Gas chromatography for in situ analysis of a cometary nucleus III. Multi-capillary column system for the cometary sampling and composition experiment of the Rosetta lander probe

The cometary sampling and composition (COSAC) experiment is one of the principal experiments of the surface lander probe of the European Space Agency Rosetta mission to be launched in January 2003. The instrument is designed for the in situ chemical analysis of a cometary nucleus as the details of the nucleus composition are of primary importance for understanding both the formation of the solar system, and the origin of life on Earth. The COSAC experiment consists of an evaporation/pyrolysis device and two analytical systems: a multi-column gas chromatograph and a high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer which may either be operated alone or in a coupled mode. The gas chromatograph includes five general purpose chromatographic columns and three chiral ones, all mounted in parallel. Taking into account the chemical species potentially present in the cometary nucleus as well as the space constraints, a set of five complementary columns was selected to perform the separation and identification of the compounds present in the cometary nucleus. This set of columns includes a carbon molecular sieve porous-layer open tubular (PLOT) column used for the separation of both the noble and other permanent gases, and the C1-C2 hydrocarbons. A second PLOT column uses a divinylbenzene-ethylene glycol-dimethylacrylate porous polymer as stationary phase for the analysis of a wide range of C1-C2 organic molecules, Two complementary wall-coated open tubular (WCOT) columns with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) liquid stationary phases, one containing cyanopropyl-phenylsiloxane and the other diphenylsiloxane groups, are designed to target the same range of organic compounds (C3-C7) which could be representative of the widest range of cometary compounds. A third WCOT column with an apolar stationary phase made of non-substituted PDMS is used for the separation and identification of higher-molecular-mass compounds (up to C10) and aromatic species (monoaromatic and polyaromatic). This paper describes these five general-purpose capillary PLOT and WCOT columns, selected to be used in the COSAC GC system. The analytical capabilities are examined with a special emphasis on the exobiological and planetological implications.     

中孔分子筛在气固色谱中的应用

将中孔分子筛这一新材料应用于气固色谱，可以分离脂肪烃，芳烃，卤代烃以及一些酮类化合物。对这种中孔分子筛柱的柱效，定量解吸等情况进行了考察，并与传统的气固色谱柱和一些常用气液色谱柱进行了对比。在填补中孔材料气固色谱吸附剂空白方面作了有意义的探讨。     

高效PLOT碳分子筛石英毛细管柱的研制及其性能研究

选用碳分子筛作吸附剂 ,用液相沉淀法涂渍出高效PLOT碳分子筛石英毛细管色谱柱 ,并对其色谱性能进行了考察。结果表明 ,该色谱柱具有良好的分离特性 ,1次进样可分离出O2、N2、CO、CO2、CH4、C2H2、C2H4、C2H6 等组分;适用于炼厂气、烟道气、水煤气及变压器油溶解气等的分析。     

Gas chromatography for in situ analysis of a cometary nucleus. IV. Study of capillary column robustness for space application

As part of the development of the European Space Agency Rosetta space mission to investigate a cometary nucleus, the selection of columns dedicated to the gas chromatographic subsystem of the Cometary Sampling and Composition (COSAC) experiment was achieved. Once the space probe launched, these columns will be exposed to the harsh environmental constraints of space missions: vibrations, radiation (by photons or energetic particles), space vacuum, and large temperature range. In order to test the resistance of the flight columns and their stationary phases, the columns were exposed to these rough conditions reproduced in the laboratory. The comparison of the analytical performances of the columns, evaluated prior and after the environmental tests, demonstrated that all the columns withstand space constraints, and that their analytical properties were preserved. Therefore, all the selected capillary columns, even having porous layer or chiral stationary phases, were qualified for space exploration.     

同时测定氢及烃类的微反色谱系统

介绍了一种新型的脉冲微反色谱系统。该系统将微反流出的产物分成两路,一路经串联的碳分子筛和５Ａ分子筛柱进入热导检测器检测氢及甲烷;另一路用ＳＥ－３０为固定相的填充柱经氢焰检测器测定烃类组成。用氢－甲烷二元混合标准气进行两个检测器的关联,以实现氢和烃类含量的归一化计算。由于采用并联流路,使烃类分析柱受限制较少,应用范围广。     

In-situ chemical investigation of a comet nucleus by gas chromatography: Porous layer open tubular columns for the separation of light, volatile compounds

Summary In the framework of the cometary sampling and composition (COSAC) experiment of the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosetta space mission to a comet, a new generation of porous polymer porous-layer open tubular (PLOT) columns has been investigated with the aim of separating the light organic compounds targeted by the experiment within the constraints of the operating conditions used in space. Both styrene-divinylbenzene and ethylene glycol-dimethyl acrylate-divinylbenzene porous polymers can be used to separate most of the target compounds, but the latter was selected because of its better separating properties. The most appropriate column characteristics were found to be 10 m length, 0.18 mm internal diameter, and 1–2 μm layer thickness, despite the low sample-loading capacity of such a column, which impairs its chromatographic performance. The influence of column overloading on retention properties and efficiency was, therefore, studied. To achieve the separation with optimum sensitivity, and within the in-situ time allowed for the analysis, it was also demonstrated that the maximum allowed temperature and reduced outlet pressure are required. Finally, it was shown that in the presence of water, the most abundant volatile compound in comets the separating properties of the studied columns are conserved. This paper thus demonstrates the suitability of the porous polymer PLOT column selected for the COSAC experiment and requirements for use in space; it is the first porous polymer PLOT column to be used in space exploration. Presented at: 23^rd International Symposium on Chromatography, London, UK, October 1–5, 2000     

Polytrimethylsilylpropyne as adsorbent for separation of gases

Polytrimethylpropyne supported on a solid substrate was proposed as a chromatographic adsorbent for the separation of hydrocarbon gases. The heats of adsorption of hydrocarbon gases were determined. The efficiency of application of this sorbent for the selective separation of C₁--C₄ hydrocarbon gases in packed columns was demonstrated.     

On the optimization of the solid core radius of superficially porous particles for finite adsorption rate

Packed chromatographic columns with the superficially porous particles (porous shell particles) guarantee higher efficiency. The theoretical equation of the Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate (HETP), for columns packed with spherical superficially porous particles, was used for the analysis of the column efficiency for finite rate of adsorption-desorption process. The HETP equation was calculated by the application of the moment analysis to elution peaks evaluated with the General Rate (GR) model. The optimal solid core radius for maximum column efficiency was estimated for a wide spectrum of internal and external mass transfer resistances, adsorption kinetic rate and axial dispersion. The separation power of the shell adsorbent for two component mixture, in analytical and preparative chromatography, was discussed. The conditions of the equivalence between the solutions of the General Rate model with slow adsorption kinetic and the Lumped Kinetic Model (LKM) or the Equilibrium Dispersive (ED) model were formulated.     

Determination of carbon monoxide,methane and carbon dioxide in refinery hydrogen gases and air by gas chromatography

This paper illustrates a method for determining trace amounts of CO, CH4 and CO2 with the detection limit of 0.15, 0.15 and 0.20 microg/l, respectively, in refinery hydrogen gases or in air. A simple modification of a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame-ionization detector is presented. A Porapak Q column, additionally connected with a short molecular sieve 5A packed column and a catalytic hydrogenation reactor on the Ni catalyst have been applied. The principle of the analytical method proposed is the separation of CO from O2 before the introduction of CO to the methanizer. The analytical procedure and examples of the results obtained have been presented. The modification applied makes it possible to use the GC instrument for other determinations, requiring utilization of the Porapak Q column and the flame-ionization detector. In such cases, the short molecular sieve 5A column and the methanizer can be by-passed.     

用于昆虫外激素研究的微量顶空收集及热解吸气相色谱进样方法初探

描述了一个结合项空气流收集与无溶剂热解吸气相色谱进样的方法。用填充PorapskQ的微量注射器作为吸附管进行气流收集。将收集物不经溶剂洗脱直接进行热解吸进样。用人工合成的昆虫外激素化合物反-7-十二碳单烯乙酸酯（E-7-DA）及顺-5,反-7-十二碳二烯乙酸酯（Z-5,E-7-DDA）测定了方法的回收率,初步探索了运用于昆虫外激素分析的可行性,并讨论了提高回收率的途径。     

高效多孔层毛细管柱吸附气相色谱的研究进展

PLOT柱是用于永久性气体,低碳烃和挥发性化合物色谱分析的最有效的工具,经常用于替代经典填充柱,对多孔层开管毛细管柱（PLOT）吸附色谱的分离机理、PLOT柱制备方法和各类吸附剂的色谱特性及其特定应用进行了综述。     

On-line redox derivatization liquid chromatography using double separation columns and one derivatization unit

A new on-line redox derivatization technique using double separation columns and one redox derivatization unit was presented for enhancement of separation selectivity of HPLC. This on-line redox derivatization HPLC system consisted of two separation columns and one redox derivatization unit placed between them. The redox reaction proceeds in the derivatization unit so that an analyte compound migrates as its original form in the first column, while as its oxidized or reduced form in the second column. The retention of the analytes is controlled by the lengths of the two separation columns in this system. We adopted a small column packed with porous graphitic carbon (PGC) as a redox derivatization unit and two C18 silica columns treated with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as separation columns. The redox activity of PGC and the efficiency of the on-line redox derivatization HPLC system for enhancement of separation selectivity were investigated using EDTA complexes of some metal ions. Original untreated PGC and PGC treated with hydrogen peroxide completely oxidized Co(II)-EDTA and converted it to Co(III)-EDTA, while the other metal complexes eluted as their original oxidation states throughout the system. Selective separation and determination of cobalt in a reference copper alloy by the developed method were demonstrated.     

Polymetacrylate and hybrid interparticle monolithic columns for fast separations of proteins by capillary liquid chromatography

Preparation of organic polymer monolithic columns in fused silica capillaries was aimed at fast gradient separation of proteins. For this purpose, polymerization in situ procedure was optimized, using ethylene dimetacrylate and butyl metacrylate monomers with azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator of the polymerization reaction in presence of non-aqueous porogen solvent mixtures composed of 1-propanol and 1,4-butanediol. The separation of proteins in totally monolithic capillary columns was compared with the chromatography on a new type of "hybrid interparticle monolithic" capillary columns, prepared by in situ polymerization in capillary packed with superficially porous spherical beds, 37-50 microm. The "hybrid" columns showed excellent stability and improved hydrodynamic flow properties with respect to the "totally" monolithic capillary columns. The separation selectivity is similar in the two types of columns. The nature of the superficially porous layer (bare silica or bonded C18 ligands) affects the separation selectivity less significantly than the porosity (density) of the monolithic moiety in the interparticle space, controlled by the composition of the polymerization mixture. The retention behaviour of proteins on all prepared columns is consistent with the reversed-phase gradient elution theory.     

Dual column capillary gas chromatographic system for the in situ analysis of volatile organic compounds on a cometary nucleus

Two Wall Coated Open Tubular capillary columns, coated with poly(cyanopropylphenyl-dimethyl)siloxane and poly(diphenyl-dimethyl)siloxane stationary phases, have been selected for use in the COmetary SAmpling and Composition space experiment for the separation and identification of the wide range of volatile organic compounds which could be present in cometary nuclei. This article presents the main characteristics of the tandem column system for the analysis of solutes of cometary interest within the constraints of space instrumental operating conditions. The high efficiency of the columns is demonstrated and the influence of the operating conditions on their separation properties are investigated. The studied columns exhibit complementary retention pattern: their use in a dual column system makes it possible to achieve the separation and the identification of the compounds of interest. Finally, the good analytical behavior of the columns when analyzing samples which include large amounts of water, the main presumed volatile in comets, is demonstrated. The presented results thus show the suitability of the selected tandem columns system for the desired analyses, and their performance on adaptation to in-situ cometary chemical investigation.     

Adsorption in columns packed with porous adsorbent particles having partially fractal structures

A mathematical model is constructed and solved that could describe the dynamic behavior of the adsorption of a solute of interest in single and stratified columns packed with partially fractal porous adsorbent particles. The results show that a stratified column bed whose length is the same as that of a single column bed, provides larger breakthrough times and a higher dynamic utilization of the adsorptive capacity of the particles than those obtained from the single column bed, and the superior performance of the stratified bed becomes especially more important when the superficial velocity of the flowing fluid stream in the column is increased to accommodate increases in the system throughput. This occurs because the stratified column bed provides larger average external and intraparticle mass transfer and adsorption rates per unit length of packed column. It is also shown that increases in the total number of recursions of the fractal and the ratio of the radii between larger and smaller microspheres that make up the partially fractal particles, increase the intraparticle mass transfer and adsorption rates and lead to larger breakthrough times and dynamic utilization of the adsorptive capacity of the particles. The results of this work indicate that highly efficient adsorption separations could be realized through the use of a stratified column comprised from a practically reasonable number of sections packed with partially fractal porous adsorbent particles having reasonably large (i) total number of recursions of the fractal and (ii) ratio of the radii between larger and smaller microspheres from which the partially fractal particles are made from. It is important to mention here that the physical concepts and modeling approaches presented in this work could be, after a few modifications of the model, applied in studying the dynamic behavior of chemical catalysis and biocatalysis in reactor beds packed with partially fractal porous catalyst particles.     

On the optimization of the shell thickness of superficially porous particles

The thickness of the porous shells of superficially porous particles influences the separation power of columns packed with these packing materials. Models of the mass transfer kinetics across porous adsorbents permit the prediction of the HETP curves of columns packed with particles having shells of different thicknesses, for molecules of different sizes. Decreasing the thickness of the porous layer potentially results in lower values of the “C-term” of the HETP curve and of the minimum of these curves. The Poppe plots calculated under isocratic and gradient conditions show that the separation power of columns packed with superficially porous particles increases significantly with decreasing thickness of the porous layer but this increase is more important for larger than for smaller molecules. The resolution between pairs of compounds increases at constant values of their retention factors when the strength of the eluent must be reduced to compensate for the decrease of their retention that is caused by the reduction of the surface area of the stationary phase. Thus, the separation power of columns packed with superficially porous particles increases with decreasing shell thickness. In contrast, if analysts do not compensate for the retention decrease, the resolution between small molecular weight compounds becomes worse with thin than with thick superficially porous particles. Finally, the importance of using instruments providing low extra-column band broadening contributions is stressed.     

聚二乙烯苯整体柱的制备及其在气相色谱分析中的应用

初步探讨了毛细管整体柱的制备方法及其在气相色谱分析中的应用。以液相色谱用毛细管整体柱作为研究基础,通过改变甲苯和十二醇的比例,使整体柱适用于气相色谱分析。通过二乙烯苯与键合在管壁上的3-(异丁烯酰氯)丙基三甲氧基硅烷(TMP)键合以及其自身的聚合,获得具有牢固结构、良好机械强度的整体柱。将其用于混合溶剂的分析和白酒标样的分析,可直接分析水中低碳醇。与现有的商品柱进行比较,结果表明所制备的整体柱均优于用以对照的商品色谱柱,其中在混合溶剂的分析中,醇类、酯类、酮类和芳烃类的峰形均优于用于比较的多孔层开口管(PLOT)柱;在白酒标样分析中,使得乙醛、甲醇、乙酸乙酯的色谱峰能够分开,比现有的聚乙二醇(PEG-20M)柱的分析方法更为便捷。     

Fast supercritical fluid chromatography of polymers using packed capillary columns

Summary Fast separations of perfluorinated polyethers and polymethylsiloxanes that are composed of 50–80 oligomers were demonstrated in packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) using a carbon dioxide mobile phase. Separations were accomplished within 10 min using a 13 cm×250 μm i.d. column packed with 2 μm porous octadecyl bonded silica (ODS) particles. Effects of particle diameter of the packing material and pressure programming on separation were investigated, and packed column SFC was compared with open tubular column SFC. Results show that as the particle diameter was decreased from 5 to 3 to 2 μm and the column length was reduced from 85 to 43 to 13 cm, the separation time could be reduced from 70 to 20 to 10 min while still maintaining similar separation (resolution). Short columns packed with small porous particles are very suitable for fast SFC separations of polymers.     

Elasticity of adsorbent beds

The practical application of adsorbents with the desired separation properties depends not only upon the adsorption characteristics of the material but also upon the mechanical properties of the packed bed. The packed bed, the vessel surrounding the bed and any internal structure that supports the bed are subjected to both static and cyclic loads during an adsorption process. In order to properly design the vessel and its internal structure, the bulk mechanical properties (most particularly the elastic properties) of the adsorbent bed must be known. The primary focus of this study was to determine the elastic properties of adsorbent beds packed with activated alumina, synthetic molecular sieve 13X or natural zeolite clinoptilolite. The bulk modulus of elasticity was found to be a linear function of applied stress for each of these materials in a range of stresses lower than the bulk crush strength. The Poisson’s ratio for the packed bed was also deduced from these results.     

Determining the vinyl alcohol distribution in poly(vinyl butyral) using normal-phase gradient polymer elution chromatography

The application of film-forming organic polymers, which are in common use in membrane technology, as chromatographic adsorbents for packed and capillary columns has been suggested. The chromatographic characteristics of poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propine] (PTMSP) as an adsorbent were studied. The film-forming properties of PTMSP simplify manufacturing of capillary and packed gas–solid columns. It was shown that separation of C₁–C₄ hydrocarbon gases on the columns with PTMSP is of practical interest. In the authors’ opinion, PTMSP is also promising for the separation of inorganic gases.