Retention time reproducibility in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using cryogenic modulation an intralaboratory study

A survey was conducted to determine the reproducibility of retention times in both the first (D1) and second dimension (D2) axes of the two-dimensional separation space, in the comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic analysis of an essential oil sample using cryogenic modulation. The retention times in the two dimensions for a number of individual components comprising hydrocarbon, alcohol, ester and ketone chemical classes in a Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil were recorded from replicate analyses using four separate column sets and two identical gas chromatographs. Run-to-run, day-to-day, instrument-to-instrument, and column set-to-column set reproducibility were demonstrated from the experimental design. A total of 60 GC x GC analyses were conducted. The longitudinally modulated cryogenic system produced reproducible modulation start times and consistent modulation phase profiles for individual components in all experiments, and retention time variations in both dimensions were negligible. The average run-to-run reproducibility of 43 components for six replicate injections was found to be 0.12% RSD in the first dimension, and 0.74% RSD in the second dimension. Day-to-day reproducibility showed statistically "significant" difference (F-test), but this was partly ascribable to the excellent within-day reproducibility that led to apparent day-to-day differences. Confidence in absolute retention times (hence component positions) in the two-dimensional separation space is critical to component identification.     

Measurement of retention in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using flow modulation with methane dopant

Flow modulation of methane-doped carrier gas is used to visualize the second dimension hold-up time in GC × GC continuously throughout the run. This provides an internal reference of hold-up time and presents a straightforward means of examining retention in each dimension of GC × GC. Retention factors on similar and dissimilar column pairs are examined. Stationary phase bleed is shown to be retained by the second dimension column.     

Second-order standard addition for deconvolution and quantification of fatty acids of fish oil using GC-MS

In the present work two second-order calibration methods, generalized rank annihilation method (GRAM) and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least square (MCR-ALS) have been applied on standard addition data matrices obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to characterize and quantify four unsaturated fatty acids cis-9-hexadecenoic acid (C16:1ω7c), cis-9-octadecenoic acid (C18:1ω9c), cis-11-eicosenoic acid (C20:1ω9) and cis-13-docosenoic acid (C22:1ω9) in fish oil considering matrix interferences. With these methods, the area does not need to be directly measured and predictions are more accurate. Because of non-trilinear conditions of GC-MS data matrices, at first MCR-ALS and GRAM have been used on uncorrected data matrices. In comparison to MCR-ALS, biased and imprecise concentrations (%R.S.D. = 27.3) were obtained using GRAM without correcting the retention time-shift. As trilinearity is the essential requirement for implementing GRAM, the data need to be corrected. Multivariate rank alignment objectively corrects the run-to-run retention time variations between sample GC-MS data matrix and a standard addition GC-MS data matrix. Then, two second-order algorithms have been compared with each other. The above algorithms provided similar mean predictions, pure concentrations and spectral profiles. The results validated using standard mass spectra of target compounds. In addition, some of the quantification results were compared with the concentration values obtained using the selected mass chromatograms. As in the case of strong peak-overlap and the matrix effect, the classical univariate method of determination of the area of the peaks of the analytes will fail, the “second-order advantage” has solved this problem successfully.     

Enhancing the Limit of Detection for Comprehensive Two‐Dimensional Gas Chromatography (GC×GC) using Bilinear Chemometric Analysis

The chemometric method referred to as the generalized rank annihilation method (GRAM) is used to improve the precision, accuracy, and resolution of comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) data. Because GC×GC signals follow a bilinear structure, GC×GC signals can be readily extracted from noise by chemometric techniques such as GRAM. This resulting improvement in signal‐to‐noise ratio (S/N) and detectability is referred to as bilinear signal enhancement. Here, GRAM uses bilinear signal enhancement on both resolved and unresolved GC×GC peaks that initially have a low S/N in the original GC×GC data. In this work, the chemometric method of GRAM is compared to two traditional peak integration methods for quantifying GC×GC analyte signals. One integration method uses a threshold to determine the signal of a peak of interest. With this integration method only those data points above the limit of detection and within a selected area are integrated to produce the total analyte signal for calibration and quantification. The other integration method evaluated did not employ a threshold, and simply summed all the data points in a selected region to obtain a total analyte signal. Substantial improvements in quantification precision, accuracy, and limit of detection are obtained by using GRAM, as compared to when either peak integration method is applied. In addition, the GRAM results are found to be more accurate than results obtained by peak integration, because GRAM more effectively corrects for the slight baseline offset remaining after the background subtraction of data. In the case of a 2.7‐ppm propylbenzene synthetic sample the quantification result with GRAM is 2.6 times more precise and 4.2 times more accurate than the integration method without a threshold, and 18 times more accurate than the integration method with a threshold. The limit of detection for propylbenzene was 0.6 ppm (parts per million by mass) using GRAM, without implementing any sample preconcentration prior to injection. GRAM is also demonstrated as a means to resolve overlapped signals, while enhancing the S/N. Four alkyl benzene signals of low S/N which were not resolved by GC×GC are mathematically resolved and quantified.     

Two methods for the separation of monounsaturated octadecenoic acid isomers

The identification and quantification of complex mixtures of cis and trans octadecenoic (18:1) fatty acid isomers presents a major challenge for conventional one-dimensional GC/FID analysis of their methyl esters. We have compared the use of two methods to achieve optimized separations of positional and geometrical octadecenoic fatty acid isomers—comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC), and silver ion high performance liquid chromatography interfaced to atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) mass spectrometry. Nine isomers of octadecenoic acid methyl ester were well separated on a single silver ion column with a mobile phase of 0.018% acetonitrile and 0.18% isopropanol in hexane. Reproducible retention times were obtained with relative standard deviations of around 1% over 5 injections. The extra selectivity and reproducibility afforded by APPI-MS, together with the wide separation of cis and trans isomers by silver ion chromatography, resulted in a promising method for measurement of octadecenoic acid FAME. The GC × GC separation was performed using various column combinations, and optimal separation was obtained by coupling an ionic liquid column (Supelco SLB-IL100 [1,9-di(3-vinyl-imidazolium) nonane bis(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyl imidate]) in the first dimension with a SGE BPX50 (50% phenyl polysilphenylene-siloxane) in the second dimension. These methods have been applied to the analysis of octadecenoic acid in milk and beef fat.     

Simultaneous deconvolution and re-construction of primary and secondary overlapping peak clusters in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

In this study, simultaneous deconvolution and reconstruction of peak profiles in the first ((1)D) and second dimension ((2)D) of comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC×GC) is achieved on the basis of the property of this new type of instrumental data. First, selective information, where only one component contributes to the peak elution window of a given modulation event, is employed for stepwise stripping of each (2)D peak with the help of pure components corresponding to that compound from the neighbouring modulations. Simulation based on an exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) model aids this process, where the EMG represents the envelope of all (2)D peaks for that compound. The peak parameters can be restricted by knowledge of the pure modulated (2)D GC peaks derived from the same primary compound, since it is modulated into several fractions during the trapping and re-focusing process of the cryogenic modulation system according to the modulation period. Next, relative areas of all pure (2)D components of that compound are considered for reconstruction of the primary peak. This strategy of exploitation of the additional information provided by the second dimension of separation allows effective deconvolution of GC×GC datasets. Non-linear least squares curve fitting (NLLSCF) allows the resolved 2D chromatograms to be recovered. Accurate acquisition of the pure profiles in both (1)D and (2)D aids quantification of compositions and prediction of 2D retention parameters, which are of interest for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The ratio between the sum of squares of deconvolution residual and original peak response (R(rr)) is employed as an effective index to evaluate the resolution results. In this work, simulated and experimental examples are used to develop and test the proposed approach. Satisfactory performance for these studies is validated by minimum and maximum R(rr) values of 1.34e-7% and 1.09e-2%; and 1.0e-3% and 3.0e-1% for deconvolution of (1)D and (2)D peaks, respectively. Results suggest that the present technique is suitable for GC×GC data processing.     

Handling within run retention time shifts in two-dimensional chromatography data using shift correction and modeling

The use of PARAFAC for modeling GC × GC-TOFMS peaks is well documented. This success is due to the trilinear structure of these data under ideal, or sufficiently close to ideal, chromatographic conditions. However, using temperature programming to cope with the general elution problem, deviations from trilinearity within a run are more likely to be seen for the following three cases: (1) compounds (i.e., analytes) severely broadened on the first column hence defined by many modulation periods, (2) analytes with a very high retention factor on the second column and likely wrapped around in that dimension, or (3) with fast temperature program rates. This deviation from trilinearity is seen as retention time-shifted peak profiles in subsequent modulation periods (first column fractions). In this report, a relaxed yet powerful version of PARAFAC, known as PARAFAC2 has been applied to handle this shift within the model step by allowing generation of individual peak profiles in subsequent first column fractions. An alternative approach was also studied, utilizing a standard retention time shift correction to restore the data trilinearity structure followed by PARAFAC. These two approaches are compared when identifying and quantifying a known analyte over a large concentration series where a certain shift is simulated in the successive first column fractions. Finally, the methods are applied to real chromatographic data showing severely shifted peak profiles. The pros and cons of the presented approaches are discussed in relation to the model parameters, the signal-to-noise ratio and the degree of shift.     

Gas chromatography of 209 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on an extremely efficient nonselective capillary column

The gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric (GC–MS) separation of all 209 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners was studied on an extremely efficient 80 m × 0.1 mm i.d. capillary column coated with a 0.1 μm film of poly(5%-phenyl methyl)siloxane stationary phase. The quality of the separation and the number of resolved and coeluting peaks were compared to predictions according to the statistical overlap theory (SOT) and to literature data on PCB separations obtained by one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC × GC) and GC–MS. Mass spectral and chemometric deconvolution procedures were used to resolve overlapping peaks. On the highly efficient column, 195 PCB congeners were resolved in 96 min separation time using spectral and chemometric deconvolution. This number is comparable to the best separations described in GC × GC–MS mode. The novel method was developed for spectral deconvolution of overlapped PCB congeners which was verified determining the most toxic, dioxin-like PCBs both in the model mixture of 209 PCBs as well as in the Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1254 formulations.     

Electron beam triggered, free radical polymerization-derived monolithic capillary columns for high-performance liquid chromatography

Monolithic capillary columns were prepared via electron beam triggered free radical polymerization within the confines of 0.2 and 0.1mm I.D. capillary columns using ethyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane triacrylate as monomers as well as 2-propanol, 1-dodecanol and toluene as porogenic system. The influence of column diameter on reproducibility and separation performance was investigated. For evaluation, a protein standard consisting of five proteins in the range of 5800-66,000 g mol(-1) was used. Reproducibility was checked by determining the relative standard deviations in retention times, peak widths at half height, asymmetry and resolution. Excellent run-to-run reproducibility was found for both 0.2 and 0.1mm I.D. columns; batch-to-batch reproducibility was good for both column types. In order to enhance the non-polar character of the monolithic columns, lauryl methacrylate-based capillary columns were prepared. These were successfully used for the separation of proteins and a cytochrome c digest.     

Retention time reproducibility in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using cryogenic modulation. II. An interlaboratory study

An interlaboratory survey was conducted to determine the reproducibility of retention times in both the first (1D) and second dimension (2D) axes of the two-dimensional separation space, using the longitudinal cryogenic modulation comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic approach. Intralaboratory reproducibility has been demonstrated in part 1 of this investigation [J. Chromatogr. A 968 (2002) 161]. Confidence in absolute retention times (hence component positions) in the two-dimensional separation space is critical to component identification. Comparing data from four independent laboratories, five independent gas chromatographs, five independent LMCS units, and numerous operators has determined that the LMCS cryogenic modulation approach provides reliable comprehensive two-dimensional GC results.     

Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography with parallel gradients for separation of phenolic and flavone antioxidants

Various combinations of PEG-silica, phenyl-silica and C18 columns in a single-column or serial (tandem) arrangement in the first dimension and a monolithic Chromolith column in the second dimension were tested for comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) LCxLC separation of phenolic and flavone natural antioxidants. The combinations of different stationary phase chemistries provided low selectivity correlations between the first-dimension and the second-dimension separation systems. Improvement in system orthogonality, bandwidths suppression, more regular band distribution over the whole 2D retention plane and increased peak capacity in different 2D setups was achieved by using gradients with matching profiles running in parallel in the two dimensions over the whole 2D separation time range. Instead of two sampling loops, two alternating trapping XTerra columns were used for sample fraction transfer from the first-dimension column to the second dimension. Stronger retention on the XTerra columns in comparison to PEG-silica or phenyl-silica columns in the first dimension allowed using focusing of sample fractions in narrow zones on the top of a trapping column and back-flushing into the second dimension in a very low volume of the mobile phase. This fraction transfer modulation provided significant bandwidth suppression in the second dimension. 2D systems with optimized stationary phase selectivity, parallel gradients and fraction transfer modulation using two trapping columns were applied for the analysis of natural antioxidants in beer and wine samples.     

Enhanced resolution comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography applied to the analysis of roasted coffee volatiles

The present research is based on the full exploitation of the separation power of a 0.05 mm internal diameter (ID) capillary, as a comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) GC (GC × GC) secondary column, with the objective of attaining very high-resolution second dimension separations. The aim was achieved by using a split-flow system developed in previous research [P.Q. Tranchida, A. Casilli, P. Dugo, G. Dugo, L. Mondello, Anal. Chem. 79 (2007) 2266], and a dual-oven GC × GC instrument. The column combination employed consisted of a polar 30 m × 0.25 mm ID column connected, by means of a T union, to a detector-linked high-resolution 1.1 m × 0.05 mm ID apolar analytical column and to a 0.33 m × 0.05 mm ID retention gap; the latter was connected to a manually operated split valve. As previously demonstrated, the use of a split valve enables the regulation of gas flows through both analytical columns, generating the most appropriate gas linear velocities. Comprehensive 2D GC experiments were carried out on Arabica roasted coffee volatiles (previously extracted by means of solid-phase microextraction) with the split-valve closed (equal to what can be defined as conventional GC × GC) and with the split-valve opened at various degrees. The reasons why it is absolutely not effective to use a 0.05 mm ID column as second dimension in a conventional GC × GC instrument will be discussed and demonstrated. On the contrary, the use of a 0.05 mm ID column as second dimension, under ideal conditions in a split-flow, twin-oven system, will also be illustrated and discussed.     

An absorbance-based micro-fluidic sensor for diffusion coefficient and molar mass determinations

The H-Sensor reported herein is a micro-fluidic device compatible with flow injection analysis (FIA) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The device detects analytes at two separate off-chip absorbance flow cells, providing two simultaneous absorbance measurements. The ratio of these two absorbance signals contains analyte diffusion coefficient information. A theoretical model for the sensing mechanism is presented. The model relates the signal Ratio to analyte diffusion coefficient. The model is qualitatively evaluated by comparing theoretical and experimental signal Ratio values. Experimental signal Ratios were collected via FIA for a variety of analytes, including sodium azide, benzoic acid, amino acids, peptides, and proteins. Measuring absorbance at multiple wavelengths provides higher order data allowing the analyte signals from mixtures to be deconvolved via classical least squares (CLS). As a result of the H-Sensor providing two simultaneous signals as a function of time for each sample injection, two simulated second-order HPLC chromatograms were generated using experimental H-Sensor data. The chemometric deconvolution method referred to as the generalized rank annihilation method (GRAM) was used to demonstrate chromatographic and spectroscopic deconvolution. GRAM also provides the signal Ratio value, therefore simultaneously obtaining the analyte diffusion coefficient information during deconvolution. The two chromatograms successfully serve as the standard and unknown for the GRAM deconvolution. GRAM was evaluated on chromatograms at various chromatographic resolutions. GRAM was found to function to a chromatographic resolution at and above 0.25 with a percent quantitative error of less then 10%.     

Trilinearity deviation ratio: A new metric for chemometric analysis of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry data

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–TOFMS) is a well-established instrumental platform for complex samples. However, chemometric data analysis is often required to fully extract useful information from the data. We demonstrate that retention time shifting from one modulation to the next, Δ²t_R, is not sufficient alone to quantitatively describe the trilinearity of a single GC × GC–TOFMS run for the purpose of predicting the performance of the chemometric method parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). We hypothesize that analyte peak width on second dimension separations, ²W_b, also impacts trilinearity, along with Δ²t_R. The term trilinearity deviation ratio, TDR, which is Δ²t_R normalized by ²W_b, is introduced as a quantitative metric to assess accuracy for PARAFAC of a GC × GC–TOFMS data cube. We explore how modulation ratio, M_R, modulation period, P_M, temperature programming rate, T_ramp, sampling phase (in-phase and out-of-phase), and signal-to-noise ratio, S/N, all play a role in PARAFAC performance in the context of TDR. Use of a P_M in the 1–2 s range provides an optimized peak capacity for the first dimension separation (500–600) for a 30 min run, with an adequate peak capacity for the second dimension separation (12–15), concurrent with an optimized two-dimensional peak capacity (6000–7500), combined with sufficiently low TDR values (0–0.05) to facilitate low quantitative errors with PARAFAC (0–0.5%). In contrast, use of a P_M in the 5 s or greater range provides a higher peak capacity on the second dimension (30–35), concurrent with a lower peak capacity on the first dimension (100–150) for a 30 min run, and a slightly reduced two-dimensional peak capacity (3000–4500), and furthermore, the data are not sufficiently trilinear for the more retained second dimension peaks in order to directly use PARAFAC with confidence.     

2D LC Separation and Determination of Bradykinin in Rat Muscle Tissue Dialysate with On-Line SPE-HILIC-SPE-RP-MS

A 2D liquid chromatography (LC) system using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reversed phase columns has been employed for comprehensive (LC × LC) separation of rat muscle tissue micro-dialysate. Incorporation of an on-line reverse-phase solid phase extraction (SPE) enrichment column in front of the first dimension enabled aqueous samples with high salt concentrations to be injected directly without compromising the chromatographic performance of the HILIC column. Since the SPE enrichment column allowed injection of large sample volumes (e.g. 450 μL), a capillary HILIC column (inner diameter 0.3 mm) could be employed instead of a larger column which is often used in the first dimension to load sufficient amounts of sample. The two chromatographic dimensions were connected using a column selector system with 18, 1.0 mm I.D. C₁₈ “transition” SPE columns. A PLRP C₁₈ column was used in the second dimension. The 2D LC system’s performance was evaluated with a tryptic digest mixture of three model proteins. Good trapping accuracy (HILIC→transition SPE→RP recovery >95%) and repeatability (within-and between day retention time RSDs of first and second dimension chromatography >1%) was achieved. A dialysis sample of rat muscle tissue was separated with the 2D system, revealing complexity and large differences in concentrations of the various compounds present, factors which could potentially interfere with the quantification and monitoring of two target analytes, arg-bradykinin and bradykinin. Subsequently, “Heart-cut” 2D LC-electrospray–mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) with post-column on-line standard injection was employed to monitor arg-bradykinin and bradykinin levels as a function of various muscle conditions. The method’s quantification precision was RSD = 3.4% for bradykinin.     

Retention time locking procedure for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

In gas chromatography (GC) reproducible retention times are in many cases highly favorable or in some cases even required. In one-dimensional GC, retention time shifts can be eliminated or minimized using a procedure called retention time locking (RTL). This procedure is based on adjusting the (constant) column head pressure. Unfortunately, this RTL procedure cannot be used in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) given the fact that peaks will shift in both dimensions. Adjusting the column head pressure in GC × GC will only minimize or eliminate the primary retention time shifts. In this paper, a fast and easy to perform, two-step retention time locking procedure for two-dimensional gas chromatography (2D-RTL) is proposed and its feasibility is demonstrated. This 2D-RTL procedure involves adjustment of the column head pressure or constant column flow, followed by the adjustment of the so-called effective secondary column length. The secondary column length is increased or decreased, simply by moving it stepwise through the modulator. It is demonstrated that retention time shifts in both the primary- and secondary-dimension, which may occur after e.g. replacing the column set, can be minimized to less than half peak base width. The proposed 2D-RTL procedure is used successfully for approximately 1 year in our laboratory.     

Two multidimensional chromatographic methods for enantiomeric analysis of o,p′-DDT and o,p′-DDD in contaminated soil and air in a malaria area of South Africa

In rural parts of South Africa the organochlorine insecticide DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane) is still used for malaria vector control where traditional dwellings are sprayed on the inside with small quantities of technical DDT. Since o,p′-DDT may show enantioselective oestrogenicity and biodegradability, it is important to analyse enantiomers of o,p′-DDT and its chiral degradation product, o,p′-DDD, for both health and environmental-forensic considerations. Generally, chiral analysis is performed using heart-cut multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) and, more recently, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC). We developed an off-line gas chromatographic fraction collection (heart-cut) procedure for the selective capturing of the appropriate isomers from a first apolar column, followed by reinjection and separation on a second chiral column. Only the o,p′-isomers of DDT and DDD fractions from the first dimension complex chromatogram (achiral apolar GC column separation) were selectively collected onto a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) multichannel open tubular silicone rubber trap by simply placing the latter device on the flame tip of an inactivated flame ionisation detector (FID). The multichannel trap containing the o,p′-heart-cuts was then thermally desorbed into a GC with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (GC–TOFMS) for second dimension enantioselective separation on a chiral column (β-cyclodextrin-based). By selectively capturing only the o,p′-isomers from the complex sample chromatogram, ¹D separation of ultra-trace level enantiomers could be achieved on the second chiral column without matrix interference. Here, we present solventless concentration techniques for extraction of DDT from contaminated soil and air, and report enantiomeric fraction (EF) values of o,p′-DDT and o,p′-DDD obtained by a new multidimensional approach for heart-cut gas chromatographic fraction collection for off-line second dimension enantiomeric separation by ¹D GC–TOFMS of selected isomers. This multidimensional method is compared to the complementary technique of comprehensive GC × GC–TOFMS using the same enantioselective column, this time as the first dimension of separation.     

Analysis of bacterial fatty acids by flow modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with parallel flame ionization detector/mass spectrometry

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) offers an interesting tool for profiling bacterial fatty acids. Flow modulated GC × GC using a commercially available system was evaluated, different parameters such as column flows and modulation time were optimized. The method was tested on bacterial fatty acid methyl esters (BAMEs) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia LMG 958^T by using parallel flame ionization detector (FID)/mass spectrometry (MS). The results are compared to data obtained using a thermal modulated GC × GC system. The data show that flow modulated GC × GC-FID/MS method can be applied in a routine environment and offers interesting perspectives for chemotaxonomy of bacteria.     

Employing ultra high pressure liquid chromatography as the second dimension in a comprehensive two-dimensional system for analysis of Stevia rebaudiana extracts

Stevia rebaudiana extracts and plant materials are increasingly used as natural sweeteners. Polyphenolic and stevioside compounds contained in S. rebaudiana extracts were separated by comprehensive LC. A polyamine column operated in normal phase mode was used for the first dimension separation (D1), and a UHPLC C18 column operated in reversed phase mode was used for the second dimension separation (D2). The sub-2 μm column (2.1 mm × 30 mm, maintained at 70°C) and the UHPLC pump employed for D2 elution allowed a separation/cycle time of 20 s, with a backpressure oscillating between 805 and 922 bar at 3.4 mL/min. The reduced D2 cycle time allowed 3-12 D2 samplings for each peak eluted by D1. Polyphenolic and stevioside compounds were identified by combining the information coming from the position of the compounds in the 2D plot and UV spectra with that of reference materials.     

New liquid nitrogen cryogenic modulator for comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

A new liquid nitrogen (LN2) jet-based thermal modulator for performing comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatographic (GC x GC) separations has been designed and constructed. Temperature measurements of the trapping zone, a segment of uncoated fused silica capillary, show that it can be cooled to -196 degrees C in about 300 ms. A film of liquid nitrogen develops on the outside of the trapping capillary even when the oven temperature is in excess of 200 degrees C. Compounds as volatile as propane can be trapped by the modulator and held for periods of at least 1 min without breakthrough. The peak widths for n-alkanes are on the order of 80 ms at half height after passing through an 80cm second dimension column. Repeated analysis of gasoline demonstrated excellent run-to-run reproducibility of the system.