Abstract: | Sample evaporation in splitless injection of large volumes is rapid: depending on the experiment, results indicate that 200 μl of hexane, for instance, evaporates in 2–10 s, producing vapor at a rate of many hundreds of milliliters per minute. A 60 × 4 mm packed bed of 20–35 mesh Tenax TA enabled injection of 200 μl volumes of all solvents tested, and even 1 ml injections were possible provided they were performed over a period of 30 s. Retention of volatile sample components depends on the sample solvent, the injection volume, and the injection speed, but only little on the injector temperature. Losses of n-tridecane varied from hardly 15 % (when dissolved in pentane) to ca 60 % (ethyl acetate); losses of n-heptadecane were usually below 20 %. The column temperature during injection should be at least ca 20–30°C above the standard solvent boiling point. |