Liquid gas techniques for GC trace analysis

Liquid gases (LG), i.e. low boiling compounds with vapor pressures below 5 bar at room temperature, are introduced as solvents for trace analyses. A system for preparin, diluting and handling LG solutions safely and conveniently in 5 to 500 μl amounts was developed as well as a syringe for direct injection of μl-LG samples into capillary GC. Even technical grade LG are of high purity. GC/FID of LG solutions (starting at ?60°C) allows the separation of volatile traces from the solvent peak: e.g., dichloromethane can be measured in the picogram range.     

Micropreparative system for enrichment of capillary GC effluents

An automated system for preparative gas chromatography with capillary columns is described. The effluet from the capillary column is switched to the FID detector or to the traps by means of a Live-T switching device. The pneumatics is controlled by a microprocessor so that repetitive sampling can be performed over a period of days in order to enrich sufficient amount of material for NMR or other spectroscopic methods. The effluent containing the compounds is collected in glass tubes filled with column packing material (e.g. Chromosorb coated with 3% OV - 101, crosslinked). The trap temperatue can be adjusted from + 20°C to ? 80°C, depending on the trapping material and volatility of trapped substances. The analysis of enriched substances or chromatographic fractions can be performed by thermal desorption of the same traps or by solven elution. The recovery of enriched substances is higher than 90%. High capacity and resolution for enrichment of trace components are obtained with the aid of a double column-double oven system. Examples of such applications are given.     

The Separation of Nonvolatile Substances by Means of Compressed Gases in Countercurrent Processes

Mixtures of nonvolatile and heat-sensitive substances can be separated by means of compressed gases in countercurrent processes. Moreover, such separations can be carried out at lower temperatures than in vacuum distillation. Addition of an entrainer enables alteration of the relative volatilities of the components. That such a method of separation is feasible on a large scale is illustrated using as example the separation of monoglycerides from a mixture of oleic glycerides at e.g. 110°C/135 bar. Propane is used as compressed gas, and acetone as entrainer.     

Microwave-induced organic reaction enhancement (more) chemistry: Techniques for rapid,safe and inexpensive synthesis

Synthetic organic reactions have been conducted under microwave irradiation in open vessels in unaltered domestic microwave ovens. Reaction times vary from a few seconds for sub-milligram reactions to about 15 minutes for reactions carried out on a scale of hundreds of grams. Promising results have been obtained for several condensations, as well as the Bischler-Napieralski reaction, the Wolff-Kishner reduction, free radical dehalogenation reactions, and other standard synthetic operations. Rapid catalytic transfer hydrogenation using ammonium formate as the source of hydrogen has been conducted at about 100-130 °C under microwave irradiation. Meaningful, safe and inexpensive synthetic experiments for undergraduate and pre-college students have been developed and tested. The MORE chemistry techniques make it possible to use simple apparatus and very short reaction times. Commercial microwave ovens are now essential equipment in our research and teaching laboratories [1-3]. These ovens are relatively inexpensive, easy to move from one laboratory and set up in another, and safe to operate. Glass, plastics, and ceramics are essentially transparent to microwaves whereas many organic compounds are dipolar in nature and absorb microwave energy readily. We have found that untraditional experimental arrangements are possible for conducting a wide variety of organic reactions in open vessels inside domestic microwave ovens. Depending on the quantity of reactants, most reactions (on a scale of milligrams to several grams) can be completed in minutes instead of hours. One important element of our “Microwave-induced Organic Reaction Enhancement” (MORE) chemistry is the proper choice of a microwave energy transfer agent as the reaction medium.     

A new high temperature gas chromatograph incorporating a temperature programmable direct injector

A high temperature gas chromatograph has been developed which is capable of operating at column oven temperatures up to 500°C. In addition, the detector can operate at temperatures up to 500°C, and the injector up to 450°C. The injector on this instrument is a temperature programmable direct injector, designed specifically to introduce labile or high molecular weight samples into the GC without molecular weight discrimination. The design of this GC and injector will be described, and high temperature applications will be discussed.     

Thermal and stability study of tetracene using differential scanning calorimetry

A thermal analysis study was made of tetracene using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of different scan speeds was investigated. At scan speeds of 0.625 to 10°C min^?1 two large rounded exothermic peaks were produced. The peaks occurred at an increasingly high temperature as the scan speed increased (for example, the peaks occurred at 128 and 130°C at a scan speed of 0.625°C min^?1 and at 148 and 150°C at a scan speed of 10°C min^?1. When tetracene was heated at a scan speed of 80°C min^?1 only one large sharp exothermic peak was produced. It is believed that the two peaks obtained at scan speeds of 0.625 to 10°C min^?1 represent decomposition of the tetracene in two successive stages, while the one peak obtained at 80°C min^?1 represents an explosion. A stability test for tetracene is proposed that involves heating of the tetracene in aluminum pans from the DSC apparatus in ovens at 100, 75, and 60°C, removing the pans and samples at intervals of 30 min, 24 h, and 7 days, respectively, subjecting the samples to DSC at 1.25°C min^?1, and noting the time interval in the oven that produces a DSC curve that shows obliteration of the second peak. Two lots of tetracene made by different processes showed marked differences in stability characteristics.     

Determination of curcumol in rat plasma by capillary gas chromatography with a hydrogen flame ionization detector

A simple and sensitive capillary gas chromatography with a hydrogen flame ionization detector (GC‐FID) method was developed for the determination of curcumol in rat plasma. From a variety of compounds and solvents tested, buagafuran was selected as the internal standard (IS) and acetonitrile was found to be the best protein precipitation agent and solvent for extracting curcumol from plasma and tissues samples. (Buagafuran was used as an internal standard. Curcumol was extracted by a protein precipitation with acetonitrile.) The samples were determined by GC on an HP‐5 column (30.0 m × 0.32 mm, 0.25 μm); inlet volume 2 μL; split ratio 10 : 1; inlet temperature 250°C; oven temperature 180°C; flow 1.0 mL/·min; FID 250°C; carrier gas N₂. The resulting retention times of curcumol and IS were 6.0 and 9.5 min. There was good linearity over the range 0.133–133.3 μg/mL (r = 0.9999) in plasma samples. The method recoveries were 97.7–102.0% in plasma, and the intra‐ and inter‐day variances (RSD) were less than 15% in all cases. The GC method was applied to develop a pharmacokinetics study in which experimental rats received a single administration of curcumol by intravenous injection. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deactivation with silazanes in chromatography,mechanism of the reaction and practical consequences in capillary GC and RP-HPLC: A29Si CP-MAS NMR study

The reaction of Cab-O-Sil, a highly dispersed vitreous quartz, with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) was studied in the temperature range 380–500°C, using ²⁹Si solid state NMR and other techniques. Such studies are of importance in view of deactivation procedures of fused silica at high temperatures in capillary GC. The commonly accepted reaction equation: predominates only below ca. 400°C. Above ca. 400°C the intermediate cleavage product Me₃SiNH₂ reacts with surface silanol groups to form ?SioSiMe₂NH₂ + CH₄. At higher temperatures these groups may ultimately form (?SiO)₃SiNH₂ groups (analogously to the formation of bi-and tridentate linkages starting from ?SiOSiMe₃ groups), but (?SiO)₃SiNH₂ groups are also directly formed at lower temperatures, simultaneously with the ?SiOSiMe₃ groups, probably by reaction with siloxane bridges: . The reactions of the trimethylsilylamine part of HMDS with Cab-O-Sil were confirmed by an independent series of silylations using N,N-dimethyltrimethylsilylamine instead of HDMS. The presence of amino groups as ?SiNH₂ was confirmed by FT-IR. This may be one of the reasons why very high temperature silylation with disilazanes does not provide a satisfactory deactivation of fused silica GC columns: the active ?SiOH groups are “replaced” by active ?SiNH₂ groups. However, such a material may be of interest in LC. Silylation with silazanes at ca. 350°C in humid atmosphere and/or after extensive hydroxylation (leaching) of the surface should yield sufficiently deactivated surfaces with a rather well defined surface structure.     

Fluorinated polyimide nanocomposites for CO2/CH4 separation

The purpose of this project was to synthesize fluorinated polyimide (PI) nanocomposite membranes in order to study the gas permeation rates and selectivity of carbon dioxide and methane. PIs were synthesized from 2,2‐bis(3,4‐anhydrodicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (6F dianhydride, 6FDA) and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (oxydianiline, ODA) into which were incorporated nanoparticulate additives as follows: in situ TiO_2, both plain and treated with dodecyl sulfate surfactant, and organo‐clay (Cloisite®‐10 Å) at loads of 1, 3, and 5 wt% to the polyamic acid. Polyamic acid films were solvent cast, cured at 200°C then post‐cured at 300°C and measured for permeation data and for thermal properties. Glass transition temperatures ranged from 124 to 140°C for the cured PIs and from 142 to 147°C for the post‐cured materials, the nano‐inclusions having little discernable effect on this property. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data show that the inclusion of Cloisite® or TiO₂ caused a small decrease of thermal stability from 555°C to about 532 to 541°C. The inclusion of clay causes a decreased permeation rate while the addition of TiO₂ improves the rate and selectivity. Treating the nanofillers with surfactant decreases selectivity and marginally increases rate of permeation of CO₂. Post‐curing caused a darkening of the composites, but not the neat PI. This heat treatment also resulted in a significantly decreased permeation rate, but a significantly increased selectivity. The resulting material shows superior gas separation properties to the commercially available PI, Matrimid® produced by Ciba‐Geigy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemometric analysis of gas chromatographic data—investigation of enological parameters of a bag‐in‐box white wine as affected by storage time and temperature

In this study, a bag‐in‐box white wine was stored at 22, 35, and 45 °C for up to 48 days to produce a series of samples that exhibited different enological parameters (absorbance at 420 nm, free SO₂, total SO₂, total phenol, and total aldehyde). Wine samples were extracted with dichloromethane and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) to generate volatile fingerprints. Principal component analysis (PCA) score plots of the first three principal components showed grouping trends that were influenced by storage time and temperature. PCA loading plots revealed that changes in chemical profiles were different for wines held at different storage temperatures. Storage time could be predicted accurately by partial least squares (PLS) regression of the GC data. Coefficients of determination (R²) were >0.99, and the standard error of prediction values were 0.4, 0.5, and 1.9 days over the test period of 15, 30, and 48 days, respectively. Using the same GC data with PLS analyses, the enological parameters could be accurately predicted from GC fingerprints, except for the predictions of SO₂ in a wine stored at 22 °C and total phenol in a wine stored at 45 °C. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of a new pyrolyzer for thermal desorption and/or pyrolysis gas chromatography of polymeric materials

A new vertical microfurnace-type pyrolyzer for thermal desorption and/or pyrolysis-gas chromatography has been developed. The pyrolyzer consists of two independent temperature-controlled ovens. Initially, in the desorption process, a sample cup containing the polymeric sample of interest is inserted into an oven at 300°C; the sample is then re-positioned at the upper part of the pyrolyzer where the temperature is maintained at room temperature. The resulting vaporized components such as residual solvents and additives give a desorption chromatogram. The relative peak intensities of desorbed plasticizers in acrylonitrile butadiene-rubber gave a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 2%. Subsequently, pyrolysis of the remaining polymer is conducted by dropping the sample cup into the second, pyrolyzing, oven at 55°C; at this stage the pyrogram is recorded. The resulting two chromatograms of desorbed components and pyrolysis products make it easier to characterize the polymer formulation than the complicated pyrogram obtained by an ordinary, single-step pyrolysis.     

Development and validation of a method for the determination of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in breast milk by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Buprenorphine (BUP) is used for the maintenance of opioid‐addicted pregnant women. Because BUP and its main metabolite nor‐BUP are excreted into breast milk, a sensitive and specific GC/MS method has been developed, optimized and validated for their determination in breast milk. BUP‐d4 was used as internal standard. The sample preparation includes combination of protein precipitation with solid‐phase extraction and derivatization (acetylation). The absolute recovery for both analytes was found to be higher than 87.3%. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.07 and 0.20 µg/L, respectively. The calibration curves were linear within the dynamic range 0.20–20.0 µg/L, with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.996. Intra‐ and inter‐day accuracies were ranged from ?7.06 to 4.50 and from ?5.88 to 7.00%, respectively, while intra‐ and inter‐day precision were less than 5.7 and 6.1%. The analytes were found to be stable in breast milk at 4°C for one week, at ?20°C for one month, and after three freeze–thaw cycles. The method can be used for the determination of BUP and nor‐BUP in breast milk of BUP‐maintained mothers, in order to calculate the amount of drug that could pass to the newborn via breast milk and to avoid toxic consequences of breastfeeding. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-pressure calorimetric study of plasticization of poly(methyl methacrylate) by methane,ethylene, and carbon dioxide

Glass transition in the system poly(methyl methacrylate)/compressed gas was studied as a function of the gas pressure p using a high-pressure Tian-Calvet heat flow calorimeter. Measurements were made on PMMA-CH₄-C₂H₄, and ;-CO₂ at pressures to 200 atm. All three gases plasticize the polymer leading to depression of the glass transition temperature T_g. Trends in the T_g depression were the same as those reported for the solubility of these gases in PMMA; the higher the solubility the larger the depression in T_g. CO₂ was found to be the most effective plasticizer producing a depression of about 40°C at a pressure of about 37 atm. In the low-pressure limit, the pressure coefficient of the glass transition temperature (dT_g/dp) was found to be about −0.2°C atm^-1 for PMMA-CH₄, the same as that observed for polystyrene-CH₄. For PMMA-C₂H₄, the pressure coefficient was −0.7°C atm^-1, which is lower than the value of −0.9°C atm^-1 observed for PS-C₂H₄. The pressure coefficient for PMMA-CO₂ was found to be about −1.2°C atm^-1, which is larger than the value of −0.9°C atm^-1 observed for PS-CO₂. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An autosampler with a short transfer line for Curie point pyrolysis capillary gas chromatography

A new multichannel autosampler which can automatically analyze up to twenty samples in sequence has been developed for Curie point pyrolysis – capillary GC. Compared with a previous system [1] the transfer line between the pyroysis unit and chromatograph is shorter, and thus has less dead volume, and can be operated at a higher temperature (300 °C). The relative yields of higher boiling point, highly polar, and thermally labile pyrolysates generated from polymers, and the reproducibility, were better than those obtained from the previous autosampler. To facilitate rapid operation an additional flow controller is installed on the new device to shorten the time taken to purge air from the sampler.     

Darstellung und Kristallstruktur von [Li(DME)2I]

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of [Li(DME)₂I] . LiI can be dissolved at 50°C in toluene/DME (2:1). At - 20°C [Li(DME)₂I] ( 1 ) was isolated in 75% yield. 1 was characterized by NMR techniques as well as an X-Ray structure determination. 1 crystallizes in the space group C2/c with a = 1 356.9(2), b = 813.2(1), c = 1 259.1(2) pm, and β = 99.74(1)°.     

Zirconium dioxide-based solid electrolyte as a means of oxidation of organic compounds during isotopic assay of carbon

It is demonstrated that a high-temperature electrochemical reactor on the basis of zirconium dioxide (0.9ZrO₂ · 0.1Y₂O₃) with platinum electrodes may be promising as a device for preparing samples of organic gases for isotopic assay of carbon. Owing to a high catalytic activity of the surface of a porous platinum coating, it is possible to realize full oxidation of organic gases to stoichiometric oxides at 900–950°C and an oxygen flux equivalent to an electric current of 100 μA and higher. The reproducibility of the results of isotopic assay is better than that yielded by a standard oxidation reactor. Use of the solid-electrolyte reactor in a new device as a sensor makes it possible to simultaneously measure the concentration of organic gases passing through the reactor on the basis of the charge transported by oxygen ions through the wall of a ceramic tube. Simultaneously one can monitor purity of the carrier gas. Original Russian Text ? V.S. Sevast’yanov, E.M. Galimov, N.E. Babulevich, A.A. Arzhannikov, 2007, published in Elektrokhimiya, 2007, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 472–478.     

A study of some deactivation methods for fused silica capillary columns by CP-MAS NMR and capillary gas chromatography

The effect of deactivating a fused silica surface by silylation with 1,1,3,3-tetraphenyl-1,3-dimethylilazane (TPDMDS), triphenylsilylamine (TPSA), and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and by polydimethylsiloxane degradation (PSD) is studied. Rehydrated, dried, and deactivated Cab-O-Sil M5 samples are used as model materials for ²⁹Si CP-MAS NMR analysis. At about 350 °C, TPDMDS yelds mainly diphenylmethylsiloxysilane, dimethyldisiloxysilane, and triphenylsiloxysilane groups. TPSA yields phenyltrisiloxysilane, diphenyldisiloxysilane, and triphenylsiloxysilane groups. At 400°C, the products formed initially are eventually replaced by methyltrisiloxysilane or phenyltrisiloxysilane groups, while a substantial number of silanol groups still remains. The possible consequences for wettability are discussed. D4 reacts with Cab-O-Sil even at 200°C, but a large number of silanol groups remains. This number decreases gradually at higher temperatures and becomes negligible above 400°C. The formation of methyltrisiloxysilane groups, which starts at 425°C, is predominant at 490°C.     

Some properties of polyvinyl acetate films cast from methanol,acetone and chloroform as solvent

Polyvinyl acetate was cast into films on a clean mercury surface from its solution in either methanol, acetone or chloroform. Some mechanical properties of the films, exposed at 20 °C and 65% r.h., and 45 and 60 °C in air ovens, were studied. They were found to be highly dependent on the solvent used for film casting and the time of exposure of film at each of the temperatures. The initial modulus, yield stress, tensile strength and work to rupture of the polymer films were greater for those cast from acetone than those cast from chloroform, and for all the films these properties increased with exposure time, with an induction period in some cases. The elongation at break decreased with exposure time from an initial value which was higher for the chloroform-cast than the acetone-cast films. Films cast from methanol were found to be too brittle for testing.The results are interpreted on the basis of interactions between the solvent molecules and those of the polymer. Of the three solvents, chloroform produced polyvinyl acetate films with the most constant mechanical properties over the longest period of exposure which depended on the temperature of exposure, decreasing as the temperature increased. Hence chloroform is recommended for casting films of polyvinyl acetate. Methanol is practically unsuitable while acetone could be used where chloroform is not available.     

Use of mercuric resins for selective abstraction of mercaptans in capillary gas chromatography

A small amount of mercuric non-porous resin placed in the liner of the injection splitter of a gas chromatograph retains mercaptans but allows other organic sulfur and non-sulfur compounds to be chromatographed normally: mercaptans in the gaseous state are retained by the mercuric resin. The method works well at 200°C but an increasing number of impurity peaks are observed as the temperature is increased to 250°C.