation of DL-aspartic acid byPseudomonas dacunhae

Summary The separation of the D and L enantiomers of eighteen essential α amino acids has been investigated by ligand-exchange chromatography (LEC). The effect of column temperature on the retention times and resolution of individual amino acid enantiomers has been studied by varying the temperature from 25 to 50 °C for a mobile phase containing Cu²⁺ ions. By use of a temperature of 50 °C and Zn²⁺ in the mobile phase, eight of the eighteen amino acid enantiomers can be resolved sufficiently well for practical application. Only phenylalamine, tyrosine, and tryptophan can be separated by use of Ni²⁺ as complexation metal at 50 °C. LEC has been used to monitor the decarboxylation of racemic DL-aspartic acid byPseudomonas dacunhae. Analysis of DL amino acid enantiomers in different media was performed at column temperatures of 30 and 50°C by addition of 0.125 mM Cu²⁺ to the aqueous mobile phase. It was found that the analytical performance is most dependent on the identity of the metal used for complexation; the concentration of the metal was of secondary importance and the column temperature less important still.     

On-line multidimensional chromatography using supercritical carbon dioxide

A two-dimensional chromatographic separation is described which makes use of the unusual properties of supercritical carbon dioxide mobile phase. This solvent has the property of giving a separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on amine-bonded columns similar to that given by usual normal-phase solvents, and on octadecylsilane-bonded columns similar to that given by usual reversed-phase solvents. Packed columns were used, arranged so that they could be switched in or out of the solvent flow. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures isolated from coal tar were fractionated according to number of aromatic carbon atoms on an amine-bonded column, and these fractions were trapped on an octadecysilane-bonded column. They were subsequently eluted according to the polarity of the individual compounds. Separations from fractions containing 16 and 18 aromatic carbon atoms are shown.     

A L-RNA aptamer chiral stationary phase for the resolution of target and related compounds

In this paper, we report for the first time an aptamer-based chiral stationary phase (CSP) able to resolve racemates of both target and various related compounds. The enantiomers of tyrosine and analogues (11 enantiomeric pairs) were separated using an immobilized tyrosine-specific L-RNA aptamer as CSP and an aqueous buffer (8 mM Tris-HCl buffer, 25 mM NaCl, 5 mM MgCl2; pH 7.4) as mobile phase, at a column temperature of 10 degrees C. It appeared that the carboxylic and amino groups as well as the aromatic side chain of amino acid controlled the stereospecific recognition. Modifications on the polar groups were strongly detrimental for enantioselectivity while the replacement of the phenolic group by some bicyclic aromatic residues of different polarity, size or shape did not impair the enantioselective interaction. In addition, the effects of the mobile phase composition and column temperature upon the retention and stereoselective properties of the CSP were assessed. Finally, it was found that the immobilized RNA aptamer could be used under hydro-organic mobile phase conditions without alteration of the stationary phase stability.     

Polarity change in capillary GC by serial-column temperature optimization (SECAT mode in capillary GC)

GC, including capillary GC, is rather inflexible, if a certain column length and stationary phase has been fixed for a given analytical problem. If the sample composition changes, one often has to change the column length and/or stationary phase, at least when something like optimum analytical conditions are needed. Temperature changes (or heating rates) can change the selectivity of a given column only within very limited ranges, due to the exponential effect of temperature on retention time. By serial coupling two chemically different capillaries, each run at another temperature, even the slightest changes of these two temperature values have a dramatic effect on the selectivity of the system for polar substances. We call this technique the SECAT mode of GC. Results are reported as retention index shifts, dependent on SECAT temperature data. This technique can in future easily be automated, thus enabling the analyst, for polar sample analysis, to adjust a given chroma-tographic system to his specific sample composition without touching the instrument.     

A Novel Liquid-Gel Chromatographic Method for Extraction of Unconjugated Steroids from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Unconjugated steroids of low and medium polarity can be essentially quantitatively extracted from aqueous solutions by rapid filtration through a small column of Lipidex 1000. Forty ml of urine can be extracted by a 4 ml column bed at a flow rate of 5 ml/ min. Less polar steroids (progesterone, testosterone) can be extracted directly, whereas 5% pentylamine has to be added to the aqueous solution to give a quantitative extraction of cortisol. The same method can be used for extraction of steroids in plasma. It is suggested that this method may be generally applicable to the extraction from biological fluids of compounds with a polarity similar to or lower than that of steroids.     

The use of GC x GC with time-of-flight mass spectrometry to investigate dienes and Diels-Alder polymerisation products in high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch-based fuels

Comprehensive GC in the reversed polarity mode i.e. a polar main column and an apolar secondary column have been used to differentiate cyclic olefins, dienes and cyclic dienes in high temperature Fischer-Tropsch (FT)-based fuels. The elucidation of the blobs in the contour plot was based on spectral data obtained by TOF-MS. The effectiveness of selective catalytic hydrogenation in transforming dienes into olefins could be studied. Dienes are prone to polymerisation by Diels-Alder reactions and dimers and trimers were detected in the 2-D plot by operating the MS in the ion extraction mode. Polymerisation is thought to be partially responsible for gum formation in high temperature FT-derived products.     

Twenty years of glass capillary columns. An empirical model for their preparation and properties

Both the invention of the capillary drawing machine and the preparation and successful use of the first glass capillary column were achieved by Desty and his group in 1959. This paper attempts to describe the glass capillary column in a general way, including the spreading of liquid phases of different polarity and solid surfaces with different chemical and geometrical structures, and surface activity (as a source of essential column characteristjcs such as film stability, adsorptive and catalytic activity, acidity, and thermostability). The model is entirely based on experimental evidence. It is shown that today's apolar columns may closely approach ideal performance, such as is conceivable at the present time, while a severe gap still exists between the actual and the ideal characteristics of polar columns. The problem lies in the necessity of using considerably active support surfaces for polar coatings, yielding columns with reduced upper temperature limits, and of restricted suitability concerning the nature of sample. It is hoped that progress in the field of surface roughening may produce an inert support which is wettable by polar phases.     

An empirical retention model for the optimization of on-line normal-phase LC-GC for the multi-analyte determination of hydrophobic compounds in fatty samples

Summary Normal-phase LC (NPLC) is a powerful method for the clean-up of fatty samples in the determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The injected sample deactivates the stationary phase and the triglyceride matrix therefore serves as a polarity modifier in the NPLC separation. Thus, the amount of sample injected is the key to both selectivity and sensitivity in matrixmodified LC coupled to capillary GC. In coupled LC-GC the NPLC separation becomes particularly critical because only a limited amount of the LC eluent can be transferred to the GC and the triglyceride matrix must be prevented from entering the GC, because it degrades the performance of the injector and the column. In previous applications method development was seriously hampered by these boundary conditions and tedious and lengthy trial-and-error experiments were required to determine suitable experimental conditions. In this study an empirical model was developed that describes the NPLC separation process in terms of column dimensions and fat loadability. The output is given as the probability of achieving successful LC-GC analysis of a particular set of analytes, thus furnishing a useful tool for the development of new applications in the field of exposure assessment and analysis of residues of apolar compounds in fatty samples. The limitations of current procedures—maximum transfer volumes and minimal separation—are also discussed.     

The critical gas saturation in a porous medium in the presence of gravity

The critical gas saturation, S(gc), denotes the volume fraction of the gas phase at the onset of bulk gas flow during the depressurization of a supersaturated liquid in a porous medium. In the absence of gradients due to viscous or gravity forces, S(gc) is controlled by nucleation, capillary forces, and the rate of decline of the supersaturation. In this paper we address one important additional effect, that of buoyancy. We use 2-D pore-network simulations, based on invasion percolation in a gradient (IPG), and corresponding scaling relations to obtain the dependence of S(gc) on the gravity Bond number, B, under conditions of slow growth, namely when mass transfer is sufficiently fast. The critical gas saturation approaches two plateau values at low and high Bond numbers. In the in-between region it scales as a power law of B, which for a 2-D lattice is S(gc) approximately B(-0.91).