Linearity of a flame ionisation detector for capillary gas chromatography

Summary The influence of the nitrogen and hydrogen flow rates on the linearity of the flame ionisation detector is investigated and flow-rates which give a linear response over five orders of magnitude are determined.     

The response of a flame ionisation detector to pulses of noble gases in a gas chromatograph

Summary It has been confirmed that pulses of noble gases injected into the nitrogen carrier gas in a gas chromatograph produce responses from a flame ionisation detector. The responses are caused by a dual perturbation of the ‘blank’ signal resulting from trace impurities in the nitrogen. One type of perturbation is explicable from the theory of vacancy chromatography whilst the other, it is suggested, results from the influence of the noble gas on the net rate of production of charge carriers in the flame. This latter response can be used for gas hold up time measurements.     

Determination of cyanogen and cyanogen chloride using gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector

Summary The response of a flame ionisation detector (FID) to cyanogen ((CN)₂) and cyanogen chloride (CNCI) has been studied. The lower limits of detection for (CN)₂ and CNCl were 6×10⁻¹² moles and 2×10⁻¹¹ moles respectively. In a comparative study a thermal conductivity detector gave as its lower limit of detection for both (CN)₂ and CNCl 4×10⁻¹¹ moles. Both detectors showed excellent linearity over the range 0 to 10 micromoles. The ratio of the gradients of the FID calibrations (CN)₂/CNCI were found to be approximately two suggesting the response depended on the cyanide group. The response and stability of the FID was investigated as a function of air and hydrogen flow-rates. The response increased with increasing air flow-rate for both (CN)₂ and CNCI up to 300cm³min⁻¹, thereafter no significant increase was observed. On raising the hydrogen flow from 10 to 25cm³min⁻¹ only a slight increase in the sensitivity of the FID towards both (CN)₂ and CNCI was observed. At higher flow rates the response for (CN)₂ increased markedly whereas at the same flow rates the response for CNCI increased only slightly.     

High-energy irradiation of chlorinated hydrocarbons

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) are jointly investigating the decomposition of chlorinated hydrocarbons using bremsstrahlung radiation produced by electron accelerators and gamma photons from spent reactor fuel. Experimental results demonstrate an exponential type decay of concentration with dose for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water and for both polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and insecticides in organic solutions. Experiments were performed at several photon energies and dose rates with various initial concentrations. Mass balance analysis suggests complete mineralization of VOCs in ground water and indicates significant degradation of PCBs and insecticides to VOC type compounds in organic solutions.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy, DOE Contract Nos. W-7405-ENG-48 and DE-AC07-76IDO1570.     

Reaction orders of radiation-induced dechlorinations of some aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons in aqueous solutions

Previously obtained data regarding radiation-induced dechlorination of some aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), chloroform (CHCl₃) and tetrachloromethane (CCl₄) in aqueous solutions were used for determination of formal reaction order of dechlorination. The influence of various factors on this process was investigated. It was found that the formal reaction order changes in the course of reaction and may depend on the initial concentration of chlorinated hydrocarbons.     

Analysis of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector

The determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites in human urine is the method of choice for assessing exposure to carcinogenic compounds. The objective of this study was the development of a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) method using a flame ionisation detector (FID) to simultaneously determine 10 hydroxylated PAH. The method was based on enzymatic deconjugation, liquid–liquid extraction, and trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization of the analytes by microwave heating. Satisfactory separation was achieved. The coefficient of variance was 3.8–12.8%. LOD was 0.03–0.18 μg/L, and LOQ was 0.1–0.5 μg/L. The mean recovery was 76%. The method was applied to the analysis of urine from smokers and non-smokers.     

Rapid monitoring of carvacrol in plants and herbal medicines using matrix solid-phase dispersion and gas chromatography flame ionisation detector

Matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) method coupled with gas chromatography flame ionisation detector as a quick and easy extraction technique has been developed to extract carvacrol from plants and herbal medicines. Influence of important parameters on the MSPD method efficiency, such as the sorbent material, the ratio of sample to sorbent material, elution solvent and volume of the elution solvent has been evaluated and optimised. Carvacrol was successfully extracted by diatomaceous earth as sorbent with 350 μL of dichloromethane as elution solvent. The calibration curve showed good linearity (r² = 0.9965) and precision (RSD < 8.16%) in the concentration range of 0.5–100 μg mL^? 1 for carvacrol. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.1 and 0.5 μg mL^? 1, respectively. The recoveries were in the range of 74.4–80.5% with relative standard deviation (RSD) values ranging from 8.4% to 9.8%. The reported MSPD extraction method revealed to be simpler and faster than conventional methods used to quantify carvacrol from plants and herbal medicines.     

Characterization of a microelectromechanical systems-based counter-current flame ionization detector

This work is concerned with the influence of different operating parameters on the response of a counter-current micro flame ionization detector (cc-μFID) with low gas consumption for mobile applications. At cc-μFID flow rates (<10ml/min hydrogen), the response depends mainly on the oxygen flow. At 7.5ml/min hydrogen flow, highest sensitivity (13.7mC/gC) is obtained with the smallest flame chamber and nozzle size, moderate sample gas flow (2.0ml/min), and an oxygen flow above stoichiometry (9.4ml/min, λ=2.5). The largest absolute signal is obtained at increased sample gas flow (8.0ml/min). However, to prevent parting of the micro-flame by the sample gas stream, largest nozzles (smallest outflow velocity) give the best result (4.37nA). Whereas cc-μFID sensitivity is comparable with conventional FID sensitivity, peak-to-peak noise of 1pA is relatively large. Therefore, the minimum detectable carbon mass flow of 1.46×10(-10)gC/s and the minimum detectable methane concentration of 3.43ppm are larger than typical FID detection limits. μGC-μFID experiments show the difference between premixing the sample with the hydrogen or with the oxygen with respect to sensitivity and response factors. Sensitivity is decreased considerably when the column effluent is added to the oxygen instead of to the hydrogen. For hydrogen premixed samples the response factor to butane can be increased up to 0.81 (methane=1), whereas for oxygen premixed samples it is maximally 0.31. This smaller sensitivity to oxygen premixed samples and the larger variation of response factors shows the importance of the hydrogen atom during breakdown of organic molecules to single-carbon fragments before ionization.     

Electroinitiated polymerization of trioxane in chlorinated hydrocarbons

The electroinitiated polymerization of trioxane in chlorinated hydrocarbons, with tetrabutyl-ammonium perchlorate as background electrolyte, has been investigated. The initiation always involves perchlorate oxidation but the polymerization exhibits different features in the various solvents. It has been found that in 1–2 dichloroethane the polymerization, once started by a short pulse of current, proceeds without any induction period to moderate conversion of monomer to polymer. The initial rate of polymerization depends linearly on the monomer cone, and on the initiating charge, so allowing determination of some kinetic parameters. On the other hand, the electroinitiated polymerization of trioxane in dichloromethane requires continuous current to give reasonable conversions; it exhibits induction periods and acceleration which cannot be simply related to the current.     

New halogen-specific detector applied to the analysis of chlorinated fatty acids

A new halogen-specific detection method (XSD) was tested for determination of chlorinated fatty acids in marine biota. In XSD, an increased emission of ions and electrons is caused by the high-temperature combustion of halogen-containing compounds. The detection limit of methyl dichlorooctadecanoate and the selectivity at a reactor temperature of 900 degrees C match those of electrolytic conductivity detection (ELCD). The relative standard deviation is less than 11% for > or =0.2 ng methyl dichlorooctadecanoate. An XSD chromatogram of a complex sample, chlorinated fatty acid methyl esters liberated from fish lipids, agreed with a previously obtained ELCD chromatogram.     

预测氯代芳烃对戈卑鱼毒性的理论研究

为建立氯代芳烃对戈卑鱼毒性相关的QSAR模型,分析了22种氯代芳烃的结构特征,计算了各个分子的分子连接性指数.通过多元线性逐步回归分析研究,筛选了其中4种分子连接性指数~0X,~2X,~3X和~4X_(PC),建立了这4种指数与氯代芳烃对戈卑鱼毒性的定量结构-活性相关的QSAR模型,方程的相关系数R=0.979,判定系数R_(adj)~2=0.959,标准误差S=0.134,经检验该模型具有良好的稳定性和预测能力.     

Application of the radioactive ionisation detector to the determination of permanent gases by gas chromatography and some uses in studies of chemical kinetics

It has been found possible to determine volumes of hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide within the range 0.1–10 ml at S.T.P. and carbon monoxide and nitrogen within the range 0.1–0.4ml at S.T.P. with an accuracy of around 5 % in a gas chromatograph using the radioactive ionisation detector, provided that the detector temperature and the rate of carrier gas flow through the column are maintained between stated limits. Results of experiments on the sensitivity of the instrument to oxygen, sulphur dioxide, ethane, propane and n-pentane are also reported. Particular attention has been directed towards selecting the most suitable parameter of the response peaks for use in quantitative analysis.

Some particular applications of the argon chromatograph in studies of chemical kinetics involving permanent gases are described, and a method for the removal of corrosive gases from mixtures to be analysed is discussed.     

Electroinitiated polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane in chlorinated hydrocarbons

The electrochemically initiated polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane has been investigated in 1,2-dichloroethane with tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as background electrolyte.The anode process is due to the monomer, and its intermediate oxidation products are probably the initiating species; once initiated, the polymerization reaches an equilibrium which is largely independent of the amount of the initially furnished charge.The conversion at equilibrium on the contrary depends on temperature and initial monomer concentration. The kinetic curves at 50° do not exhibit induction and acceleration periods but autocatalysis becomes important at lower temperature.The polymerization seems slower in dichloromethane, but the process trends to the same equilibrium conversion.The molecular weight of the polymers depends on temperature, monomer concentration and amount of initiating charge: apart from some chain transfer acting in the first stage of polymerization, the process exhibits “living” features in the increase of molecular weight with conversion.     

The ionisation potential of some substituted pyridines

The ionisation potentials of pyridines substituted with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents in positions 2, 3 and 4 have been determined.